Tag Archives: roadie tips

Job hunting. Looking for a slower paced Roadie position

22 Sep

Thought I would try this:-

"Please let me come and work with you". TT is working me too hard.

Pretty tired after busy 5 days of work. Unfortunately I didn’t get the job with the covered wagon outfit. They said I didn’t have the right experience.

TT outside Cry Room

TT as "Jack" C.S. Lewis has to console tired Roadie Gran in the Cry Room

Shut myself in the “Cry Room” aka “Green Room” where TT found me weeping and chewing the carpet. He said we now have two days without “gigs” and is taking me to Niagara Falls tomorrow! So I’ve decided to stay put.

Lovely day. A bit tiring. I forgot TT’s white shirt for his C.S. Lewis costume tonight. Nice new Ethiopian friend rushed me from the church to hotel and back in double-quick time before the curtain went up. Phew.  Roadie Tip Check the check list.

2 people today said they heard me on the radio!!!!

Night all.

Hey Man, look at me rocking out. I’m on the radio

16 Sep

TT and RG rockin' on the radio in New York state


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Good evening from the Holiday Inn Express, Webster, New York.

TT and I have just returned from Calvary Chapel Webster where the 5th performance of this tour is now under our belts. Another good performance and a great bunch of people.

We arrived in this area yesterday and did a Radio Interview for “WZXV, The Word”. Patrick, The Production Manager had interviewed TT by phone several times but wanted me to join him at the microphone in the studio. Oo my whatever next?

Anyway I wasn’t too nervous as it wasn’t live and I had my hot honey and lemon to sip and dear Patrick was so friendly and helpful. He put me entirely at ease. He even said I could cough and sneeze if I wanted to and it wouldn’t matter.

The radio station was on the campus of Finger Lakes Calvary Chapel which seems to have acres of land. There is a Bible college and school as well as the church and radio station on the complex. Loads of parking spaces and play grounds. O if only some of this parking and play ground space could be shared by our churches in the U.K. where space is a real problem!

After the interview I checked out the bookstore and sat in the café drinking coffee and using their free wifi.

We then followed Patrick back to his house for supper. 3 of their 5 children gave us a fantastic welcome calling out to us from the upstairs window.

Addie, age 3 introduced us to her two brothers, Elijah 10 and Ben 8. She explained later that her two big sisters were out.

Judy, Patrick’s wife is delightful and they cooked us the most amazing supper of Cornish hens with stuffing, double baked potatoes, green beans and salad. Bread pudding was the dessert and they made tea with PG tips in a tea pot served with digestive biscuits. They had gone to a lot of trouble to find out what an English couple abroad would like to eat. It was scrumptious.

We arrived at the hotel here in Webster after the lovely supper and will stay here until Monday morning. Deep joy. 6 nights in one hotel is wonderful and cuts down on the packing and unpacking.

We have got 6 shows in 5 days here. Most of them are in this area with 2 at Calvary chapel Rochester N.Y. on Sunday. The two churches have got together and arranged that we can stay in this same hotel for all this time.

Tomorrow we are going to Williamsport Pennsylvania. It is a 3.5hr run and some people we met today said it will be a lovely journey but we may loose our GPS connection in the mountains. Dear George, we will miss his voice, ROADIE TIP  Remember to check the route before hand and have the good old fashioned Rand McNaly US road map to hand.

We had a brilliant journey here from Massachusetts, driving on I 90 through New Hampshire and into New York. Lovely coastal route with little harbour towns, lots with English names. We turned round at one point when we saw an elderly lady setting out some things on a table to sell at the side of the road.

We were attracted by a pair of antlers. On closer inspection the only things she was selling were hand made wooden decoy ducks and these fabulous antlers. I asked how she came to have them. She said she had 6 sons and they were all hunters and she was trying to cull her antler collection. These were covered in soft fur and were from a caraboo that her son Michael had shot in Nova Scotia.

