June 30, 2015

Tuesday

My sore throat has turned scratchy. I used many cough drops during the night.  The night was cool and we used the blankets. Yay! Blankets feel good. 

Turns out Ed and Nina went by themselves for her appointment to get her wisdom teeth pulled. They were gone most of the day. The oral surgeon said her roots were sideways and very curvy. But she is here now icing both a sides of her face.

Today was a day off. Everyone relaxed and did a lot of nothing. Tom and I took a walk. I made boxed macaroni and cheese and a salad for supper. Then we watched "Castaway." I had never seen it, which isn't surprising. 

We are going to wait till the morning and see how Nina is feeling. If she feels like traveling we will leave and head for WNY, a 9 hour drive that will probably take us 12. 

I read to Charlie and got to bed before 11:30 PM.

We all miss Kim, Doug, Stevie, and Reed.

June 29, 2015

Monday

Woke up at 7 and got moving. Packed and cleaned for 4 hours. We finally left and had to go back because Ed left his charger there. 

We stopped at an auto parts store for fuses that the kids blew overloading the inverter. Then we drove from Okoboji, Iowa through Minnesota and Wisconsin to Richmond, IL. 

We outraced a huge thunderstorm that followed us most of the way. I thought it would rain the whole way and we only saw a few drops. So we left about 12:30 and arrived at our destination, Jim Marconi's, about 8:30. Tom picked us up pizza from 2 minutes away. 

Everyone was happy to be in Jim's spacious and comfortable home. I was the first one to bed. I think I'm leaving early to go with Tom to take Nina to Chicago to get all four of her wisdom teeth pulled. 

June 28, 2015

Sunday

I didn't wake till 10 AM. I've got to get to bed earlier. I started thinking about leaving tomorrow. Packing. Cleaning. I did some laundry and before I knew it we were getting ready to leave for our gig. The band left with Tommy. TJ's family walked over to the beach with Garrett and Charlie. They took a quick swim, showered, and then we left. 

We played earlier today, 2-6 PM.  Ang and I got to watch some of the race as there was a tv near where we sat. Callie and Violet slept for about an hour on one of our laps. It was fun, but it was a long day. I was glad to go back to the house close to 9 o'clock.

I made coffee and pulled out things for supper; leftover soups, salad, watermelon, and Nina made BBQ tofu. After we ate I packed one cooler from the fridge and did dishes. Moved more laundry and just walked around picking stuff up. I straightened up my suitcase and went to bed too late. 

June 27, 2015

Saturday

I had a wonderful relaxing morning. I roamed around this old house, amazed at all the rooms and details. It is called "The Chateau." 

The little kids played with water balloons. We were going to go to a carnival on the other side of the lake but ran out of time, and it also cost $25 a person. Multiply that by all of us would have been $350! Charlie was especially disappointed and used it as an opportunity to be a brat. 

He praticed his fiddle and I played guitar with him, but it wasn't much fun because he still kept acting like a brat. TJ and Ang went to Walmart. For our meal before our gig I made tomato soup, salad, peanut butter sandwiches, and watermelon . We also had leftover no-chicken noodle soup from the night before. 

Tommy, Charlie, and I rode over to the gig a little later than the band with TJ and family. That gave me time to clean up supper. The gig was fun. We couldn't sit near the playground tonight because there were so many people and no empty tables.  It worked out ok. Tommy and Garrett helped a lot to watch the little ones. 

By the time the band took their break I was ready to go back to the house. TJ took us again. I must try harder to get to bed earlier. I get to bed way to late. I wasn't asleep when the band and Tom got home and he talked farther into the night. Then he fell asleep but not me. :0(

June 26, 2015

Friday 

I had a good day today. We relaxed around this awesome house. Tom and I took a walk. I made soup for lunch, with cheese and crackers. I don't usually buy cheese, so that was a treat. I fed everyone before we left for our gig at Parks Marina.

There was a playground not too far from the stage, so we sat right next to it so the little kids could play. The lake house is about 4 miles from the marina and TJ was able to run Ang and I and the kids back to the house during their break. We fed the kids again. I read to Charlie and went to bed.

June 25, 2015

Thursday 

We left the hotel at noon and drove and drove and drove. Iowa is pretty flat, and where we drove trees were only around houses, ponds, or rivers. 

I finished crocheting the red lace. 

Ed saw his first real cowboy with cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, and horses (his words). 

We finally made it to Parks Marina in Okoboji, Iowa at 7 PM. I saw this awesome boat there that I liked. It was around $43,000. Why is everything so expensive? 

Our host took us over to the lake house where we were all blown away by the house. It used to be a bed and breakfast, and before that, a brothel. There is a ton of history in this house. It is like a museum.

After we picked out bedroom TJ, Ang, and I went to Walmart for groceries. I would prefer a grocery store but it worked. Now the fridge is super stuffed. 

