Now the clean up begins. They are still working on cleaning up the town. For the most part things are done. The Monday after Cranfest Will and I road around for hours and hours with the garbage truck (hanging off the side of the truck no less) and cleaned up every bit of garbage and cardboard we could find. Yuck! Although it was kind of fun riding on the side of the truck. Of course I had to sing while we were doing it. The guy driving the truck thought it was interesting that I was an executive officer on the board of directors and here I was riding around on the garbage truck. I did sort of have an ulterior motive though. I got to spend time with Will AND I got to see what packing lists and addresses were on the huge mounds of cardboard that the people signed the application saying they would take with them. Now I have a huge list of people to send reminder letters to telling them that they neglected to take their cardboard with them and remind them sternly to do it next year.
LET ME SAY FOR THE RECORD: My hubby did a wonderful, wonderful job both singing and announcing the parade. I was very, very proud of him.
We had record crowds this year. On Saturday God blessed us with a beautiful day and the people shopped and shopped and shopped. All three parking lots were full ( just one of those lots is almost 80 acres in itself). We had 71 commercial bus tours pull up full of people and then also many, many shuttle bus trips were brought in from Tomah. I figure we had at least 50,000 people there on one day.
Our Countdown to Cranfest giveaway was a HUGE success. We had people calling the DJ's and station managers at home trying to find out the answers to our trivia questions and wondering when the next basket would be given away. Our "official cranfest radio station" during the fest was great. Not that you should be thrilled with all of that, but it was my "idea" and so I'm glad that it turned out well. You really never know what will work, so I am glad this did.
Now after I type up all my reports and get things finished up for this year, we will have elections for offices and then will be done with Cranfest pretty much until after Christmas. Then it all starts again, but not quite so hectic.
The kids and animals are glad to have things back to sort of normal. They enjoyed having Will be "Mr. Mom" and he did a wonderful job, but they are all creatures of habit and I guess I am habit forming. They like having their schedule and I know Will loves having his wife back. Sam just wants his Mama back. Gabby the cat is glad to have the staff back. So now we are working on our routine again and everyone is happy.
Fall is here the leaves are turning beautiful. The weather is chilly at night and sunny during the days for the most part. Now we start our fall clean up. We will mow the lawn one last time, clean each courtyard, finish cleaning up the wood and stack it and many other tasks. I enjoy it because we have great bon fires here at the house. All of us sitting around talking and singing is a hoot. We are planning our first for this next Saturday.
Well, time to do laundry. It's my favorite job you know. Ranks right up there.
Have a great day!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
It's done! ...Well, Sorta....
First things first! Happy Birthday Jessalyn!
2nd,
The 2006 Warrens Cranberry Festival is over. Now the Clean up begins. After I finish this post I have to go fill a can up with Diesel fuel to put in my Brother-in-law's (Jimmy Chitwood) Tractor. He has a wonderful John Deere that he lets me use to haul cardboard. The amount of cardboard we have to process is staggering. It is mandated in the vendors contracts that if they bring cardboard in they have to haul it out. Only a few vendors at the moment are doing it. The rest we are cracking down on.
Our goal is to have our little town of Warrens back to normal by Tuesday. By "Normal" I mean you shouldn't even be able to tell a festival of any size was here (never mind one of over a 100,000 people and 1200-1400 booths!). The only clue should be the paths worn into the grass by all the people. We'll seed those areas. The Garbage trucks have been running every night and will be here again today at 2pm. I imagine we will be running til after dark again trying to get it cleaned up. We fill truck after truck with garbage and another several trucks with just cardboard.
I try not to look too far ahead of where I'm working. The scope is too daunting. I've been doing this for years now and I still don't know how we do it.
The Weather really turned "sweet" for us for our last two days of the Fest. They had been saying all week it was supposed to rain all weekend long. Of course "they" had no idea how many people were praying against that. Saturday started cool and then warmed up with a real nice breeze that made shopping fun. It certainly made working the Fest much more enjoyable.
I performed again on Saturday afternoon and I changed the songs I sang from the previous day. Not sure why I did that or if it was a good idea or not. It went well though and I feel like I accomplished what the Lord desired and that's all I really wanted anyway. Still, I am not sure what is going on there, it was weird. See, there is this fantastic guitar player I used to play with in Joyful Noise named Matt. He's a young guy and he plays in such a way that is so smooth and looks as if it is so easy for him -and it probably is. He's the kind of guy I love to watch and hear play but makes me want to throw my own guitar away. He's that good and he makes it look that easy. Anyway, I hadn't seen him in a long while and it turns out he's playing after me on Saturday in a new group called Chatterbox.
Big surprise for me: The lead singer and song writer for Chatterbox is a friend of mine from work! I've known Cindy for something like 10 years and had no idea she sang and wrote music!
Even more surprising is just how good she is! Yikes! For me, I am surrounded by truly great singers and she certainly qualifies but there isn't that many around that write songs of the same caliber as the ones she sang for us. As a former Disc Jockey let me say both her singing and song writing is professional grade. I was talking with my guitar playing friend afterward and he told me: "...Yeah, and you only heard her favorites -not her best!" She plays guitar very well too and I guess she was trying to record some of her written stuff when the studio guy said he knew someone that might help fill in the music which turned out to be Matt. They picked up a base player named James and formed Chatterbox. Look for em! I mean with that business you never can tell. It's certainly true that they are much more than good enough.
Saturday Night of The Warrens Cranberry Festival we had the annual Gospel Sing. I was asked to M.C. again. I think I may have mentioned that I had been thinking it would be best if I started backing off from the music and announcing; God has His way of letting you know what He thinks of your ideas... I don't know why I accepted when they asked me, except to say it must have been God. I'm glad I did though. It was one of the best Gospel sings that I can remember.
The Crantastic Singers which is made up of local area kids performed again this year. I was so amazed by the number of kids that sang so well! Normally when kids sing you can barely hear them and they're usually off key. Not this group. And I am not just saying that because both Jacob and Jessalyn had solo's either! But I am so proud of them both. They both "nailed" their parts. You could tell they both had practiced hard to get their part right. They sang and danced and it certainly made their father and mother very proud!
