Concerts and Conditions

I am waking up in the nice luxurious Comfort Inn in Little Rock. OK, maybe not luxurious but WAY Better than the hotels Randy picks out.  We spent four days at my friend Gwyns home and now we are in Little Rock. We came in for a concert last night.  The concert was PHENOMENAL.  I loved it! The Celtic women  have voices like angels.   In my younger days I would have loved to be part of a group like that. Now , I will just settle for being a children's musician... No fancy long dresses for me  or ALL TELL arena performances. Instead I get a bright shirt, tight capris ( a result of last years tour ) and flip flops!   And venues, well we did play the Lonoke library and in a backyard with the beautiful backdrop of a barbed wire fence and a walnut tree. Sounds beautiful and natural I know, but let 40 three year olds loose with walnuts on the ground and see how comfortable you feel... 




Randy has a sleeping problem.  I mean a serious one. I think he has caught that bug that a  lot of older people get.  You know, the one where you wake up with the chickens and get breakfast and watch the news.  Then all day long you talk about " I just dont know how people stay in bed so late.."   This morning at 6 am Randy woke up.  " Deb, go get breakfast with me."  I let him go on down there, but since I was awake I got dressed and went on down.  Homemade waffles with pecans. Yummy.   ( Remember the tight Capris?)   As I walked in he was talking to an older woman.  No doubt discussing how  "young'ns" stay in bed so late.  Randy says " well, there is my beautiful wife. Wow, she is up, I cant believe it!" I smile and get my breakast.  Randy needed a buddy eater.  We eat and talk about how we hate that all that is on the news lately is Micheal Jackson. Yes, he was a music icon.  Yes, he died.   Farrah Faucett died the same day.... she was working to protect the rights of privacy of our medical records. Something that I have no doubt Micheal is going to wish he had.  Ok, back to the story.  We come back upstairs to our room and Randy checks his email and then lies back down on the bed.



 " I am just gonna rest my eyes".  Well, as I type this, he has been resting them for about an hour and a half. I mean, why not just sleep in.... ugh....   Ever since I met Randy one of the things I admired about him was his respect for older people. I am actually quite surprised me married me and not an older woman.  Randy has aspired to be an old man for a long time. I think he has arrived.  :)

A little Rest Never Did Anyone Harm

I am really slacking on my blogging this summer. Dana, I think I need a counseling session.  Does my  lack of blogging mean there is nothing exciting going on , or that I have accepted my fate as a traveling kids musician and staying at low rate hotels?  

Our traveling this year has been really minimized.  We havent been away at night as much as we were last year .  I think we have only been in  a hotel three nights so far this year.   The hotels we have stayed in havent been too bad, as a matter of fact only one had numbers.   It was a Super 8. I have dealt with this promptly though.  I say.. if you stop at a Super 8... 8 minutes is all you get.  Motel 6..  you get six minutes.  Needless to say, the hotel we stayed at last was a suite with a king size bed and a huge flat screen TV.  I am learning to bargain !

Over all our tour this year has been successful. I have not been on stage with tags hanging from my arms or anything.  My favorite part this year has been when Randy asks " Am I cool or what?" and  this little 7 year old girl stuck her finger in her throat like.. dont make me gag! I thought I would fall out! 

I actually have notes at home I had to blog, if I find it I may have more to add.

Right now, we are in Texas. We came for Randy's sister's 50th Birthday Bash. It was a surprise party.  We have spent a lot of time hanging out by the pool and sight seeing.  We will head home tomorrow.

I miss my life in Siloam , but I cant deny I have a great one where ever I am.

Yes, that is me in the top.  Can someone PLEASE start First Place when  I come back. I look like a mix between a fat mexican or chinese lady!

Whew... Let's catch up.

A week ago today I got together with a group of friends to celebrate my departure on the KIDDOS whirlwind tour of Arkansas and Mississippi. I thought I was clever making little goodie bags with leftover travel amenities from our tour last year.  I even stuck a little condom ( can I say that on here?) with a blue pill attached.  I was really really disappointed that I was the youngest one on the room and had to explain to the others that it was a joke " viagra".  Then Jeannie says.... I dont have to use those.. yet. Thanks Jeannie for the encouragement!  Now, I am considering whether that sexy gray hair was really worth it .I mean,  if I like the LOOK of an older man, I could always get a younger man and  dye  him gray... :)  Naw... let's not think that way.  Let's be honest. I would totally miss the overalls and the washboard playing .  I doubt I could even handle a younger man. Let me continue.

So, it seems the joke was on me.   The girls had brought presents as well. I got many nice things to use while " on the road".  I got many different kind of warming massage oil.   I almost used that this week while I was down in my back. I thought it would make the fact that I had to walk hunched over a little more sexy than icy hot. Atleast I would smell good.... and it would keep warming the sore areas of my back for quite a while . One testimony ( weird choice of words) was that it got so hot she had to find a bath tub quickly to get it off.  Hmm.. who would have admitted to having that experience?  Then there was the whistle for the security guard if I have to be outside stealing the internet. Then the bra.... I dont even know what to say. I got birthday cake candles for romantic evenings and a timer... 5 minutes buddy, you snooze - you lose.  What a FUN FUN time this was.   We laughed and laughed.  Thanks Brenda for hostessing  in your home.

Then.... what was next? 

We have had four concerts so far this year.  We had two in Bentonville , one in Clarksville and one here in Siloam The one in Siloam had over 400 kids and I was a little nervous... I mean, these are people that "know me".  I think it went well. Danielle came and made a video but unless you can crop videos from the waist up...it aint happening.