We bought them for $20 and may well fix them on to the front of BB. Don’t tell our son Jonathan, but we are going to try and get Santa to deliver them down the Old Mill chimney at Christmas. They will not fit in his stocking so and getting them down the chimney may prove difficult but I’m sure Rudolph and the other reindeers can come up with a solution as they are expert in antler maneuvering.

Today I felt much better cough wise. Thank you all for your prayers and the folks at Ellsworth Calvary Chapel prayed especially for me after the service. We stayed with Pat, in her log home for two days. She is a retired physician as well as a wonderful gardener who has a great knowledge of “green pharmacy” using herbs and plants to provide healthy nutrients. Anyway she gave me some homeopathic bits and bobs.

These helped I’m sure, as well as spending Monday with her. I did our laundry and we hung out washing together, wandered around her garden feeding the chickens and picking green leaves for our tea and supper. She also too me to a great homesteading little supply shop where she bought some feed for the chickens and I bought some Gardeners Hand cream at 50% off.

The hotel has a fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and hot spa. I used all three today. Didn’t stay long in the spa as it was too hot.
Outside our hotel window is a lovely pond and walking trail. I thought it was Lake Ontario. That is quite near but about 7 miles away. We are very far north here. The weather is lovely, about 60F. Sunny today with just the occasional tree changing colour.

I’m off to bed now. TT is still asking me what’s to eat. He is always hungry after a performance. The Pastor and his wife took us out for supper earlier at Panera Bread. I love this place. David had French onion soup but saved his sandwich until now. He is still asking for “something nice”. I have just given him strawberry yoghurt that we squirreled away from our complimentary breakfast this morning. Maybe a final cup of tea is what he needs.

Talking about tea, I made a terrible faux pas this evening. Instead of using his fav. Tea brought from England to make the tea he has on stage,  I used my red bush S. African Tea bags. What a Roadie ruinous moment. I discovered the mistake just before he went on stage. TT was NOT a happy man. I offered to make another pot quickly, but the star of the show said it was too late and he would just have to drink this. After one sip tonight, I noticed he never really took another swig only pretended too. ROADIE TIP. Check T bags are Yorkshire Decaff in the Props box before leaving hotel.

I have some wonderful photos to put on the blog, but at the moment have lost the power to add posts so am having to get son Jonathan to do this and give me the password. I am not a roadie/blogger of the 21st  century. However, today,  my sister Maggie and I Skyped each other with video for the first time ever from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other. She is 70 today and I am only a few years behind, so that not bad for a couple of OAP’s with a free English bus pass. Happy birthday Maggie dear. You are the BEST sister any body could have. I love you.
Night all.

Unschedulled Labour Day Lay Over

6 Sep

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From the Comfort Inn Middletown N.J. USA

We had planned to play on the beach at Ocean City and then head north to some friends at Lake George on the other side of New York. The weather was lovely for this Labour Day Holiday that signals the end of the summer. So there is heavy  Holiday traffic everywhere. After about 2 hrs, we stopped to get some gas/petrol and use the loo at Red Bank N.J. and decided to remove Big Blue from the traffic congestion and stay near this lovely town overnight.   We are both glad to be pulling off the road early and are in our PJs. TT is eating porridge and I have had granola and a banana. We had a chicken sandwich each from Burger King for $4:00 total at lunch after a very posh breakfast at The Scarborough  this a.m. We have taken lots of photos and will post soon. Coughing intensity now down to a 3 from 8 last night. Tonight we have 2 double beds in a much bigger room so hopefully TT will not hear me doing an impression of a consumptive patient again.   Had to change out of my PJ’s into an old shirt of his last night as I had a nasty night sweat. (Is this too much information?) We were on the 4th floor of this old Inn without a lift so that is why I stole  TTs clothes. All my clean night attire was in Big Blue.  Roadie Tip: When staying in a hotel on the top floor without a lift, set up a block and tackle from the window in order to winch up van to obtain forgotten items. Off to bed now to start my brand new  book, “From the Hood to The Hill” by Barry C. Black. PhD., D.Min., D.D. Did I mention we met him and his wife yesterday??!!! They did come back to see David’s play in the evening. He was my first customer at “The Merch.” table and bought one of each of  TT’s  DVDs. Be still my beating heart.