After the Crantastic Singers the Gospel Sing proper started. Of Course the "Gospel Words Quartet" sang as well as "The Dad's and The Daughters" "The Living Stones Worship Team" also led some music for a while and we had a couple of fantastic Piano highlights and Chatterbox also played and sang. As I M.C. of course I can't help but preach a little, but I do try to curb it to the essentials. Anyway, I used the part about not knowing Cindy sang and played as a tie in to: who knows you are a Christian? Who would be surprised to find that out? We've all heard the old saying of "If being a Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?". Then I received another piece of "sweet misery". I had performed "Wayfaring Stranger" Saturday afternoon and Saturday night (remember I didn't perform Sat. night. I only M.C.'d) Chatterbox performed their version. I may never sing that one again. They were so good. All of it. I was so blessed to hear it and them. I also pray for them personally and professionally. I hope you will too.
The sing ended a little after nine pm and I got back on the tractor hauling cardboard. I lasted in the rain until about 11:30pm I was glad I did it. After a night of rain it would have really been a mess in the morning and the Annual Warrens Cranberry Festival Parade starts and 1pm on Sunday!
Sunday. Day 3 of the fest. Dea went in while it was still dark. The kids and I slept in. I got them breakfast and all together to make the drive to Warrens. Church started at 10am and I wanted to be there so we left at 9:10am. Remember I only live 3 miles away. With the crowds and the detours... I would have made it. "Would" being the operative word. The plan is: we park at Dea's Aunt Gayle's place. They have a farm literally just past the Warrens town limits sign. It is where we keep the tractor I use for hauling the cardboard and where we park our cars. You certainly can't get into town with those! Well, I got to Gayles in plenty of time to make it to the church except I didn't have the key for the tractor! So I dropped the kids off and sent them walking the 3 blocks or so to the church while I went back for the keys. They really needed to be at church on time to connect with their mother. I could afford to be a little late.
Dea, and the kids were to be the big stars of the family this day.
The Board of directors (of which Dea is an executive officer) were voted to be the parade marshals and would all be riding in the front of the parade in a trolley. Jacob and Jessalyn along with their cousin Tim Oakes and their friend Lily Jewel carried banners in front of them announcing our plans for next years fest: Join us in 2007 for our 35th annual Warrens Cranberry Festival's Salute to the Military!
It should be great with the "Moving Wall" Vietnam memorial and other activities planned, but I digress...
I finally made it to church and caught the last few minutes. Dea had shirts she got for the kids to change into so they would all match. By 12:15 I had the kids at the Fire Station where the parade would launch from. Dea was one of the last Board Directors to make it there as she was taking care of problems, but she made it on time and brought the banners and poles for the kids to carry. I parked my tractor because there would be no room for it near the parade route and planned on walking back to the church for a good seat on the steps so I could watch my family in the parade. Instead I wound up with the best seat to watch the parade from Period. No, really.
The board of Directors and most of the Committee members wear radios. Communication being so important over such a wide area. As I turn to leave the parade staging area, I hear over the radio: We still need an announcer!" I kept walking. You know what's coming don't you? I didn't. No really!
We have had the local celebrities hold that post for ages. Dea herself had arranged a fantastic advertising package with the Magnum Radio Group which includes several local radio stations who were all at the festival. Of course they would have someone for that!
I kept walking but I didn't get more than three steps when I hear WAIT! I turn around and Vicki our CranFest President is on her radio saying I've got one right here! She looks at me, points, and turns to the other board members and says: Have you heard this guys answering machine?! Mickey Rezin who works with the Crantastic singers and is also on the board, pipes up with : Oh he's a great M.C.! Dea then looks at me and says "Please".
There is literally 3 minutes until parade start. There is no time to prepare. I don't know the first thing about announcing a parade. I was a Disc Jockey and yes I can M.C. a small town gospel sing but usually everything is written out for me or I have time to know exactly what I'm going to do and when. 3 minutes is barely even time to get to the reviewing stand. As I start to open my mouth to protest, in fact I think I even managed to get out something about "...surely one of the radio stations..." Vicki turns her microphone up on her radio and says "All together now!..."
You have to understand. The board of directors is made up of all kinds, but all together
en masse as it were, you can see these are THE Board of Directors. And all of them were looking at me; putting on their most pitiful "puppy dog faces" and in unison with the parade director on the radio begged: P L E A S E ?
I have long said my philosophy anymore is "The Puppy Dog On The Dashboard Philosophy". Also known as the "Bobble Head Philosophy". So I bobbled my head and said O. K.
I had a blast!
My hats of to Kerry the parade director. She had only been given a couple of weeks herself to get up to speed. The previous director is deathly ill and poor Kerry was having a time collecting it all. All things considered she did a fantastic job and basically held my hand through it all.
Still, it was ...to be polite...interesting. There were over 60 entrants and we only had the information on half of them. There were some 60,000 people lining the street and as the royalty of surounding counties and festivals came by I was literally having to read their names off the side of their floats. Wouldn't you know it, we live in a strongly German, Norweigan and Danish influenced area. You realize what that means right? Most of their names were all consonants and no vowels. More than a few princesses and queens looked at me and laughed. I guess they're used to having their name mispronounced. A couple of times I refused to announce who was coming until they were right in front of me and was glad I did. Several entrants had entered the line up in the wrong order. We narrowly missed announcing a marching band by a different bands name.
I had a Blast!
It was great fun and a nice ego boost. If they ask again I think I will say yes (If the Lord allows) but I just hope they give me a little more notice....
Did I mention "I had a Blast!"?
Then I was able to bring my head back down to normal proportions as got back up on my tractor and started hauling cardboard. It was way past dark when we left but the garbage truck was still running. I would have stayed but the tractor was out of diesel. I felt bad leaving those other guys who were still hauling garbage but I knew I would still be going at the clean up today and probably tomorrow.
Speaking of which, it's past my time to leave! Got go haul garbage and rake and sweep and clean and put away etc etc etc
Pray without ceasing!
