FRIDAY, JUNE 18^TH – LYNGDAL, NORWAY BEACH PARTY!

Got 4 hours sleep and left for an early morning jog.  The hotel said there were “trails” around the lake so I wouldn’t have to run on the main roads.  Liars!  Plus there were tons of “turns” and with my sense of direction, that’s a disaster.  I got in about a 45 minute run but it quickly turned into more than an hour when I made one wrong turn.   It’s a very “wooded” area around the lake with lots of camping sites.  Makes me nervous to be running by myself in that kind of area.  But other than getting lost, no harm done.   

Had a quick breakfast with some of the boys.  Internet was working in my room for just a few minutes this morning and I had an email from the very first military pilot who ever flew me – Nashville to Iceland over New Year’s Eve with the Forester Sisters for a USO show.  I’ve kept in touch with him all these years but only seen him a couple of times and not recently.  He gets my road report and he’s going to be in Zurich next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  I arrive late Monday night but go on that same evening to Interlaken (my second home).  Had already planned to go into Zurich a couple of days to see Susan while David and Howard are out doing interviews for their Gola duet project.  Looks like it will work out perfectly for me to see him either Tuesday or Wednesday night.  I’ve made reservations at the Zurich Airport Radisson for Wednesday night since Bomshel arrives at 8:30 am Thursday and I need to meet them.  It was either spend the night there or get up at 6 am to take the train from Interlaken to Zurich.  Think I made a wise decision! 

Internet quit working by the time I had showered so I was sitting in the hall again trying to answer email for about an hour before we left.  I got my bags and headed to the “lift” to get them downstairs but when I got in the lift, the door wouldn’t close.  I was not going to take any chances that I might get stuck in it.   So, I left the bags in the lift, forced the door closed, ran down 2 flights of stairs, and press the “down” button to bring the lift to the ground floor.  Took my bags off when it arrived and out to the bus.  J 

Here’s the “story of the tour”.  Will be hard to top this one.  This guy who attended last night’s show had this big blue duffle bag full of gifts for the Bellamys.  Wally took out each item and showed it to me.  There was two of everything – a plastic gun, shield, and eagle as a boxed set, Route 66 books all in Norwegian, several belt buckles (naked woman silhouette with a rhinestone strategically placed on her breast, the words “M…..r F….r” on one,), a pair of boxing gloves that hang over the auto rearview mirror that have a hand giving the “finger” on each one, several pieces of costume jewelry that were necklaces or bolos, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten some of the other items.  But…here’s the winner…Wally pulls out a pair of black men’s Versace underwear and says, “He only gave them one pair of these!”   I jumped back and said “Ewwwwww!  That’s not a gift.   Those have been worn.   He must have left them in the duffle bag when he packed it with gifts”.  Wally immediately dropped those in the trash!   

Took about 2 hours to get to the hotel in Lyngdal.  The promoter here is having a “beach” party tonight in front of the hotel which sits on a lake.  Great idea except it is really COLD and windy here.  We got checked into our rooms – all of which have wireless internet.  Only problem is, the wireless internet blocks AOL – which is what we all have.  I have them working on that right now.  Internet in Norway is more of a challenge than it is in Iraq now.  I wore them out all afternoon – 4 hours solid – and they finally got it fixed. Evidently there was a firewall on the hotel’s server and they had to open the “portal”?  

At the hotel last night, I had to replace the batteries in my remote to make it work.  My room at this hotel had two light bulbs blown that I had to call and have replaced.  Wouldn’t you think the maids would notice when they cleaned in the “dark”???? 

We are on the ground floor and my room is about 6 feet from where all the speakers for the sound system sit.  When they turned on the music to test the system, the mirror above my desk almost shook off the wall.  Sure hope all the hotel guests are aware that there is a concert tonight!  At least there is a regular elevator at this hotel.  BUT, the desks are built into the wall and are so close to the wall that you can’t access the electrical outlet.  I finally moved a sofa and found one all the way across the room where I could plug in my laptop.   The cord is stretched as far as it will go, but at least I don’t have to hold the computer in my lap to type! 

Lunch was a buffet with really not good food.  Dinner was a set menu and they had planned on serving pork.  By the time I got there, the guys had changed the pork to chicken – which was a good move.   

It was FREEZING for the “Beach Party” but the audience had enough alcohol that they didn’t mind.  They were dancing and singing along.  Huge crowd and huge success.  It was my night to attract the drunks though.   Before the show even started, a guy came over and leaned across the table and said “I remember you!”  (actually, he wasn’t even drunk).  Said he met me a year ago in Branson, MO.  I assured him that I had not been to Branson in about 10 years.  He argued with me and then he mentioned that I was married to one of the Bellamys.  Susan was sitting beside me laughing the entire time and I told him it was Susan that he met.  He was shocked.  Wanted to know if we were related.  She told him we are sisters (which is almost true!).   Then about halfway through the show, a really drunk guy leaned over and grabbed onto my hand and wouldn’t let go. Was horrified that I didn’t remember him from Sandenes last year.  I didn’t have a clue who he was.  Susan said she remembered him but that he had “aged” a lot.  I had left Jenny sitting upstairs watching the show and when I went back up to meet the Bellamys after the show, all I saw was the back of her blonde hair and her black shirt but some guy was sitting beside her – wrapped around her and stroking her butt!  My first thought was “Well, Jenny has had  a few cocktails herself”.  Then the girl turned around and I realized (thankfully) that it wasn’t her.   

We leave Lyngdal tomorrow for our final show in Dalen.  Dalen is REALLY in the middle of the woods – 4 hour drive from here.  There is NOTHING to do in the little village and no tv or telephones in the hotel.  Supposedly there is wireless internet.  There had better be.  We have lots of work to do on Sunday before the big media tour begins in Switzerland next week. 

Off to bed now.  It’s almost 2 am.  But I can and will sleep on the 4 hour bus ride tomorrow.  J 

Jude