Sugar and Spice are hitting it hard again since our week off. We started it off a week ago with our debut at the dance in Newton at the Moose club. We thought we had every thing under control, even had a bass player and a drummer going to help us out. On Friday the bass player ended up in the hospital so we played it as a duo. Things were going good until we noticed that the dancers were huffing and puffing as they returned to their chairs! Now we kind of knew that we played our songs a little fast - the thought there was we could play more songs for the residents that way - but for dancers we had to slow things down. That is not an easy task when you are used to playing them faster! So now we are slowing down all our songs so that if we do play another dance we will have the tempo right for dancing. At times I feel like I am a bobble head trying to keep the beat in my head so that I don't speed things up again!
I don't think the residents mind the slower pace and it makes it easier for them to sing along on songs that they know. We were at Bickford Assisted Living last week and the activity director took a cordless mic around and had the residents singing along with us for a couple of songs. I was surprised that everyone that she went to sang into the mic, no one was afraid to sing along with us.
Tomorrow starts another busy and fun week, can't wait to see what God has in store for us!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Thank God I'm a country girl!
Sugar & Spice have done some pretty cool things this summer besides our regular bookings. We have played at farmers markets, at Rock Creek, Concert Under the Oaks and Footloose Fridays. Last night we added to that list with a gig at Crazy Acres camp grounds by Ackley. We got this booking when we were playing at Heritage Care Center in Iowa Falls for their Happy Hour. Two sisters were there visiting and thought we would be a hit at the camp ground, so the booking was made. We never know what to expect when we play for the public but these two ladies were pretty friendly, so thought it couldn't be all that bad.
We played in a big machine shed that had picnic tables and chairs for people to set at and some people brought snack food. It was a little warm inside and with the help of a big fan - thanks again Andy - it wasn't to bad. At first I think the crowd was there to see just what or who Sugar & Spice were. We played from 8 to 11 and most people stuck around until about 10, but about 15 stayed to the end. Despite the fact that the floor was concrete and was cracked and uneven we did have quite a few dancers.
There were also a few uninvited guests there, despite the breeze from the fan the flies were biting and during one song that I was singing I thought I felt something on my neck, well I looked down at my shoulder and saw a big black hard shelled bug crawling on my arm, then on my neck and THEN it went crawling "willy nilly" UNDER by shirt. Now I'm probably exaggerating when I say it was at least an inch and a half long, but Phil's wife saw it too and she was setting about 20 feet from me........of course by the time I was done with the song it had found a new home someplace else. Other than the funny look on my face this country girl didn't miss a word to the song!
For you campers this is a pretty cool camping spot with a nice restaurant/bar. They also have pens with Elk, goats and miniature ponies as well as a bunch of cats - and oh yes, big black hard shelled bugs!!
We played in a big machine shed that had picnic tables and chairs for people to set at and some people brought snack food. It was a little warm inside and with the help of a big fan - thanks again Andy - it wasn't to bad. At first I think the crowd was there to see just what or who Sugar & Spice were. We played from 8 to 11 and most people stuck around until about 10, but about 15 stayed to the end. Despite the fact that the floor was concrete and was cracked and uneven we did have quite a few dancers.
There were also a few uninvited guests there, despite the breeze from the fan the flies were biting and during one song that I was singing I thought I felt something on my neck, well I looked down at my shoulder and saw a big black hard shelled bug crawling on my arm, then on my neck and THEN it went crawling "willy nilly" UNDER by shirt. Now I'm probably exaggerating when I say it was at least an inch and a half long, but Phil's wife saw it too and she was setting about 20 feet from me........of course by the time I was done with the song it had found a new home someplace else. Other than the funny look on my face this country girl didn't miss a word to the song!
For you campers this is a pretty cool camping spot with a nice restaurant/bar. They also have pens with Elk, goats and miniature ponies as well as a bunch of cats - and oh yes, big black hard shelled bugs!!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Something about that song!
In one of my earlier posts I told about the reaction to the song "The Church In The Wildwood" from a resident. Well, it happened again and to the same song! Our friend Deb who is the activity director at Careage in Newton warned us that this one gentleman liked that song and probably would sing along. I had my doubts because this gentleman usually acts like we aren't even there. But she was right, this man didn't have much of an expression on his face when we started the song, but all at once his whole face lit up and he was smiling and singing along! He didn't even look like the same person. The next song we sang was "Do Lord" and another gentleman who only says "hi" sang some of the words to that song. God was moving hearts right there in that room!
We have been to several places since I last posted, including a new place in Cedar Falls on Friday morning. It was the independent living area and there were a lot of people there to see just what "Sugar & Spice" was all about! We were surprised to look out and see Romona Hansen from Grundy Center there to hear us! It is always nice to look out and see someone you know. We had many good comments and told to expect a call for another booking.
We played at the last "Foot Loose Friday" of the year in Toledo from 5 to 6:30. Spice does most of the setting up for the outdoor gigs and if you remember it was 98 and of course we were out in the sun. We were surprised that there was a pretty good crowd there. Thanks to all of our friends that sat in the heat to hear us! Also thanks to Andy for bringing the big fan for us - that was a life saver!! Another band - Lime Creek played after us, so it was nice to set back and listen to them crank out some really good songs! Spice provided sound for them so we had a long fun day.
On Saturday we were invited to Andy and Marvina Jensen's home in Dysart to jam with them. Cheri and Dan Driscol were there too. We started jamming at 4:30 and at 6:30 stopped for a great meal of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and all the trimmings - thanks to Marvina! Cheri and Dan's son plays drums, so he set up his set and played with us then after supper. Finally at 9:30 we stopped and packed up for home. We had a blast and hope to get together again before to long!
Keith and I will be gone a week at the lake this month, so that has made September a CRAZY month for bookings. Tried to get everyone in, so squished 4 weeks of bookings into 3 weeks. We start off the month in Ankeny tomorrow with two bookings, with 19 bookings in the next 11 days. Yup, like I said CRAZY. We will need that week off!
We have been to several places since I last posted, including a new place in Cedar Falls on Friday morning. It was the independent living area and there were a lot of people there to see just what "Sugar & Spice" was all about! We were surprised to look out and see Romona Hansen from Grundy Center there to hear us! It is always nice to look out and see someone you know. We had many good comments and told to expect a call for another booking.
We played at the last "Foot Loose Friday" of the year in Toledo from 5 to 6:30. Spice does most of the setting up for the outdoor gigs and if you remember it was 98 and of course we were out in the sun. We were surprised that there was a pretty good crowd there. Thanks to all of our friends that sat in the heat to hear us! Also thanks to Andy for bringing the big fan for us - that was a life saver!! Another band - Lime Creek played after us, so it was nice to set back and listen to them crank out some really good songs! Spice provided sound for them so we had a long fun day.
On Saturday we were invited to Andy and Marvina Jensen's home in Dysart to jam with them. Cheri and Dan Driscol were there too. We started jamming at 4:30 and at 6:30 stopped for a great meal of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and all the trimmings - thanks to Marvina! Cheri and Dan's son plays drums, so he set up his set and played with us then after supper. Finally at 9:30 we stopped and packed up for home. We had a blast and hope to get together again before to long!
Keith and I will be gone a week at the lake this month, so that has made September a CRAZY month for bookings. Tried to get everyone in, so squished 4 weeks of bookings into 3 weeks. We start off the month in Ankeny tomorrow with two bookings, with 19 bookings in the next 11 days. Yup, like I said CRAZY. We will need that week off!
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