Will
2nd,
The 2006 Warrens Cranberry Festival is over. Now the Clean up begins. After I finish this post I have to go fill a can up with Diesel fuel to put in my Brother-in-law's (Jimmy Chitwood) Tractor. He has a wonderful John Deere that he lets me use to haul cardboard. The amount of cardboard we have to process is staggering. It is mandated in the vendors contracts that if they bring cardboard in they have to haul it out. Only a few vendors at the moment are doing it. The rest we are cracking down on.
Our goal is to have our little town of Warrens back to normal by Tuesday. By "Normal" I mean you shouldn't even be able to tell a festival of any size was here (never mind one of over a 100,000 people and 1200-1400 booths!). The only clue should be the paths worn into the grass by all the people. We'll seed those areas. The Garbage trucks have been running every night and will be here again today at 2pm. I imagine we will be running til after dark again trying to get it cleaned up. We fill truck after truck with garbage and another several trucks with just cardboard.
I try not to look too far ahead of where I'm working. The scope is too daunting. I've been doing this for years now and I still don't know how we do it.
The Weather really turned "sweet" for us for our last two days of the Fest. They had been saying all week it was supposed to rain all weekend long. Of course "they" had no idea how many people were praying against that. Saturday started cool and then warmed up with a real nice breeze that made shopping fun. It certainly made working the Fest much more enjoyable.
I performed again on Saturday afternoon and I changed the songs I sang from the previous day. Not sure why I did that or if it was a good idea or not. It went well though and I feel like I accomplished what the Lord desired and that's all I really wanted anyway. Still, I am not sure what is going on there, it was weird. See, there is this fantastic guitar player I used to play with in Joyful Noise named Matt. He's a young guy and he plays in such a way that is so smooth and looks as if it is so easy for him -and it probably is. He's the kind of guy I love to watch and hear play but makes me want to throw my own guitar away. He's that good and he makes it look that easy. Anyway, I hadn't seen him in a long while and it turns out he's playing after me on Saturday in a new group called Chatterbox.
Big surprise for me: The lead singer and song writer for Chatterbox is a friend of mine from work! I've known Cindy for something like 10 years and had no idea she sang and wrote music!
Even more surprising is just how good she is! Yikes! For me, I am surrounded by truly great singers and she certainly qualifies but there isn't that many around that write songs of the same caliber as the ones she sang for us. As a former Disc Jockey let me say both her singing and song writing is professional grade. I was talking with my guitar playing friend afterward and he told me: "...Yeah, and you only heard her favorites -not her best!" She plays guitar very well too and I guess she was trying to record some of her written stuff when the studio guy said he knew someone that might help fill in the music which turned out to be Matt. They picked up a base player named James and formed Chatterbox. Look for em! I mean with that business you never can tell. It's certainly true that they are much more than good enough.
Saturday Night of The Warrens Cranberry Festival we had the annual Gospel Sing. I was asked to M.C. again. I think I may have mentioned that I had been thinking it would be best if I started backing off from the music and announcing; God has His way of letting you know what He thinks of your ideas... I don't know why I accepted when they asked me, except to say it must have been God. I'm glad I did though. It was one of the best Gospel sings that I can remember.
The Crantastic Singers which is made up of local area kids performed again this year. I was so amazed by the number of kids that sang so well! Normally when kids sing you can barely hear them and they're usually off key. Not this group. And I am not just saying that because both Jacob and Jessalyn had solo's either! But I am so proud of them both. They both "nailed" their parts. You could tell they both had practiced hard to get their part right. They sang and danced and it certainly made their father and mother very proud!
After the Crantastic Singers the Gospel Sing proper started. Of Course the "Gospel Words Quartet" sang as well as "The Dad's and The Daughters" "The Living Stones Worship Team" also led some music for a while and we had a couple of fantastic Piano highlights and Chatterbox also played and sang. As I M.C. of course I can't help but preach a little, but I do try to curb it to the essentials. Anyway, I used the part about not knowing Cindy sang and played as a tie in to: who knows you are a Christian? Who would be surprised to find that out? We've all heard the old saying of "If being a Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?". Then I received another piece of "sweet misery". I had performed "Wayfaring Stranger" Saturday afternoon and Saturday night (remember I didn't perform Sat. night. I only M.C.'d) Chatterbox performed their version. I may never sing that one again. They were so good. All of it. I was so blessed to hear it and them. I also pray for them personally and professionally. I hope you will too.
The sing ended a little after nine pm and I got back on the tractor hauling cardboard. I lasted in the rain until about 11:30pm I was glad I did it. After a night of rain it would have really been a mess in the morning and the Annual Warrens Cranberry Festival Parade starts and 1pm on Sunday!
Sunday. Day 3 of the fest. Dea went in while it was still dark. The kids and I slept in. I got them breakfast and all together to make the drive to Warrens. Church started at 10am and I wanted to be there so we left at 9:10am. Remember I only live 3 miles away. With the crowds and the detours... I would have made it. "Would" being the operative word. The plan is: we park at Dea's Aunt Gayle's place. They have a farm literally just past the Warrens town limits sign. It is where we keep the tractor I use for hauling the cardboard and where we park our cars. You certainly can't get into town with those! Well, I got to Gayles in plenty of time to make it to the church except I didn't have the key for the tractor! So I dropped the kids off and sent them walking the 3 blocks or so to the church while I went back for the keys. They really needed to be at church on time to connect with their mother. I could afford to be a little late.
Dea, and the kids were to be the big stars of the family this day.
The Board of directors (of which Dea is an executive officer) were voted to be the parade marshals and would all be riding in the front of the parade in a trolley. Jacob and Jessalyn along with their cousin Tim Oakes and their friend Lily Jewel carried banners in front of them announcing our plans for next years fest: Join us in 2007 for our 35th annual Warrens Cranberry Festival's Salute to the Military!
It should be great with the "Moving Wall" Vietnam memorial and other activities planned, but I digress...
I finally made it to church and caught the last few minutes. Dea had shirts she got for the kids to change into so they would all match. By 12:15 I had the kids at the Fire Station where the parade would launch from. Dea was one of the last Board Directors to make it there as she was taking care of problems, but she made it on time and brought the banners and poles for the kids to carry. I parked my tractor because there would be no room for it near the parade route and planned on walking back to the church for a good seat on the steps so I could watch my family in the parade. Instead I wound up with the best seat to watch the parade from Period. No, really.
