August 6th, 2008

Hello Everyone,

We are now 70 days into our Friends and Family summer tour and it is true, time flies when you are having fun. We have seen so many parts of this country and some of them more than once. We are always truly amazed at how many wonderful friends are in attendance at our shows. It’s like we’re home no matter where we are. How wonderful and thank you all so much.

The band has taken the first week off of each month to let everyone head home and catch up on things. Cyndy, the dogs and I decided to head the bus to some great KOA campgrounds during our downtime. Last night seemed somewhat surreal as we had a campfire going, the dogs lying all around with the bus as a backdrop. It was a beautiful clear night and it was as if you could reach up and touch the stars. A quick discussion about dinner plans evolved into a gourmet meal. Hot dogs cooked on a stick over the campfire. That may have been one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The dogs also perked up when the meat started to simmer. A glass or two of wine from the well-stocked portable liquor store, (our bus) and the evening is perfect. 

We awoke to one of those Midwest thunderstorms. Throw in tornado warnings, 50 MPH winds and two scared dogs and you have an idea of our evening. Our two Golden Retrievers, Abbey and Zack, are afraid of storms while our Portuguese Water Dog, Ester, would love nothing more than to go outside and chase tree limbs as they fall. Abbey is curled up with her head under the covers in bed while Zack is hiding in the shower with Cyndy holding him for comfort. By the way, this is a very small shower. Ester is running up and down the aisle wanting someone to throw her ball. The bus shook as if it were a boat until the storm had its way and decided to travel eastward. No damage done other than a very clean bus. Thanks Mother Nature.

Well our little break is over and it’s time to hook up with the band again and party! We are heading back to Iowa, this time the wonderful town of LeClair for their annual Tug Fest on Friday, August 8^th.  Tug Fest is a family week-end event filled with live entertainment, a huge parade, scenic 5K run/walk, rides, amusements, food, craft vendors, games, and many tug of wars across the river. We play at 8:00 PM and hope you can be there with us.

Saturday, August 9^th and Sunday August 10^th, we return to one of our favorite spots, Blarney Island in Antioch, Illinois for their annual Parrot Head weekend. Blarney Island is the northernmost outpost of the Conch Republic and is warmly referred to as the Key West of the Midwest and was voted the greatest boat bar in the world! We take the stage at 2:00 PM each day and will be giving away a trip to the Bahamas on Saturday for the Best Parrot Head Hat and Sunday for the Best Dressed Parrot Head.  Break out your costumes and come out and party!

We hope to see you and we would love to make you a margarita from our old Johnson outboard motor.

Until then have a great summer and may the tide keep pulling you back.