June 24, 2015

Wednesday

It was so comfortable staying at the hotel in Lewisburg, WV that I didn't want to leave, but we had a long drive ahead of us. I think we left at 11 or 12. We thought we were headed for Richmond, IL, to spend the night at a friend's house, but his wife had surgery, so we decided to keep heading toward Okoboji, Iowa and spend the night in a hotel. 

Poor Violet. She cried for the first 2 hours of the drive. :0( we stopped just to get her out of the van and calmed down. 

A few hours after that the day took a bad turn. Tom didn't like the GPS directions and wanted to stay on the interstate. When we turned around and got back on there was a detour that sent us south to go north, and then a wonderful traffic jam (in Ohio). As all this started we got separated from TJ, who didn't get on the interstate, but followed the GPS. He ended up missing the whole traffic jam and ended up an hour ahead of us. 

Then we had unexpected tolls and were digging for change. Tom wanted gas and didn't like the exit I told him to get off on. I use an app, Gas Buddy, to find the cheapest gas, but we were trying to get around Chicago, and Tom was worried about prices and blah, blah, blah. He put in 3 gallons and we got back on the interstate. The next gas station I found was perfect, but it was late and we were getting tired. 

Meanwhile, Angelica was trying to book us hotel rooms and everything was full. She finally found us 2 rooms, each with 3 queen beds, which was great, but 2 hours away. 

I finished the embroidery on a dish towel a nd started crocheting lace edging.

We finally made it and went straight to bed. It must have been close to midnight. 

June 23, 2015

Tuesday

I strongly dislike packing up and moving out. I had to try hard to not be grumpy. I had a little quiet time and a cup of coffee then got to work. I started washing bedding a and towels so we could leave the place nice and clean, then started cleaning bathrooms. So I basically spent 3 hours picking up, collecting, washing, wiping, and waking up boys over and over again. 

We finally left 45 minutes late. Not bad for our crew. I took a last goodbye pic of the house.

We drove two hours to our next stop in Lewisburg, WV. We stopped at a Walmart for a few minutes, then we split up. TJ, Ang, their kids and I went to the hotel. Tom and everyone else went to Greenbrier to entertain at the WV auto dealers convention.

Violet has been getting new teeth, and she's not a happy camper. Fever, runny nose, and she just does not feel good. Angelica laid down for a nap, TJ took Jake and Callie to the swimming pool, and I watched Violet. We watched HGTV, a real treat for me since we have no tv. Then TJ and I walked with the kids to Ruby Tuesday for supper. The kids were good and Violet finally fell asleep. 

We went back to our rooms and Angelica was feeling better. She, TJ, and Jake went to the gig and I stayed at the hotel with Violet and Callie. Callie watched cartoons for a while, then turned grumpy because she wanted her pajamas and her blanket, which were in the van. She finally went to sleep mad.

TJ, Ang, Jake and Charlie came in first close to midnight and the band followed shortly after. Only 4 people had to sleep on the floor. Angelica booked us in a great hotel. Super comfy. No more letting Tom find us a place to sleep. 

June 22, 2015

Monday

Today was our day off. Yay!!! I read, crocheted, read some more. The kids swam. I did laundry and dishes. Tom and I took the younger kids for a walk. At night we watched the 3rd Jurasic Park movie. 

June 21, 2015

Sunday

We had a lazy morning, but left about 11:30 AM for our gig at Rockhouse Marina. It was a beautiful day. My Aunt Laurie stayed for the show so we got to visit. Jake and Callie were really cute. Charlie was really annoying and was sent to sit in the van. 

As we were packing up a thunderstorm blew in and we packed a lot faster. Then it poured and Kurt got an awesome pic of the lightning. Laurie drove home and it rained for the rest of the day.

 The kids played cards and we watched the first two Jurasic Park movies. I folded laundry and did dishes during commercials. I squeezed in a little embroidery too.

June 20, 2015

Saturday

We had the morning to relax, then left about 4:30 for our gig in Bluefield, West Virginia.  Angelica stayed at the house with her kids, and Garrett, Tommy, and Charlie too. Earlier I had seen a bird flying in and out of the van. Tom had opened the doors because it was so hot in there. He had closed them, but when we went to leave we found the spot the bird was making a nest, in the overhead area over the driver's seat. Silly bird.

We got stuck in a traffic jam before one of the the two tunnels we had to go through. When we arrived at the gig it looked like a ghost town. We were in a city and there wasn't one car or person on the street. 

We played at The Railyard. Ed, Nina, and Joe played from 7-9 on the first floor. My Aunt Laurie came from Raliegh, NC to see us. We sat in a booth with an awesome pic of Clint Eastwood, my favorite. We ate, then moved upstairs for the rest of the gig. 

It was a great place. I was just tired the whole time. When the band was done I rode with Laurie 2 hours back to the lake house. I think we got to bed at 3 AM. 

June 19, 2015

Friday

We got settled in the house where we are staying. Tom and some of the kids went swimming in the lake. At 4:30 we left for our gig. It started pouring while we drove there. We sat in the van a few minutes till it stopped raining. 