The board of Directors and most of the Committee members wear radios. Communication being so important over such a wide area. As I turn to leave the parade staging area, I hear over the radio: We still need an announcer!" I kept walking. You know what's coming don't you? I didn't. No really!
We have had the local celebrities hold that post for ages. Dea herself had arranged a fantastic advertising package with the Magnum Radio Group which includes several local radio stations who were all at the festival. Of course they would have someone for that!
I kept walking but I didn't get more than three steps when I hear WAIT! I turn around and Vicki our CranFest President is on her radio saying I've got one right here! She looks at me, points, and turns to the other board members and says: Have you heard this guys answering machine?! Mickey Rezin who works with the Crantastic singers and is also on the board, pipes up with : Oh he's a great M.C.! Dea then looks at me and says "Please".
There is literally 3 minutes until parade start. There is no time to prepare. I don't know the first thing about announcing a parade. I was a Disc Jockey and yes I can M.C. a small town gospel sing but usually everything is written out for me or I have time to know exactly what I'm going to do and when. 3 minutes is barely even time to get to the reviewing stand. As I start to open my mouth to protest, in fact I think I even managed to get out something about "...surely one of the radio stations..." Vicki turns her microphone up on her radio and says "All together now!..."
You have to understand. The board of directors is made up of all kinds, but all together
en masse as it were, you can see these are THE Board of Directors. And all of them were looking at me; putting on their most pitiful "puppy dog faces" and in unison with the parade director on the radio begged: P L E A S E ?
I have long said my philosophy anymore is "The Puppy Dog On The Dashboard Philosophy". Also known as the "Bobble Head Philosophy". So I bobbled my head and said O. K.
I had a blast!
My hats of to Kerry the parade director. She had only been given a couple of weeks herself to get up to speed. The previous director is deathly ill and poor Kerry was having a time collecting it all. All things considered she did a fantastic job and basically held my hand through it all.
Still, it was ...to be polite...interesting. There were over 60 entrants and we only had the information on half of them. There were some 60,000 people lining the street and as the royalty of surounding counties and festivals came by I was literally having to read their names off the side of their floats. Wouldn't you know it, we live in a strongly German, Norweigan and Danish influenced area. You realize what that means right? Most of their names were all consonants and no vowels. More than a few princesses and queens looked at me and laughed. I guess they're used to having their name mispronounced. A couple of times I refused to announce who was coming until they were right in front of me and was glad I did. Several entrants had entered the line up in the wrong order. We narrowly missed announcing a marching band by a different bands name.
I had a Blast!
It was great fun and a nice ego boost. If they ask again I think I will say yes (If the Lord allows) but I just hope they give me a little more notice....
Did I mention "I had a Blast!"?
Then I was able to bring my head back down to normal proportions as got back up on my tractor and started hauling cardboard. It was way past dark when we left but the garbage truck was still running. I would have stayed but the tractor was out of diesel. I felt bad leaving those other guys who were still hauling garbage but I knew I would still be going at the clean up today and probably tomorrow.
Speaking of which, it's past my time to leave! Got go haul garbage and rake and sweep and clean and put away etc etc etc
Pray without ceasing!
Will
Saturday, September 23, 2006
One down, two to go!
Well, the 1st Day of the "Fest" is done and I feel like it's been a Week already. It rained. Thank you Lord that it didn't rain like they said it would; It only rained on and off til 1pm or so and then it rained once more for 5 minutes at 5pm -as if to say: your shopping is done!
Of course the rain throws our orderly confusion into total chaos. Every one has to switch Jobs to cover the people handling the problems created by the weather. We had a very large load of wood chips brought in to cover the streams of water that were now flowing through the vendors tents. We had only a handful of golf carts and atv's equipped with truck beds and twelve hundred booths needing help, we simply prioritized as best we could.
Of course with those carts and the people in them sent to handle wood chips, the services those people and carts usually perform had to be handled by someone else, who had other jobs to do that didn't get done, etc. etc. etc.
Still, facing the challenges presented is part of the fun!
I had an "inconvenient Blessing" during all of this. I think it was God knowing what I needed when I didn't. I was asked two weeks ago to sing and play three songs for Friday and Saturday of the Fest. I spent what little free time I had trying to practice and decide what three songs to sing and searching the Lord for what He thought would be right. I got: Nada. Nothing. Not a clue.
I managed to whittle it down to the ones that I could reasonably perform without music, after that I decided the Lord would have to provide when the time came. Dea left me a note saying my Friday performance was at 12:15pm. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
I've done this before, but I am surrounded by really good musicians and singers. I know this: because I used to be a professional critic.
I also don't count myself as one of them (musically speaking).
Now I am going to have to pull something out of thin air in front of those same people; Yipe!
At 12 noon I show up at the music hall and there is people just milling around. There is noise from downstairs where they sell food for the Festival. I'm not sure what is going on but I find an office to pull off my coat and My Cranfest Officials gear. I get out my guitar and tune it. Quietly.
Back upstairs, and people still milling around.
It's 12:15pm. Maybe I'm going to be first this year.
First is good.
Being the opening act is very good. Much less pressure. I Still don't know what I'm going to sing or play but I verify with the Sound Man that I only need two microphones with stands. One for me, and one for my classical guitar.
12:17pm
I check with My wife's aunt Gayle. She's the one in charge. She's been singing (wonderfully!) all her life; Solo's and in the Gospel Words Quartet. I've seen the album covers. Notice "covers" is a plural. As in four or five I think, could be more. She consults her original agenda.
The performances start at 1pm and I go on at 2:15pm not 12:15pm!
Dea wrote it down wrong! (I remember now she said she wasn't sure...oops!)
See, this is the ultimate "good news, bad news" sort of thing.
Good news:
I can't go back into my Cranfest Official duties because the timing would be such that I would never make it back in time. So I get a Break! Time to go back into that office and decide what I'm going to do. (God came through loud and clear but not until that time!)
I also get a little time to stroll around the immediate area of Cranfest and enjoy the atmosphere without any pressure.
