Journal

25 Aug 2008 - Joseph

Today was an especially sad day.  I attended a funeral service for my friends grandson who was just 4 years old and lost his battle with brain cancer on Aug. 21st. I never did meet Joseph but I've been following his story through an internet blog and of course through my friend since his diagnosis in November of '07.

 

This little boy touched so many lives…there were hundreds of people at his service and the whole thing was very beautiful. As we all walked in they had dozens of pictures of him displayed and a bunch of his little toy cars surrounding them. They played some home video clips at the beginning of the service that his dad took of him and he had the greatest little personality and sense of humor! Even through all the tears there were a few chuckles from everyone there.

 

I can't imagine anything being harder than burying your 4 year old child (his birthday was the day before he died). It's the kind of thing that makes me question my faith in God…how could He let such tragedy happen to an innocent little boy?  But at the same time it seems the only thing to do IS to look to God in the hopes of gaining some small bit of comfort, knowing that he isn't suffering anymore. We earthly people will probably never make sense of something like this…it's beyond our capacity, but I'd like to believe the answers are somewhere...we just won't know 'til we get to the other side.

 

Joseph is there now, probably dancing and laughing with the angels!  My heart goes out to his family and I'll be keeping them in my thoughts and prayers as they begin their journey towards healing.

20 Aug 2008 - Yahoo! Yipee! Yeehaw!

Well folks, it has finally arrived!  As of yesterday, August 19th, my new album BEAUTIFUL TRAGEDY is out!! I can't believe we've actually made it to this point...but it's very exciting and a proud moment indeed. I popped it in the cd player and somehow it sounded better to me fresh out of the plastic wrap instead of on my master copy....which is basically the same thing!

I'm looking forward to walking into the record store and buying a copy.
I know that's weird...buying my own record...but I feel like it's good karma so I'm buyin' it!

Can't wait for you all to hear it!

14 Aug 2008 - Big Birthday

It's Paul's birthday this week (August 15) and by the time you read this we will have celebrated his surprise birthday party! He told me not to plan anything 'cause he didn't wanna make a big deal of it, but of course, I chose not to listen to him! It's not just any birthday, it's a big one so I can't just ignore it! I promised I wouldn't say his exact age to the entire world...

We're meeting a couple friends at one of our favorite restaurants in Nashville, Amerigo's, and then several of his other friends will be there to surprise him.

Should be fun...I love being sneaky!

5 Aug 2008 - Taxi Alert

When I arrived in Toronto last week I walked out of the airport with my bags where I was immediately greeted by a man who asked if I needed a taxi. I said yes assuming he would then direct me to the line up of taxis that are usually outside of big city airports. But instead he says 'let me help you with your bag' which I allow him to do and then he quickly proceeds to go across the street ahead of me, with my bag, to a supposed taxi. At this point that little voice inside my head is saying 'something is not quite right' but it all happened so fast, and I was tired from flying, so I continued to follow the driver and get in the car. Once we started driving and I had a chance to think the whole thing through and I realized he was most likely one of those illegal cab drivers that doesn't work for a company and was just trying to make quick cash. He didn't have a sign on his car (should have been my first clue!) and had no meter inside and then over-charged me by about $25. I did get to my hotel safely but I was pretty miffed about the whole thing...not so much about the money or at the guy but that I didn't listen to my inner voice telling me something wasn't right. What if the guy was some dangerous criminal?

 

The moral of the story is LISTEN to your inner voice.....it knows what it's talking about...and watch out for those illegal TO cab drivers!!

28 Jul 2008 - The Weasonator Strikes Again

My sweet little kitty decided to bring us another present the other day. I was standing at the kitchen counter when suddenly Mrs. Weasley comes bounding through the cat door all proud as she can be with a big fat chipmunk in her mouth! Then she decides to put it down in the middle of the floor and poor little Alvin was still alive so he proceeded to run around, scared out of his mind! So Paul puts a glove on to catch it but he didn't get a good grip and somehow it managed to bite him on the hand...ouch! But he did get it back outside, still alive, and away from The Weasonator. Alvin will have quite a story to tell the other chipmunks!

 

I'm off to Toronto today to do some promo for 'Break It' and the upcoming release of my new album, ‘Beautiful Tragedy’.