When I took Danielle to the airport we went shopping. I got a few new outfits. If you remember last year., this is my therapy for the summer. I DESERVE a few outfits  a week for having to do the stupid hula in front of 400 people every day and then laying my head down in a motel 6.  I got the cutest outfit. SO cute in fact that I wore it out when I got home to go out for my anniversary.   I got a lot of compliments on it.  As Randy and I sat listening to music he gently reached back and rubbed my leg.  Instead of getting a little  umm.... warm ( without the warming oil) all I could think was... what is that hitting my leg?  Low and behold he gets up and goes to the restroom and like a 16 year old I was checking out my leg.  The SECURITY TAG was still there . Are you kidding me? Was everyone saying I looked so cute and secretly laughing at the white button on the lower edge of my cute new black pants?  As we quickly went home and I undressed I heard the tag CLUNK as it hit the floor.  Why didnt I hear that when I put them on?  

As I got undressed I heard Randy say... Deb, I am fading fast...  are you coming to bed?  Five minutes later I heard him snore and knew the anniversary celebration was officially over. 

Visiting Randy's Church

Ok, now - let me get this straight. I am not making fun of Randy's church, it is just everytime I go I come back befuzzled.... and more confused.   Here are my questions  this time.

1.   Why would you go to a church service where you dont understand 3/4 of what the bishop is saying?  Do you get anything from it? How?  I mean, I didnt know whether to sit, stand or give peace.

2.  If you KNEW you were going to kneel in church would you take the large #7 circles off your shoes and the TJ MAXX 19.99 price tag?  ( Yes, I was already lost and wandering at this point.)

3   Is it ok that the kids behind you goes to get his " Lord's Supper" complete with wine and comes back saying " MAN, that wine was STRONGER than the last time.. whew...".  

4.  Why do they have confirmation? What does it mean?  Arent they confirmed when they accept Christ? or.... how do they do that?

5.   Is that spaghetti I smell cooking in the kitchen?

6.  Why does the Bishop get every drop of wine out of the goblet? Is he that thirsty or just doesnt want to wash it?

7.  I noticed they took up two collections.  The first one was regular and the second was a special one for something.  The second basket was almost as full as the first.  Maybe we should try that pass the plate two times thing....

8.  Why did I wear this purple sweater by boobage keeps wanting to bust out ?

Yep... that was pretty much all my thoughts for the service. They even prayed in Spanish.  Maybe I should have went to my own church...

New Hotel Story

I think maybe I have been traveling way too much the past two months.  Much of that has been due to trainings and meetings.   This past  week was my last trip before school is out.  Sounds great huh? Well, there is only 4 more days of school left so ...

The last trip was to Jonesboro Arkansas.  That was A LONG drive.   Once there I pulled into the Holiday Inn there where the conference was being held.  I ran a lot of errands to  get ready for the next day ( pedicure, shopping...) and decided to hang out in my room the rest of the night until the next day at 11:00 when I would have to leave to pick up the meal we were having catered.  

It was relaxing.

I did something I do when I just want to laze around and not be rushed.   Around 9 am , I put hot curlers in my hair and washed my face and did my whole makeup regime.   I took special care to make sure it looked just right.  This was the first executive board meeting of the Arkansas Family Childcare Association. I needed to look " together" .  As I finished my paperwork and glanced at the clock I thought " I am going to take a quick soak in the tub, just to freshen up."  I ran the tub with water and got my clothes laid out and ready.   As I  began to relax in the tub,  I decided I needed a little more hot water.  As I reached to turn it on, I must have hit the shower button.

Yep... I got soaked , rollers and all.

I had to get out of the tub, take the rollers out , take the makeup off, get a quick shower and start over.  I had 20 minutes to get out the door.

I am so glad my traveling days are over for a bit.  

Atleast the next time I go out I will be chaperoned.

Gearing up for the Motel 6 Tour

Yes, it is that time again.  Ugh...

Randy seriously thinks I am going to play this washboard.  Does anyone remember Lulu on Hee Haw? I will NOT be playing this washboard.

He has the truck ready for all our equipment.   He is excited. HE... is excited.

Zippity Doo Da Zippity A

My Oh My what a wonderful day...

Seriously, here I sit in my hotel room in Little Rock waiting for a meeting to start TOMORROW.  I am such a moron.  I have been so busy lately that my calendar has really taken a beating.  When I checked in the hotel and the nice clerk said " Ms Mays, your reservation isnt until tomorrow, " I should have known I had made a tragic mistake. She was right, I have arrived a day early.  What to do?

A couple friends suggested a SPA day.  See, the idea is to relieve stress. I am sure my arrival on  the early day is a master plan of the Lord.  He is looking out for me and knew I needed to chill out.  The funny thing is, as I was about 10 miles out of  Siloam, I realized I had left my books at home. I had planned to make a study sheet for a final next week.  I didnt want to turn around.  So, I cant even do do that.  The Lord again.... So, back to the SPA  day, the idea is to reduce the stress and the thought of a stranger manipulating fat on my body causes me the utmost stress.  I am sure I have a few kinks in there that could be worked out --- but nada.  :)

So, I am back to what to do? 

Zoo...?  No, kinda cloudy outside.

Shopping?  No, too much stuff already.

Children's Museum? maybe....

Read?  Me, You and Us - Social/emotional learning in preschool, sound fun?

Work on a presentation I have coming up? Might be a good idea

TV?  Not into that...

Sleep - once I am up , I am up

So many possibilities.  

Thank you Lord for forcing me to slow down today. I know I have needed this.  I keep saying , if I can just make it to August...  Obviously, you know that I couldn't.  I don't know what you have in store for me today, but whatever it is, I am sure it will be a blessing.