There is a little guilt because I'm not helping but I squash that violently.
No snakes in this momental Garden!
For the first time in two weeks I'm not nervous about the performance.
It was a wonderful half hour.
I went back into the hall and realized the bad news:
I am not even close to being the opening act.
Worse: The Gospel words Opened!
More Worse:
There would be a couple of other performers and then
"The Dad's and Daughters" A quartet that features my wife and her Dad as well as Her Uncle and cousin with another aunt playing a fantastic piano.
You really need to understand that they really really are THAT good. Honestly, my being related has nothing to do with my professional opinion.
It only makes my situation worse and I get to go on after them!
I'm nervous again.
I know that my wife and her family (Dad, Mom, Aunts, Uncles,) and friends are all going to stick around for me.
It went...O.K.
Halfway through the second song my guitar went out of tune. I'm not quick enough to tune it between songs (never mind in the middle of a song). I plowed on through it anyway. During the performance I have to force myself to pretend that I'm at home pretending to be playing for an audience. It Works to a point.
Everyone was very "polite" afterwards.
Dea says I didn't embarrass her. I sang "Psalm 5", "I want to thank You Lord" (One I wrote for Dea), and "My Jesus Did" which was written by my good friend Larry Stebbins.
I have to perform again today. This time at 1:30pm. (I double checked with Gayle.) I told them I don't know if it will be the same three songs or not. I am leaving that up to God.
It's 7:30 and I need to wake up the Kids. Big day for them today. They both have solo's in the Crantastic Singers performances today. Dea has been gone since 5:20am. She's has gone to keep the World of Cranfest together while I get the kids ready and bring them to the Fest later. It will be another late night.
May the Lord continue to Make Himself Real to You every moment of every Day!
Will.
Of course the rain throws our orderly confusion into total chaos. Every one has to switch Jobs to cover the people handling the problems created by the weather. We had a very large load of wood chips brought in to cover the streams of water that were now flowing through the vendors tents. We had only a handful of golf carts and atv's equipped with truck beds and twelve hundred booths needing help, we simply prioritized as best we could.
Of course with those carts and the people in them sent to handle wood chips, the services those people and carts usually perform had to be handled by someone else, who had other jobs to do that didn't get done, etc. etc. etc.
Still, facing the challenges presented is part of the fun!
I had an "inconvenient Blessing" during all of this. I think it was God knowing what I needed when I didn't. I was asked two weeks ago to sing and play three songs for Friday and Saturday of the Fest. I spent what little free time I had trying to practice and decide what three songs to sing and searching the Lord for what He thought would be right. I got: Nada. Nothing. Not a clue.
I managed to whittle it down to the ones that I could reasonably perform without music, after that I decided the Lord would have to provide when the time came. Dea left me a note saying my Friday performance was at 12:15pm. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
I've done this before, but I am surrounded by really good musicians and singers. I know this: because I used to be a professional critic.
I also don't count myself as one of them (musically speaking).
Now I am going to have to pull something out of thin air in front of those same people; Yipe!
At 12 noon I show up at the music hall and there is people just milling around. There is noise from downstairs where they sell food for the Festival. I'm not sure what is going on but I find an office to pull off my coat and My Cranfest Officials gear. I get out my guitar and tune it. Quietly.
Back upstairs, and people still milling around.
It's 12:15pm. Maybe I'm going to be first this year.
First is good.
Being the opening act is very good. Much less pressure. I Still don't know what I'm going to sing or play but I verify with the Sound Man that I only need two microphones with stands. One for me, and one for my classical guitar.
12:17pm
I check with My wife's aunt Gayle. She's the one in charge. She's been singing (wonderfully!) all her life; Solo's and in the Gospel Words Quartet. I've seen the album covers. Notice "covers" is a plural. As in four or five I think, could be more. She consults her original agenda.
The performances start at 1pm and I go on at 2:15pm not 12:15pm!
Dea wrote it down wrong! (I remember now she said she wasn't sure...oops!)
See, this is the ultimate "good news, bad news" sort of thing.
Good news:
I can't go back into my Cranfest Official duties because the timing would be such that I would never make it back in time. So I get a Break! Time to go back into that office and decide what I'm going to do. (God came through loud and clear but not until that time!)
I also get a little time to stroll around the immediate area of Cranfest and enjoy the atmosphere without any pressure.
There is a little guilt because I'm not helping but I squash that violently.
No snakes in this momental Garden!
For the first time in two weeks I'm not nervous about the performance.
It was a wonderful half hour.
I went back into the hall and realized the bad news:
I am not even close to being the opening act.
Worse: The Gospel words Opened!
More Worse:
There would be a couple of other performers and then
"The Dad's and Daughters" A quartet that features my wife and her Dad as well as Her Uncle and cousin with another aunt playing a fantastic piano.
You really need to understand that they really really are THAT good. Honestly, my being related has nothing to do with my professional opinion.
It only makes my situation worse and I get to go on after them!
I'm nervous again.
I know that my wife and her family (Dad, Mom, Aunts, Uncles,) and friends are all going to stick around for me.
It went...O.K.
Halfway through the second song my guitar went out of tune. I'm not quick enough to tune it between songs (never mind in the middle of a song). I plowed on through it anyway. During the performance I have to force myself to pretend that I'm at home pretending to be playing for an audience. It Works to a point.
Everyone was very "polite" afterwards.
Dea says I didn't embarrass her. I sang "Psalm 5", "I want to thank You Lord" (One I wrote for Dea), and "My Jesus Did" which was written by my good friend Larry Stebbins.
I have to perform again today. This time at 1:30pm. (I double checked with Gayle.) I told them I don't know if it will be the same three songs or not. I am leaving that up to God.
It's 7:30 and I need to wake up the Kids. Big day for them today. They both have solo's in the Crantastic Singers performances today. Dea has been gone since 5:20am. She's has gone to keep the World of Cranfest together while I get the kids ready and bring them to the Fest later. It will be another late night.
May the Lord continue to Make Himself Real to You every moment of every Day!