20 Jul 2008 - Alison Krauss & Robert Plant

I went to see Allison Krauss and Robert Plant last night in Nashville. It was really a great show. Allison has such a flawless voice! So pure! It was kind of like the angel and the devil up there 'cause Robert Plant is such the opposite of her but made for a really cool contrast. The band was awesome too…they had all the hottest Nashville players including T-Bone Burnette who produced their latest record and is famous for tons of other recordings too. I was wishing I could have seen the same show in a better environment.

 

It was at the Sommet Center downtown and it's a big huge boomy place which is great for hockey but not music like that. The show was so much about the sounds of the instruments and voices as opposed to a bunch of theatrics and 'showy stuff'. The Ryman Auditoriuim would have been better suited for a show like that or any other smaller theatre type place. But the Sommet of course has a larger seating capacity. It was fun to get out and see some great music just the same!

15 Jul 2008 - Juiced Up

I'm into the juice these days…not the 'sauce'...the juice! We got a new juicing machine for a wedding present and it's really awesome. Very healthy! They say that juicing gives you the best parts of fruit and vegetables without the extra pulp that's harder for your body to digest so you get the effects of the nutrients immediately. Of course eating raw vegetables and fruit is great too (more fiber in the whole fruit) but with the juicer it's a great way to get a large variety of stuff in one glass. The other day I made a concoction of sweet potato, carrot, apple, cucumber and bok choy. Yup, sounds a bit odd but didn't

taste too bad. Some days I'll make mostly greens...spinach, celery, wheatgrass...not for the faint of heart! It looks rather horrifying and doesn't taste much better but I feel like Popeye when I'm done with it! Here's to health!

 

11 Jul 2008 - Happy Belated 1st and 4th!

Happy Canada Day to all you Canucks and Happy 4th of July to my American friends. I'm lucky, I get to celebrate both except I had it backwards this year; I spent the 1st in the US and the 4th in Canada!

 

Oh well......

 

I just returned from Gravenhurst, ON where I was singing with the girls (Victoria, and Mary Sue) at the Gravenhurst Opera House which is Vic's home town. The show was great…we did it 'in-the-round' style with just our guitars. It doesn't seem like work at all when it's just us girls up there 'cause we know each other so well! But the only problem with that is we get so comfortable up there we start forgetting we’re putting on a show and forget to 'filter' our thoughts before they come flying out of our mouths! The crowd loved it though.

 

Aside from the show we had some great lake time hanging out with the Dodingtons. Vic's Aunt Linda and Uncle Ross let us stay in their boathouse for a few days and it is soooo lovely up there! As soon as I see the lake I start to feel the calming effects of it and I love to swim so I was in there quite a bit.  And I have to say I've never laughed so hard as I did hangin' with the girls...we get pretty silly when you put us together with some chocolate and Aunt Linda’s margaritas! Big times!

29 Jun 2008 - The Happening, Not Happening

I went to the movies the other day with the girls and saw 'THE HAPPENING'.  If you plan on seeing it and don't want to know what happens, stop reading now.

Definitely not a happening movie. Basically the wind starts to blow and then people start killing themselves and nobody knows why and then some weird crazy guy that likes hotdogs thinks it's the plants and trees giving off some chemical but they never really give a proper explanation for that and then suddenly it's all over and the main characters live happily ever after. They tried to mix in some comedy and it just didn't work. Although I must say I did jump a couple times at a scary moment or two. Betty Buckley was really good...she was scary....and my popcorn was good too...I ate the whole bag.

Besides that, I had two good shows in Calgary and Quesnel. Paul (my
husband) came out and played them with me so that was really fun for us. I also got to see 'Break It' on CMT....don't get to see the Canadian videos here down south much so that was very cool!

13 Jun 2008 - Beer and Slugs

Hey, did you know slugs like beer? A friend told me to put cups of beer out in the vegetable garden and the slugs will go into it and then drown. So I tried it and it works. They've been making swiss cheese out of my broccoli plants so thats where I've been putting it.

Now if I can just figure out how to keep the #$!!%ing chipmunks out of the corn patch I'll be happening!

2 Jun 2008 - From The Mrs!

Yup, it's official...I'm a married woman!

