West Virgina

"Country Roads, Take me Home....To a Place....I Belong....West Virgina......Blue Ridge Mountains, Shannondoah River.......I have been singing this song since I was a kid and finally .......after 12 plus hours......I HAVE ARRIVED! Now..... I can't get the song out of my head. "Mountain Mama....Take Me Home.....Country Roads." Not too much to report because we did not stay here long. The bus trip was pretty long but the New Yorker's can't complain because everyone else travelled from New London, picked us up in New York City and continued on to West, VA. They had 3 hours more on the bus then we did. We have a new bus with a table in the back for the kids to do school. There was a little confusion because the bus had a different number of seats and was configured differently but it is all settling down now. Everyone's seat is beginning to look like there living room again. (Only I don't have my Ocean View,my Plasma TV, Piano, big chair with Maria on lap.......and......why am I on this bus again?) Mikey and Jerimiah(tutor) really seemed to enjoy table when school was not in session. J helped Mikey tie up his Indiana Jones action figures and had them hanging off strings, saving the girl. Mikey had a whole production going on, with a sign and all. He also enjoyed sketching at the table but by the end of the trip he lost his cookies.....because the ride was really long it finally got to him. The next day we had a night show and the theater patrons invited us all to a reception at "Club Luna" next door to the theater. We had some great "Chinese Food." One of the theater goers told Mikey the ancient history of the club which really facinated him. Rhiannon really got Mikey and Q's eyes opening wide with her tales of energy and ghosts. The cast enjoyed talking to their fans and each other. We had some crazy dance moves going on at times. We have some great pictures which I will post later. Although I have advanced my skills since coming on tour thanks to Missy and John, I still have not mastered getting the photos from camera to computer. Hoping John will show me on this part of the trip now that I have bought the wires to my camera with me. The theater itself was very old and beautiful having been built in 1928. You could envision the "Phantom ofr the Opera" being present. Missy, John and I watched the whole show for the XXXXXX time but are still really enjoying it........some of us to much last night.....LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL, LOL, LOL,......and I mean literally......... Missy and John know what I am talking about! All kidding aside, we enjoyed seeing Ashley perform as the "Strawberry Seller" ....she did an amazing job. I forgot to write last time that we have some new members. We have a new Tour Manager (Clare with her beautiful son Spencer and husband Bart) and a new bus driver (Will). Andrew has also left to perform in 42 Street and we welcome Adam to the cast. We wish Tyler, Kim, John and Andrew good luck in there new gigs and will miss you. We are on the bus now on way to Toledo, Ohio for a few days........."Be Back Soon!"

New London Report

We had a nice time in New London. My friend Lori took the ferry over from Long Island to see the show and is in serious competition with Aunt Eileen for being Mikey's number one fan(if you don't count me.) Mikey really appreciates these two favorite ladies of his for traveling to see him. Mom (me) really appreciated that her wonderful husband gave Lori and I, a "Girl's Night Out" and we had some wonderful steak and frozen drinks at the OutBack. Back home we always go out for a birthday dinner because our birthdays are only a few day apart. This time we also went to a birthday lunch and Lori tried her first Shepard's Pie at the Irish pub across from the theater. It was nice chatting and catching up. I also got to introduce two women I greatly admire and appreciate: Lori (my old travel buddy from FBI days) and Missy my new travel buddy. Lori enjoyed meeting Missy because she has heard all the bad things (LOL) I have been saying about her! I think Missy has the thumbs up from Lori and she feels better about me traveling now. It was nice having Mike (Dad) and Maria (sister) on the road with us even if it was brief. Maria really loved the show again and when I asked her what her favorite part was she did an amazing performance for a 4 year old of belting out "As Long As He Needs Me." I think Rhiannon better watch out.....I have a future "Nancy" on my hands. I caught all the Dad's (Mike, John and Steve) bonding at intermission during the afternoon show. John seemed really happy to be with the men for a change! Mike (DAD) got a little taste of being on the road and how we have to go on food mission. When we tried to eat at the Outback between shows we were told there was a 45 minute wait and obviously we could not do that so we had to find another plan. We could see a Pizza Hut across a few highways which normally Johnn, Missy, the kids and I would have to find a way to hike too. We were lucky to have Mike's car, boy did it make a difference. The Araujo's and the Morley's enjoyed Pizza together and the two Dad's enjoyed coloring the placemats( where is Missy with her camera.) On Saturday the food mission began again when we tried to go to the Diner that we went to the day before only to find out it closed at noon. We then walked to a Pizza Place and sat there being ignored for 10 minutes when nobody else was even in the place. We took the hint and left and were very happy with the Irish Pub. (Mike got a tast of what we go through with the food missions.) On Sunday the New Yorkers left the rest of the cast and were able to go home for two days. This gave Mikey the opportunity to see "Prisoner of Second Avenue" at the Rockaway Theater Company with his Dad. They both really enjoyed the show! Congrats to David, Jodee, Peggy, Michael and cast. He also got to see Reilly again.
Another plus about being home on Monday was we got to see the newest addition to our family. My new nephew was born that same day. He is also my Godson:Jack Alexander weighed in at 10lbs 11 oz and 23 inches long. Maria was a little upset because she was to young to go uedp to the hospital room but we promised Daddy would take her to see him next week. My niece Kasey also received the awesome news that after grueling tryouts she made the JV Basketball Team of St. Francis Prep H.S. We are so exicted and proud for her. She worked hard to get on the team. My sister Mary can stop biting her nails now! It was tough leaving home again and I miss my baby girl and her daddy already!