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!!

June 13, 2015

Saturday

I was awake at 5:30 AM. I think we let the kids sleep till 10ish, then drove back to the Wind Gap festival. Charlie missed the first bluegrass kids but made the second one. He, Jake, and Callie went and had a great time 

I had a good day. Uncle Jack helped with TJ's kids so much. I had time to sit and relax and listen to the bands. The Gibson Brothers were my favorite band at the festival. 

We did a family band workshop at 3. The kids did such a great job. Made me proud. :0)

A few of the boys and Ang played a set with AJ Lee, then we played our set about midnight. It was really fun. I usually don't get to sit in the audience when they play, so this was a treat. Most of the time I sit to the side next to the stage, so other people can have the good seats. They did a great job. 

They were done about 2 AM, then talked with people till close to 4 AM. They finally loaded the equipment and we went back to camp. Got to bed at 5 AM. Sunrise was at 5:25. I set my alarm for 9:10

AM.

June 12, 2015

Friday

I slept so bad last night. I think when I have to get up so early I sleep bad, just knowing it's coming. I got up and woke people up. Packing up was easier than I thought it would be. The boys had loaded some stuff after I went to bed. We took care of bedding and towels, collected wet swimsuits from outside, cleaned up the kitchen, collected odds and ends, and pulled out about 7:15, only 45 minutes behind schedule, which is great for us.

We drove for about 6 hours to the Wind Gap, PA bluegrass festival. It's always so pretty to drive through western NC and Virginia, PA too. 

Angelica had a set around 9 PM with the boys backing her up. They all did a great job and her set was so fun. I also got to see Valerie Smith and James King, both musicians that have influenced our family. James King needs a liver transplant. So sad to see him like that.

It was very late when we left the festival. We were all exhausted and Tom drove crazy, winding roads to the camp where we spent the night. Our 5 gallon water cooler fell and dumped from the van when we got there. We were all dehydrated. :0( We threw blankets and pillows on the mattresses and tried to sleep. It was hot and stuffy in the rooms. TJ's family decided to sleep in the van, Uncle Jack too. Earlier Doug Yeomans brought Emma and her friend Julia out to the festival and they stayed with us at the camp too. 

I just couldn't sleep. Horrible night. TJ called me at 5:30 AM to find out what room we were in. He wanted to use the bathroom. I was really struggling, trying to shake a bad attitude.

June 11, 2015

Thursday

The band had to leave at 10 AM to head over to Whiskey River, a 40 minute drive, set up, and sound check. I got up, did a few things, then went swimming. Callie, Charlie, Uncle Jack, Violet, and then Jake joined me. Robert and James went swimming in the Lake. 

At 2 o'clock Robert and James went to pick up the GMC. It was the air conditioning, compressor bearings to the clutch, something like that. Tom and TJ came back to the house too, because the car seats were in the Sprinter, and then we decided to take just the Sprinter back into Charlotte, that meant squishing 18 people for the ride back to the house. 

City. Fun to look around for a few minutes, but I'm just not a city person. We played  at Whiskey River, Dale's bar. Ang, the little kids, and I sat in a big booth off to the side. Kind of a good place for the kids, but we were there a long time. The kids were fine, but I was tired. We played 4-7. Went home. Everyone was hungry. We ate leftovers and I started cleaning up and packed the cooler. A bunch of the boys went swimming again in the lake in the dark. They were going off the slide on the houseboat.  I got some things ready for loading into the van, set my alarm for 5:30 AM :0( and went to bed. 

June 10, 2015

Wednesday

I slept till 10ish, had coffee, ate breakfast, and went swimming. JR came over and we all followed him over to JR Motorsports for a tour. Tom and JR ended up leaving during the tour. They went back to the house to get the GMC. It was making a horrible noise where we arrived last night. Something to do with the air conditioning. So they took it to a shop, then joined up with us again. 

We had a great time during the tour. Learned a lot. Then we had a tour of Dale's property, his old shop, his car graveyard, and western village. Super fun. 

We went back to the house. Jack and a few others stopped for some groceries. When they got back they made supper. Woo hoo!! No cooking for me!! :0) Everyone went swimming in the pool. Then they swam in the lake. I sat on the porch and crocheted. 

Cleaned up supper. The boys watched hockey and we sang "Happy Birthday" to Joe (21) and Garrett (16). Garrett wanted a cool jacket from the store at JR Motorsports, so I got it for him for his birthday. Joe got a new bass bow. We ate cake and ice cream and that was enough fore for one day.

June 9, 2015

Tuesday

And we're off... Summer 2015 Tour :0)

Got up early. Woke everyone up, finished loading, and left at 9 AM. We drove for 18 hours with a few gas stops and bathroom stops, 10 of us in the Sprinter van towing the trailer, and TJ's family in the GMC conversion van. 

During the drive I finished weaving in the loose ends on Jake's sweater, finished embroidering a pillowcase, and started crocheting some edging for the pillowcase. We have a makeshift kitchen set up in the back of the Sprinter. I'll have to take a pic.

We drove through and had to pull over during a nasty thunderstorm and downpour in SC but finally arrived in Mooresville, NC at 3 AM. Stayed up for an hour getting situated. Angelica's brother, cousin, and Uncle Jack arrived before us.