Billy Russo

I love this sister’s music. I’m glad to have her as a friend.

Although there is very little I remember about the Seventies and Eighties, I have flashes of the solar eclipse that crossed the Pacific NW in ’79. It was billed as the last total solar eclipse to cross North America that century. People came from all over the country to view it. I remember I was awed by the fact that the next eclipse wouldn’t be until 2017, 38 years down the path of linear time, unfathomable to this, then, 31 year old!

I kept a journal through the last quarter of the Twentieth Century. This is what I recorded on February 28, 1979:

“I wish now that I had had the discipline to record each day’s events as they happened. I’m not sure that I can recall all that went down over this past weekend. A lot happened.

“It was the best party I ever attended…. It got into full swing Friday afternoon. Everyone dropped acid, except Neva and I. Neva made a great soup. I kept the fires going [in the farmhouse]. Gary made sure everyone had a drink all evening. Joey entertained us with music all through the [three-day] party. [DH] also showed up that evening. During the course of the evening she took a little too much dope and wine and almost freaked out. …everyone was so fucked, they didn’t know who was where, or what. Moo-Lay tricked me into eating a little more pot cookie than I intended…. I decided that if [DH] freaked out, I would too.

“We had four sit-down dinners that I remember. We served nine or ten persons at each meal….

“Saturday afternoon we had brunch prepared by Gwen & Liz [who flew in from Ohio, Friday, for the weekend]. I remember potatoes, eggs, liquor and wine. All remained at the table till dark. Besides Gw & Z, GRees, Neva, Hosie [Joey], Scotty, Robert and I participated. [that evening] …all ended up at the gay bar in Eugene, everyone but Neva and I. We stayed home and cleaned up.

“Sunday I made ravioli and crusty Italian bread. GRees made Vichyssoise…. We had drinks before dinner…. During the meal we had wine. I think GRees served three or four wines. I know we had a bottle of [Rutini] Trumpeter 1964. I enjoy that wine immensely.

“Monday we had two sit-down meals. Scotty & Robert whipped up a fabulous fondue: wine and garlic base. We enjoyed that with crisp fresh vegetables and fruit and a loaf of Italian bread leftover from Sunday. Again we had drinks and wine.

“Early Monday evening Neva cooked up a duck, one of ours. [Scotty] made an orange sauce…. Robert made [polenta]. [We had cobbler every night].

“Joey played music all weekend…. I don’t think there was a 15 minute period…when someone didn’t have a joint going and it didn’t stop. Moo-Lay and Robert both brought cookies laced with pot. One cookie would have me besides myself! I mean it!!

“The eclipse, the excuse for the party, was less than spectacular. It was heavily overcast that morning. There were some clear spots in the clouds, few and far between, but enough that we were able to glimpse the eclipse a few times after totality occurred. In spite of the obstacles, it was quite a sight.”

I hope my writing from long ago give you a glimpse into that time. At least, now, I understand why I remember so little of the Seventies.