Will.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
One day and counting
Just got home from set up. It is now 8:30 and I am trying to quick check emails, do paperwork and laundry for the weekend. Things are going pretty well right now with tomorrow being the hard day. Everything has been "hurry up and then wait". We cannot set so much of it up until tomorrow. We think that we have our work crews in and ready. I guess we will see how ready we are.
Many people are already in town and the rest of the vendors for the 1200 plus booths will arrive tomorrow. That means traffic jams etc. I hope that we can work it out.
I am really hoping that everyone that comes has a wonderful time.
I need to go over final check lists and then get to bed. I think I will play it safe and have Will set the alarm clock tonight. I think that I might oversleep in the morning if we don't.
Funny thing happened today....I was eating lunch in the restaurant looking out the windows at the vendors that were setting up. They could not see me, but I could certainly see them. One of the men looked all around to make sure no one was looking and then scratched out his lines that we had painted for his booth on the ground and then moved his booth over onto another person's space. He had no idea that I could see him, but when I was done I walked over towards his booth. He saw my radio and Cranfest gear and without me saying anything start moving his booth back. Funny what you can accomplish without saying a word. I had to laugh as I walked away. Nothing like getting caught in the act.
Well, God bless.
Hope you have a great day tomorrow!
Many people are already in town and the rest of the vendors for the 1200 plus booths will arrive tomorrow. That means traffic jams etc. I hope that we can work it out.
I am really hoping that everyone that comes has a wonderful time.
I need to go over final check lists and then get to bed. I think I will play it safe and have Will set the alarm clock tonight. I think that I might oversleep in the morning if we don't.
Funny thing happened today....I was eating lunch in the restaurant looking out the windows at the vendors that were setting up. They could not see me, but I could certainly see them. One of the men looked all around to make sure no one was looking and then scratched out his lines that we had painted for his booth on the ground and then moved his booth over onto another person's space. He had no idea that I could see him, but when I was done I walked over towards his booth. He saw my radio and Cranfest gear and without me saying anything start moving his booth back. Funny what you can accomplish without saying a word. I had to laugh as I walked away. Nothing like getting caught in the act.
Well, God bless.
Hope you have a great day tomorrow!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Cranfest Central Here.....
Just think in a week it will all be over and except for the paths of worn grass where the people have all walked you will not be able to tell that we had a festival. We are very careful to get it picked up just as soon as possible. Lots of work, but we really do love it for some reason or another.
Right now we are getting ready to start helping people set up their booths. We went around and marked where all 1200 booths go with our flourescent orange paint. That way they usually can find their own booth with the map that we supply right? Wrong. You wouldn't believe all of the lost people. Then we got this idea to make little white flags and put them on the corners of about every third booth or so. That way people that come in the dark to set up (they do that) can find their booth. Well, we put a bunch of them out and yesterday a vendor got an idea that they were vacant booths and brought them all back to office to claim those empty booths. Now today we get to put them back out. Sometimes you just have to laugh!
My husband is a wonderful man! He knew that I could not do both Cranfest and housework, so he did the housework. I have been spending a couple hours each morning doing laundry ect. Then I run in to work, run back to the Cranfest office and start in.
Normally I would not have quite this much to do, but we have had a couple of deaths in the immediate families of some board members and some injuries. We have all been working together to pick up the slack. Everyone does just a little more and those of us that have the energy do a LOT more. I'll sleep next week.
Well, one kid off to school and one kid almost ready. Then I run the the radio station for my Countdown to Cranfest giveaway, then to work. Today is my last day at work. I took the rest of the week off. Should help me finish everything.
Have a great day!
Right now we are getting ready to start helping people set up their booths. We went around and marked where all 1200 booths go with our flourescent orange paint. That way they usually can find their own booth with the map that we supply right? Wrong. You wouldn't believe all of the lost people. Then we got this idea to make little white flags and put them on the corners of about every third booth or so. That way people that come in the dark to set up (they do that) can find their booth. Well, we put a bunch of them out and yesterday a vendor got an idea that they were vacant booths and brought them all back to office to claim those empty booths. Now today we get to put them back out. Sometimes you just have to laugh!
My husband is a wonderful man! He knew that I could not do both Cranfest and housework, so he did the housework. I have been spending a couple hours each morning doing laundry ect. Then I run in to work, run back to the Cranfest office and start in.
Normally I would not have quite this much to do, but we have had a couple of deaths in the immediate families of some board members and some injuries. We have all been working together to pick up the slack. Everyone does just a little more and those of us that have the energy do a LOT more. I'll sleep next week.
Well, one kid off to school and one kid almost ready. Then I run the the radio station for my Countdown to Cranfest giveaway, then to work. Today is my last day at work. I took the rest of the week off. Should help me finish everything.
Have a great day!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Deanna told you I have a new chainsaw. That isn't entirely correct. The chainsaw she was referring to is probably 15 to 20 years old. For me getting that chainsaw was kind of like Christmas. You see, I was given it because it wasn't running and it didn't look like it was ever going to. I tried a few things I had heard might work and they did. That was the Christmas part. I am not a mechanic. I am the third son of an exceptional Mechanic who has that certain natural frame of mind that makes for good mechanical skills. I think my son may have that, but as for me, I don't have that.
I like motors and things that "run" but when it comes to fixing them, I would rather take them to someone that knows "how", then figure it out for myself. Of course doing that takes money and when you don't have any to spare... You are left with trying to figure it out for yourself. I usually make things worse. (sigh).
This time though, it worked. I was so excited that I have been telling anyone who would listen. I won't bore you with all the details but I was very proud. My free chainsaw worked very hard for four full days.
You caught that didn't you? The past tense in the last sentence? It's ok, I'm not upset and I think it is fixable. It just might cost me more for parts (If I can get 'em) than to buy a new one. I told you it was 15 to 20 years old. It ran very well -while the parts and pieces were falling off of it. By the end of the third day of constant use it would only run until the motor got hot and then it would have to sit and cool before it would run again. That was ok too as it gave you time to load up what you cut. By the end of the fourth day I was replacing screws and retainers for various parts that had simply vibrated off and got lost amongst the felled trees and the tall grass. Yesterday I was hoping for day number 5 when the proverbial straw fell. The "rip cord" for the starter broke. That was pretty much the end. I could fix that fairly easy (I think) if I can get the right part but I would still have a chainsaw that will only run for a few minutes every hour. That problem is also fixable if I can find the part for that (gas tank liner) and all of the other various things that are wrong would also be worth fixing for this fantastic little saw but it would be better money spent to buy a lesser saw to use until I have the time to spare for this one. I don't mind that my saw is broke; the gift was that it ran at all. The gift was three good days of labor with a fourth day that it ran well enough. I will accept that gift with much gratefulness.
