Contest & Campgrounds

Well, I guess it's about time I updated the blog. Hopefully folks are still checking in on it, and the withdrawal hasn't been too bad!

Guess the big exciting news (at least for me) involves singing and the Sweet Adelines. As you know, I've been visiting my former chorus here in Baton Rouge and having a great time. I even got to sing at a couple local performances with them, which is always fun. Since I maintained my International affiliation, and the performances were open to non-members as well, I was able to participate. (Yes, there are all kinds of rules and regulations!) Well, as you may or may not know, every year Sweet Adelines worldwide hold competitions in each region. These contests help the competing choruses and quartets finetune their skills and gives them an opportunity to see what other choruses and quartets in the region have been doing and how you can improve yours. Judging is held in four categories (Sound, Music, Expression, and Showmanship) by four members of the International Judging Faculty. Baton Rouge Chorus will be competing the first weekend in April in Houston, TX, and the ladies have been bugging me about competing with them. I knew we'd be back in FL by then so it wasn't even on the radar and besides the fact that I'd have to rejoin the Region and the chorus to be eligible to compete. Just let me say that these ladies are quite persistent and persuasive!! One of them even did some checking on her own to see what it would take for me to rejoin and compete! Their persistence and excitement was contagious, and after some more discusssions and talking it over with Russ, we've worked out all the logistics, and I am going to fly from Pensacola, FL, to Houston the first weekend of April to compete with the Baton Rouge Chorus!! (Aren't frequent flyer miles great?!) I've rejoined the region and the chorus, I've already learned the two competition songs, and I'll only miss two rehearsals before contest. Cate, our director, will send me .wav files from the rehearsals the two weeks I'll miss so I can stay current with any interp changes.

This past weekend was the chorus' coaching retreat held at the downtown Hilton in Baton Rouge. About 6 weeks before contest, choruses will bring in an outside coach to really work those two contest songs and help the chorus see where improvements are needed. You know how it sometimes takes someone from the outside to see things that are right in front of you!?!! Our coach this weekend was the fabulous Vickie Dennis, Master Director of Houston Horizon Chorus. Vickie has been a member of Sweet Adelines since 1975, is on the Regional Education Faculty, is an approved candidate judge in the sound category, a Junior High School Music teacher, and just a super dynamic and highly talented coach! She was my director when I sang with Houston Horizon so I know well her talent and positive coaching and teaching abilities, and it's always great to see her. (That's Vickie on the keyboard making sure that chord we're singing is in tune! We don't use musical instruments to perform... only to finetune our craft when needed at rehearsals.) Retreat lasts from Friday night through Sunday morning, but I was only able to attend the all day Saturday session, which was really the crux of the weekend. It's hard work, but we always seem to have some fun, and it's all worth it in the end. One of the ladies in our chorus (Heather) is pregnant with her first baby, so we tied a baby shower into our lunch break. Worked out well for our theme since our contest songs are Baby Face and Baby Mine!

Along the way on our journey we've talked about the places we've seen and the people we've met and friends we've made, and how every campground has its own uniqueness. Here in Denham Springs it's no different. The KOA here is largely made up of working folk...contractors working on a project in the area for a short or long term, traveling nurses and lab techs, and folks hired for a fulltime job and their rig is their home. Coca-Cola is building a new plant in Baton Rouge and has rented 10 sites and put travel trailers on them for some of the guys they're bringing in to do the work. Bass Pro has several people who have been here quite some time and are still working to complete that project. So we thought we'd introduce you to a few of the folks we've met.

Linda is a traveling lab tech and was working at a local hospital for the past 6 months. Her husband, Dick, got a job working here at the KOA showing people to their site and helping out wherever. And their dog, Rez, became fast friends with Abby and Mikey....especially Abby! Their ages and energy levels were about the same so always had a great time running and playing together. Linda and I would take the "kids" over to the big dog park a couple times a week. It was good exercise for all of us and a great way to get to know each other better, chatting along the way. Russ would sometimes visit with Dick while we were gone, and they'd spend many hours solving the problems of the world. Linda and Dick still have their "stick" home in Iowa, which their kids watch over while they're on the road, but Dick says that when they return there this summer, he plans to start downsizing and selling stuff on eBay (we've inspired him!) They left about a week ago to head for Linda's next assignment in San Jose, CA. We sure miss our walks, and I know Abby misses her romps with Rez!

Paul is the Project Manager at Greystone Golf & Country Club, and I worked with him during my time there. He's lived at the KOA here for the past two years, and it's been fun getting to know him a little better on more of a personal level since we arrived. Russ and Paul have had many conversations on construction, sports, the economy, and many other topics. Paul has worked and lived all over the country and doesn't have a stick home at present though he owns half of one with his sister in upstate New York. He'll be here until the job's done and it's time to move on, wherever that may be.

Then there's Dennis and Sarah...what a fun couple! Though we didn't really go do a lot with them, we just had fun chatting with them and living through them vicariously as they went to many of the Mardi Gras parades and checked out the local area. I had mentioned them before when Sarah made sure to drape Mikey and Abby with beads after one of the parades! They are from Missouri (our home state!), and also still have a stick home though Sarah is planning to put it on the market this spring. Dennis had been here for several months working on a framing project, and Sarah and their dog, Muffy, had come down for a month long visit which actually got extended a little longer. Since Sarah didn't have her car this trip, I gave her rides a couple times to Wal-Mart, the groomer, and we went to lunch a couple times. She's a great gal with a great sense of humor, a big heart, and I'm so glad we've become friends. As is the nature of Dennis' business, he got told by his boss last Thursday that his assignment here was over and time to move on....now! He took Friday off so he could drive Sarah and Muffy back home to Missouri and find out his next destination. Rumor was it might be Tyler, TX.

There are several other guys that Russ has struck up conversations with while smoking outside. Roland next door who works on the Bass Pro project, Craig who's lived here for 3 years and is a local contractor, Joan and Jim who live and work here fulltime at the KOA, and Chris (a huge University of Kentucky fan and alum as evidenced by the flag he flies and the UK on his truck!) who's an electrician. Everyone has their own unique story, and it's always fun and interesting hearing them.

We've got a couple more weeks left of eBaying before we hit the road for Florida so that's keeping us plenty busy. We're not becoming rich, but it's been paying the rent here at the KOA the last couple months! One of these posts we'll share some of that experience with you. As we said last time....people will buy anything! So until next time, don't forget about us, stay tuned, and stay in touch.