Still On Tour

We are still on tour and we are surviving! We are all getting a little weary (to say the least).

The concerts are going well - not without their challenges though.
2 nights ago one of the guys had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance - during the concert he passed out and fell off the back of the risers (the choir stands), it was about a 6 foot drop and he fell straight back. He split the back of his head open - there was blood everywhere! I am sure his angel was working overtime.
The students did so well, the concert didn't even stop, they all carried on, trying to block from the audiance what was going on. It shock them though.

Well I won't write much as time is short. It is Thursday and we won't be home till Monday, so we still have a wee way to go. Alistair is arrivng tomorrow evening, so that will be nice.

Better go board the bus.............. again.....................

California

I must apologise for my lack of updates as of late - life has been a bit hectic (to say the least).

At the moment we are in California on a two week tour with the school. Alistair wasn't able to come unfortunately. We are one week in and have one week to go. It has been very 'full on'. Early mornings, late nights and lots of driving. It has been fun, but very exhausting.

They played at Loma Linda church on sabbath - that was pretty neat (they have a membership of 6000 and they have 18 pastors).
We did a concert in Hollywood yesturday - saw the famous Hollywood sign. It is very warm down here, so warm that some of the kids went swimming in the ocean yesterday - we didn't, we went shopping instead!

Some of the kids are starting to get sick. Loosing their voices, vomiting, headaches etc. We had to take one to hospital today - she has a stomach aulsor and it flared up badly. We are all praying hard that they will recover and no one else gets sick. One of the girls fell over on the rocks at the beach yesturday and hit her head so hard she got knocked out! The joys of it.

I am feeling rather weary, I should be sleeping. We have been billeted out tonight, which is nice, we will get showers (something which have been few and far between). We get a sleep in in the morning, which is great.

I must go and get my beauty sleep.

Let it snow!

Well this week has warmed up from the -17 we had last week - which is nice.

Here is a picture to prove that it really did get down below -10! The bottom left side of it gives the outside temp which is -13 and the top left gives the inside temp.




On Friday we headed to Enderby for a 'mini tour' with the kids. They did a concert in Enderby and got a fantastic turn out. It is a small town, maybe the size of Huntly, and they got approx 650 people come. It has been well advertised.
Friday there was a good dumping of snow about the place, so we had to take it easy driving the 4 hour trip. Alistair did nothing but complain about how dirty the car got! It sure was yukky. Bit hard to wash it too when all the water hoses are frozen! Will have to go find a car wash somewhere - but is there much point as it will just get dirty like that again.
We had to stop a couple of times and clean the lights as we could see NOTHING. It was a wee bit scary. We thought our lights had blown but then realized they may just be dirty - and they were!

Our very dirty car and the snow tires which Alistair is very proud of! We sure where glad we had them on.

Saturday morning the kids did a concert in Kelowna at Rutland church.
Aunty Maureen and Uncle Ralph surprised us and turned up for the concert (they had been staying at Delwyns in Vernon). They bought Robbie with them - Delwyn's son. So that was nice to see them again.
We had lunch at Margie and Larry's place. I knew Margie from many years ago. I use to babysit her 2 children - one of which was at lunch also, Johnathan and his wife Debra. Margie come to NZ for our wedding 20 odd years ago!




Saturday afternoon we headed to Penticton for another concert that the kids were doing. The timing was pretty tight so we weren't able to spent too much time visiting over lunch, which was a shame.

Saturday night we stayed in Kelowna and did a spot of shopping on Sunday. Our mission was to buy warm winter boots for everyone and gloves. I also wanted to get Kyle a nice dress jacket for church and vespers etc, but he wan't having a bar of that! (I'll have to work on him a bit more yet!)




About noon we headed back to the school as we had to be back for 'open house' which was that evening.

It was a stunning trip back going over the Connector Road. It was a lovely sunny day and the snow was covering the trees. Alistair wouldn't stop for me to take photos, so I had to snap these out the window as we zoomed along!







Sunday evening was Open House. This is a very special evening when a lovely meal is prepared for everyone, and then you can go through the students rooms. They decorate them up and make them look (and smell) lovely!
Each staff family were assigned students which became our family for the evening. We ate tea (supper) with them, and then all went together through the dorms.

The girls had spend an incredible amount of time doing up there dorm. They had done each floor as a different part of the Christmas story. So one floor was the stable, complete with hay and animal noises, another was the market place, another Herods palace. It was very well done.
It was a great evening. The student life team put so much work into these evens - it never ceases to amaze me.





This is how the campus (or carrot fields) look with a light dusting of snow.



Friday is an exciting day (2 days away). Cassidy (my neice) is arriving from NZ to stay with us for a few weeks. I hope she is ready for the cold...................

This saturday the kids are doing 3 (and maybe 4) concerts. So another busy weekend. Then on Tuesday the school (and myself) are off to California for a 2 week tour - on which they perform 20 odd concerts. One of these will be at Sacramento Central Church - so keep a watch out on 3ABN - you might catch a glimpes of Kyle and Tamzin.