My backyard is now a mess. My neighbors field looks much better but I have much more to cut. I just don't know how. My backyard is full of branches that need to be "shortened" and wood to split. (thank you Seth for the loan of your splitter!) I am still trying to get it all stacked neatly but now it is Cranfest time and it all will have to wait until after we are done with that.
The kids are singing with the "Crantastic Singers" again this year and I have been asked to play and sing three songs in the Old Town Hall on both the Friday and Saturday of Cranfest. Deanna and her Dad, Uncle and Cousin will also be featured during those days for their singing group "The Dad's and the Daughters". They are so good I wish everyone could hear them. I also have agreed to M.C. the big Gospel Sing that happens on Saturday night. That usually lasts two to three hours. In my opinion, its the best thing that happens at Cranfest. Again, I wish everyone could hear it and be there for it.
Dea is at work this morning and then she probably won't come home. She will head straight for the CranFest office. The kids have Crantastic Singers practice this morning and I'm not sure what I will be doing. Dave (Dea's Dad) is going to need help at some point putting up fence for "crowd control". I am supposed to start putting up signs to help people find the parking lots and there is a trailer that needs to be converted into a float for the CranFest parade. If I can't do any of those things this morning then there is always house cleaning. With all that Dea does, I don't mind a little extra house cleaning.
Well, time to take the kids to practice,
May all the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit be yours!
Will.
I like motors and things that "run" but when it comes to fixing them, I would rather take them to someone that knows "how", then figure it out for myself. Of course doing that takes money and when you don't have any to spare... You are left with trying to figure it out for yourself. I usually make things worse. (sigh).
This time though, it worked. I was so excited that I have been telling anyone who would listen. I won't bore you with all the details but I was very proud. My free chainsaw worked very hard for four full days.
You caught that didn't you? The past tense in the last sentence? It's ok, I'm not upset and I think it is fixable. It just might cost me more for parts (If I can get 'em) than to buy a new one. I told you it was 15 to 20 years old. It ran very well -while the parts and pieces were falling off of it. By the end of the third day of constant use it would only run until the motor got hot and then it would have to sit and cool before it would run again. That was ok too as it gave you time to load up what you cut. By the end of the fourth day I was replacing screws and retainers for various parts that had simply vibrated off and got lost amongst the felled trees and the tall grass. Yesterday I was hoping for day number 5 when the proverbial straw fell. The "rip cord" for the starter broke. That was pretty much the end. I could fix that fairly easy (I think) if I can get the right part but I would still have a chainsaw that will only run for a few minutes every hour. That problem is also fixable if I can find the part for that (gas tank liner) and all of the other various things that are wrong would also be worth fixing for this fantastic little saw but it would be better money spent to buy a lesser saw to use until I have the time to spare for this one. I don't mind that my saw is broke; the gift was that it ran at all. The gift was three good days of labor with a fourth day that it ran well enough. I will accept that gift with much gratefulness.
My backyard is now a mess. My neighbors field looks much better but I have much more to cut. I just don't know how. My backyard is full of branches that need to be "shortened" and wood to split. (thank you Seth for the loan of your splitter!) I am still trying to get it all stacked neatly but now it is Cranfest time and it all will have to wait until after we are done with that.
The kids are singing with the "Crantastic Singers" again this year and I have been asked to play and sing three songs in the Old Town Hall on both the Friday and Saturday of Cranfest. Deanna and her Dad, Uncle and Cousin will also be featured during those days for their singing group "The Dad's and the Daughters". They are so good I wish everyone could hear them. I also have agreed to M.C. the big Gospel Sing that happens on Saturday night. That usually lasts two to three hours. In my opinion, its the best thing that happens at Cranfest. Again, I wish everyone could hear it and be there for it.
Dea is at work this morning and then she probably won't come home. She will head straight for the CranFest office. The kids have Crantastic Singers practice this morning and I'm not sure what I will be doing. Dave (Dea's Dad) is going to need help at some point putting up fence for "crowd control". I am supposed to start putting up signs to help people find the parking lots and there is a trailer that needs to be converted into a float for the CranFest parade. If I can't do any of those things this morning then there is always house cleaning. With all that Dea does, I don't mind a little extra house cleaning.
Well, time to take the kids to practice,
May all the Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit be yours!
Will.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
The things I hear in my head...
Sunday September 10th, 4:23am
I have one of those alarm clocks that beeps. It beeps in just the right frequency and tone that you hear beeping for a very very long time after you have shut the @#%&! thing off. I for the most part rarely need it. This morning for example I woke up at 3:45am and started getting ready for work. The alarm clock went off at 4:20am. This shouldn't be such a big deal right? Except, uh, ...well, ya see... poor Deanna was still sleeping; the key word is "was". I thought I had shut the fool thing off. This is the one morning in the week she has that she can sleep in if she wants, or rather; it "was". (sigh)
I promised to write in this blog a little more often now that we are in "CranFest Season" (why do I now hear Daffy Duck yelling "Rabbit Season!"?) to take some of the load off Deanna. As I have to leave for work in just a few minutes, this shouldn't take too long. The closer we get to Cranfest the less I get to see of her. She does so much for those people and most of them refuse to recognize it or are threatened by it. Drives me nuts to see that. I guess it must be rare to see people that help and who have no hidden agendas.
Both Deanna and I see this as a way to help our community and to help it survive as community that considers "family" important. All the money that is generated through the CranFest organization goes right back into the local community. We really are able to do some pretty great things for the Village of Warrens and it's surrounding area. Dea and I both feel blessed to be able to be a part of that. I have a few jobs that I have agreed to handle for the festival but my primary contribution is: Deanna. For the two or three weeks prior to Cranfest and the Week after I am pretty much a "CranFest Widower". Again, I don't mind too much because it's such a great cause and Deanna Loves doing all that she does. Still, it gives me a reason to whine and I would hate to waste a good reason to whine...