Another prayer request for David’s knees. Both are painful and stiff today. Could this be due to :-

  1. Doing a long fast walk on the boardwalk Friday or
  2. Carrying going up and down 4 flights of stairs a lot .

Anyway, wearing my Roadie Grandma hat and dressing gown, I’ve just collected ice from the corridor and he is freezing his knees. Please when you are next on yours say a prayer for his. Thank you and goodnight.

Big Blue Reunion and Roadie Duties Begin

2 Sep

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I am delighted to report that “Big Blue” our trusty Ford Van was in good shape when we reunited with her yesterday. While The Talent and I had been setting up our U.K. abode in Somerset, Big Blue spent the summer whiling away the hot days in a shady spot under the trees outside the Manse of some friends in Egg Harbor (in American English or “Harbour” in English English – What is a brand new blogger supposed to do about this transatlantic spelling dilemma?)

Anyway, she started first time to show us she didn’t bear any grudge about being abandoned when we fled the country in April 2010. To show our gratitude, we are giving her a full pampering today. This will include an oil change, some fresh air in her tyres and even a trip to the car wash: her favourite/favorite. As I write, The Talent is doing my roadie duties by beginning to unload her contents into our motel room. We have C.S.Lewis’ costume hanging in the bathroom and his props by the sink. Our “on the road” food preparation items are on the bed. So far mugs, proper cutlery/silverware and bowls, ice box, picnic basket, etc. My first job as Roadie, this morning, was to sort out the case of cables. GPS? check. US cell phone chargers? check. Note to self and Roadie Tip No 1. It is helpful to label cables with item to which they pertain. I’ve postponed the task for now.

Well folks, I’m off to have a quick swim and shower and get another yoghurt from the breakfast bar. The Talent has stopped unloading and is cooking his daily bowl of porridge in the microwave.

Absecon Lighthouse, Atlantic City

Absecon Lighthouse, Atlantic City

Our priority is to spend as much time as necessary in prepping and coddling Big Blue, then it’s off to Atlantic City and the board walk. Our shopping list today includes a camera for me so that I can add some photos on here,  a sun hat and bucket and spade for the beach! A” must do for fun” sometime this Labour Day Weekend is to visit the Absecon Lighthouse just down the road. Which frankly seems a bit more attractive than the casinos on the sea front.

I am delighted to report that “Big Blue”our trusty Ford Van was in good shape when we reunited with her yesterday. While hubby actor David and I had been setting up our U.K. abode in Somerset, Big Blue spent the summer whiling away the hot days in a shady spot under the trees outside the Manse of some friends in Egg Harbor(Am/Eng) Harbour (Eng/Eng)
What is brand new blogger supposed to do about this Transatlantic spelling dilemma?
Anyway, she started first time to show us she didn’t bear any grudge about being abandoned when we fled the country in April. To show our gratitude, we are giving her a full pampering today. This will include an oil change, some fresh air in her tyres and even a trip to the car wash: her favourite/favorite. As I write, actor David, is doing my roadie duties by beginning to unload her contents into our motel room. We have C.S.Lewis’s costume hanging in the bathroom and his props by the sink. Our “on the road” food preperation items are on the bed. So far mugs, proper cutlery/silver ware and bowls, ice box, picnic basket, etc. My first job as Roadie, this morning, was to sort out the case of cables. GPS? check. US Cell phone chargers? check. Note to self. It is helpful to label cabels with item to which they pertain. I’ve postponed the task for now.
Well folks, I’m off to have a quick swim and shower and get another yoghurt from the breakfast bar. David has stopped unloading and is cooking his daily bowl of porridge in the microwave.
Our priority is to spend as much time as necessary in prepping and coddling Big Blue, then it’s off to Atlantic City and the board walk. Our shopping list today includes a camera for me so that I can add some photos on here,  a sun hat and bucket and spade for the beach! A must do for fun sometime this Labour Day Weekend is to visit the Absecon Lighthouse just down the road. Which frankly seems a bit more attractive than the casinos on the sea front.

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