Category: The Zeelors

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Christmas Eve with Boys

As often as my sons get bruised and cut, it’s not too often that we end up in the hospital.

This collision with a trampoline calls for a few stitches. Every urgent care walk-in near us was closed, so here we are, in the emergency department.

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Unschool Dividends

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to teach our children how to change a tire. It wasn’t part of a life skills curriculum or plan, it just happened.

Last night, the car they were riding in got a flat. Without hesitation they got to work and resolved the problem without adult guidance.

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Full Circle?

World of Chaos is playing at Round Guys Brewing Company tonight. One of the founders of the brewery is an old friend.

Scott Rudich DJ’d at our wedding 17 years ago and, a few years later, Mary had to turn down his garage-brewed beers at a Cake concert because we had just learned that she was pregnant with Isaac.

It’s wild to now be sitting in this restaurant waiting for Westen to take the stage. Mary would love where music has carried her boys.

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The Carolina Chocolate Drops are Reuniting!

Holy crap, this would be awesome!

Mary and I discovered the Drops in 2011, or thereabouts, and got tickets to see them at The Queen in early 2012. Hoots & Hellmouth was added to the lineup and it was an unforgettable night. Between sets, mama Mary almost got me into a fight when we observed a young child without ear protection who clearly didn’t want to be there. We had to sacrifice a sweet spot in the pit to diffuse the situation, but still shook our backsides off to CCD (the little bit ‘o ass that Hoots left us to shake).

We saw the Carolina Chocolate Drops as a family in June of that year at the Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival. Westen was taken with their energy and we saw Rhiannon being a sweet mom at one of the kids activity tents.

Mary and I saw them at the Grand on one of our rare dates in 2013. The audience was the worst of the public radio crowd and wouldn’t get off their butts. Mary and I had amazing seats, but scooted into the wings to dance and not block anyone’s view. Unbeknownst to us, WHYY was filming the show and we saw ourselves months later on TV.

After Mary passed away, it was a special honor to take the boys to see Rhiannon Giddens in 2018 at Delfest. It was the first time they got to stay up for a proper headliner and Giddens served up a captivating performance. It wouldn’t be the last time I cried that weekend.

In 2022, Kristen and I took our kids to the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Local heroes, The Honey Badgers, were our big draw that year, but we also got to see Dom Flemons…twice. Few artists have the depth of talent and knowledge and personability that he does. He is an American treasure.

CCD hits deep in this family.