Now the "alarm clock in my head" is telling me it's time to go to work. I will try to post some more details of all that is going on around here in my next post but until then:
May ALL the blessings of the Lord be on you!
Will.
I have one of those alarm clocks that beeps. It beeps in just the right frequency and tone that you hear beeping for a very very long time after you have shut the @#%&! thing off. I for the most part rarely need it. This morning for example I woke up at 3:45am and started getting ready for work. The alarm clock went off at 4:20am. This shouldn't be such a big deal right? Except, uh, ...well, ya see... poor Deanna was still sleeping; the key word is "was". I thought I had shut the fool thing off. This is the one morning in the week she has that she can sleep in if she wants, or rather; it "was". (sigh)
I promised to write in this blog a little more often now that we are in "CranFest Season" (why do I now hear Daffy Duck yelling "Rabbit Season!"?) to take some of the load off Deanna. As I have to leave for work in just a few minutes, this shouldn't take too long. The closer we get to Cranfest the less I get to see of her. She does so much for those people and most of them refuse to recognize it or are threatened by it. Drives me nuts to see that. I guess it must be rare to see people that help and who have no hidden agendas.
Both Deanna and I see this as a way to help our community and to help it survive as community that considers "family" important. All the money that is generated through the CranFest organization goes right back into the local community. We really are able to do some pretty great things for the Village of Warrens and it's surrounding area. Dea and I both feel blessed to be able to be a part of that. I have a few jobs that I have agreed to handle for the festival but my primary contribution is: Deanna. For the two or three weeks prior to Cranfest and the Week after I am pretty much a "CranFest Widower". Again, I don't mind too much because it's such a great cause and Deanna Loves doing all that she does. Still, it gives me a reason to whine and I would hate to waste a good reason to whine...
Now the "alarm clock in my head" is telling me it's time to go to work. I will try to post some more details of all that is going on around here in my next post but until then:
May ALL the blessings of the Lord be on you!
Will.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
First Day of School, HOORAY!
It is now 5:00 in the morning. Jacob is in the shower. Will is heading out the door and Jessalyn who does not need to get to get up for an hour is already dressed, hair brushed and ready to eat breakfast. So much for not being excited about school. I am so ready for them to be back in school. Especially Jacob. Not that he has been being bad. It's just that with his best friend moving away from Warrens, he has had all this emotional energy that has had him jumping around for a couple of weeks. Jessalyn just plain misses her friends.
Just think this will be Jacob's first week of the new year. This will be his first year in school "breathing". His surgery seems to have been a total success. He is changing so much. He is less than an inch shorter than me and is very proud of himself. He speaks much more clearly, hears better and is able to sit still and concentrate on something much better. I am praying that it is a different situation at school for him. I pray that he does not struggle so much.
In my last post I wrote about going to see the insurance adjuster and also the LP Gas people. Well, it turns out that the insurance people agreed with me about the hail damage. Will expected them to laugh at me. I went figuring he was probably right. HE WAS WRONG AND WILL EVEN ADMIT IT!!!! Let's just say it turned out to be lots of paperwork and lots of on the road time, but the car paid for a large portion of our heat for this winter. Boy was I feeling blessed as I ran around dealing with all of that.
Will has a new chain saw. The neighbor had some trees that needed cutting down. We are doing that now for firewood. It looks as if we will have two wood stoves in the house this winter to help with the heating bill. We have always planned on one in the living room, but now have one for the new room also. It will be nice to be able to use the new room this year without using the electric heaters. I figure we will have about three cord of wood or more by the time we are done. Our plans are to have about 7 cord this winter, I think. With God supplying all of this wood, Will and I think that he is preparing us for a cold winter. If not, we will be VERY prepared for a mild winter. Either way God is good.
Cranfest preparations are under way. I know that I told you that I would be busy, so Will would take care of the blog for the most part. Well, he did. This morning he told me to update the blog. Gee thanks honey.
It was a sad day around here yesterday after learning about Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter's death. Jacob and Jessalyn really enjoyed him and Jacob is quite upset over his death. It was one of his favorite shows. Kind of like I was when John Wayne died. I was about the same age and it really hit me hard. After all he was invincible on tv, why not in real life?
Have a great day.
Just think this will be Jacob's first week of the new year. This will be his first year in school "breathing". His surgery seems to have been a total success. He is changing so much. He is less than an inch shorter than me and is very proud of himself. He speaks much more clearly, hears better and is able to sit still and concentrate on something much better. I am praying that it is a different situation at school for him. I pray that he does not struggle so much.
In my last post I wrote about going to see the insurance adjuster and also the LP Gas people. Well, it turns out that the insurance people agreed with me about the hail damage. Will expected them to laugh at me. I went figuring he was probably right. HE WAS WRONG AND WILL EVEN ADMIT IT!!!! Let's just say it turned out to be lots of paperwork and lots of on the road time, but the car paid for a large portion of our heat for this winter. Boy was I feeling blessed as I ran around dealing with all of that.
Will has a new chain saw. The neighbor had some trees that needed cutting down. We are doing that now for firewood. It looks as if we will have two wood stoves in the house this winter to help with the heating bill. We have always planned on one in the living room, but now have one for the new room also. It will be nice to be able to use the new room this year without using the electric heaters. I figure we will have about three cord of wood or more by the time we are done. Our plans are to have about 7 cord this winter, I think. With God supplying all of this wood, Will and I think that he is preparing us for a cold winter. If not, we will be VERY prepared for a mild winter. Either way God is good.
Cranfest preparations are under way. I know that I told you that I would be busy, so Will would take care of the blog for the most part. Well, he did. This morning he told me to update the blog. Gee thanks honey.
It was a sad day around here yesterday after learning about Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter's death. Jacob and Jessalyn really enjoyed him and Jacob is quite upset over his death. It was one of his favorite shows. Kind of like I was when John Wayne died. I was about the same age and it really hit me hard. After all he was invincible on tv, why not in real life?
Have a great day.
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