The kids set up and had a great show. Lots of people came to see us, many who had seen us in Key West. We played till 11 but people kept tipping the kids to play longer. Tom took Ang, the kids, and I back to the house so we wouldn't have to wait for the band to break down. 

June 18, 2015

Thursday

The plan today was to leave at noon for Pulaski, VA. I got up and made a vegetable and bean pasta salad for the trip. Tommy helped me chop vegetables. I packed the coolers Andy stuff. I was aggravated with people not helping and wasting time. They knew we were leaving yet they wait till the last minute to start loading. 

When we were finally packed up Tom couldn't find his wallet. Then the van wouldn't start. His wallet was finally found in the last load of wash we did, still wet in a plastic garbage bag. (No time to dry it). He had left it in his shorts' pocket. Whoops! And the van, Tom cleared the code and it started. 

We drove all day. It was after midnight when we made it to our destination, a house on Claytor Lake. It was a little hard finding it in the dark but we did it. 

June 17, 2015

Wednesday

Tom and I finally went grocery shopping. He dropped me off at Tops and visited his old friend Corny. He picked me up and we went to the bank. We stopped at John and Mary's, my most favorite restaurant for an Italian sausage sub. Western New York has the best food. :0)

When we got home I made sloppy joes. Joe cut up watermelon and made a fruit salad. My brother and his wife came up with their kids and brought a salad and brownies. We had an excellent supper and sat out on mom's deck till the mosquitos made us go inside. 

The kids, Garrett on down, played outside with bows and arrows. They played hide and seek too. The older kids went to a late (10:30 PM) movie, the new Jurasic Park. 

I wanted to make pasta salad tonight for our trip, but will have to do it in the morning.

Here's a pic of some flowers at my parents' house.

June 16, 2015

Tuesday

My mom and dad got back from FL at noon. 

We tried to get groceries again but by the time we were ready to leave, we didn't have enough time to do it without rushing and being stressed, so we didn't go. It was noon and we had to leave for our gig at Larkin Square at 2. Mom and Dad rode in to Buffalo with us. 

It was fun, crazy, and super busy. So many people came to see us:  from OP Wesleyan, and NC Wesleyan, my relatives, Tom's relatives, people he used to work with, fans who saw us in Key West, old friends, new friends. Incredible! 

The only downer was the sound. They would not let us use our own sound equipment and by the last hour you could hardly hear the band over peoples' voices. It was food truck Tuesday so Charlie and I got a little to eat. 

At the end, my parents rode home

With Carol and Darryl, instead of waiting for is to pack up. When the band was finally done packing up we went to Mighty Taco and them Tim Hortons. Western NY has the best food!!'

June 15, 2015

Monday

I was able to sleep till 10:30 AM. After coffee and breakfast Tom and I went out to get groceries and maybe look for a different van, a Ford Transit, and to go to the bank. We stopped at Tom's sister Anita's house. That's where TJ's family is staying. We visited longer than planned, then went looking at a van. That took all afternoon and we didn't get home till 10 PM. I think we spent 5 hours at the dealer's. They had one van, but without a towing package. We will have to order one and it would be delivered in October. 

We stopped at Tim Horton's on the way home. I felt bad for the kids because I planned on making supper. They ate soup and fruit and I brought them donuts. They were waiting for Tom so they could watch the Stanley Cup hockey game. I think Tom got to watch the 3rd period. Chicago won. 

Kurt took this picture of trees at my mom's house. Here's is a pic of my embroidered pillowcase and the crocheted lace I made. 

I made it to bed around 1 AM.

June 14, 2015

Sunday

After just four hours of sleep I got up and got ready to go back to Wind Gap with Tom and Charlie. Charlie had his last rehearsal with the kids group. We left all the other big kids sleeping.

We dropped Charlie off and walked up the hill for breakfast. Then went back to the kids area. Tom had to go back to the camp where we were staying to wake up the rest of the kids, pack up our stuff, and head to the next gig, a church in Stroudsburg, PA. I got to hang out with TJ, Ang, Uncle Jack, and Mark and Chris Panfil for a while.

At 1:30 we watched the kids concert. Then Charlie and I rode with TJ's family to the church. We set up, played, had a reception, and then they fed us a real sit down supper at two tables set with dishes. It was so cool to sit and eat together, and the food was delicious. They really spoiled us. I'm going to start saving my piano lesson money and baby dress money to buy a big, big table for us to eat at. We will have to get rid of the living room furniture to make it fit but I think it's worth it. 

When we started to load the equipment it started to rain. It rained for much of our 6 hour drive to our next stop-- Grandma Fran's.

It's so hard driving after midnight. And the last two or three hours seem to take twice as long, but we finally arrived at Grandma Fran's at 3 AM. As it turns out, my parents were leaving FL the same time we reached their house. My wonderful brother Darryl unlocked the house for is, lit the pilot lights on the hot water heater and stove, and turned on the fridge. Thanks Darryl!!