 

And what a great day it was! We had the ceremony at Millers Grocery in Christiana, TN which is a whistle-stop-cafe type of restaurant...very rustic and down home...and we said our vows on the old front porch. I arrived to meet Paul, my groom, in a horse drawn carriage with my little sister Correka (Big Brothers/Big Sisters) who was the flower girl and with Carson who was the ring bearer. And how cute was Carson? Oh my...the cutest EVER! We tied the rings to the back of his pants so he wouldn't drop them!

 

My dress was an ivory, strapless gown with black beading and my flowers were white daisies. My mom and dad were also in the carriage for the big entrance.

 

Then after the ceremony we all went inside to eat some southern cookin' and listen to the band (The Flea Market Hustlers, house band at Millers). It was all just like a fairy tale and I felt like a princess!

And of course, Paul was my very handsome prince in his tux! I haven't seen our pictures yet or the video but I'm really anxious to see them so I can see all the parts that seem like a blur. It all goes by so fast!

 

A few days afterwards we left for our honeymoon to Kauai. Both Paul and I have never been to Hawaii and it was so beautiful there! So lush and green and the temperature is perfect all the time and they have flowers growing wild everywhere. We stayed for 7 days but we were wishing we had a few more. There's just so many beaches and hikes and things to do! Plus Paul got the flu while we were there so we couldn't do as much as we wanted to. We definitely have to go back...

 

Well, now we are back in Nashville and trying to put the house back in order after all the excitement and family being here and I'm looking forward to switching from wedding planner back to singer/songwriter!

Where's my guitar...

 

'The Mrs.'

 

9 May 2008 - Karaoke Star

I'm sitting on a plane as I write this heading back to Nashville. I was in Edmonton yesterday to be a celebrity judge for CMT Canada's 'Karaoke Star'. Apparently there were auditions all day and then 10 of the people were picked to sing while we (me, Beverley Mahood and Sean Burke from CISN Radio) judged them. I was kind of nervous about being a judge because I didn't want to have to pull a Simon Cowell if someone was really terrible! Luckily, they were all reasonably good...well, maybe one or two were not so great but I didn't have the guts to trash 'em!  After all, it takes guts to get up there and be under the microscope!

 

The winner really did have a nice voice and she'll go on to the finals and have a chance at $10,000. Nice prize! She sang the Allison Krause song, 'When You Say Nothing At All'.  I don't know that I would have chose that one to sing...who wants to be compared to Allison Krause? Not me...

 

2 May 2008 - Gardens and Weddings

The danger of frost is over and it's gardening time again! I've had little seedlings starting inside the house for the last month under a lamp to get a head start...hard core, huh?
Well, they’re out in the real dirt now. I've got broccoli, beans, peas, carrots, beets, cucumbers, and peppers...and I'll be planting corn in a few days. Very exciting! I do LOVE my gardening time...it's very therapeutic. Oh! I gotta get tomato plants too! Can't forget the tomatoes....I haven't got any plants yet.

Everything is coming together for the wedding. Two weeks away! Oh my God! I can't believe it! My girlfriends had a shower for me last week and some other friends are having one this weekend (co-ed, Paul's invited too). Paul's been working hard continuing repairs on the house to be ready for the family...they start arriving on the 11th. We're going to have six people plus little Carson all staying at the house so we'll be kind of like the Waltons for a few days! I'm really looking forward to it though and I know we’re all gonna have a great time!

15 Apr 2008 - Almost There...

We have a video! I've just seen the first draft of the footage we got and it's really good!

 

We did the shoot at a farm in Surrey not far from where I grew up and it was really a cool place. Because of all the rain we get there everything was brilliant green and there were old trucks and tractors with grass and foliage growing around them. All good video making stuff! The only draw back was that it was quite cold and damp and my outfits were not exactly made for that. I had on a 1950's night gown for most of it so I would wear my jacket over top in between takes until we were ready to shoot and then take it off and try and look warm for the camera! Plus I had a cold that day so the poor makeup person had to keep redoing my nose makeup!  All in all it was very successful and I can't wait for everybody to see it!

 

On another note...wedding plans are going well. Just one more month to go! I'm feeling reasonably organized and calm...just about got everything ready.

 

While I was in Vancouver doing the video I stayed an extra couple days and my mom had a shower for me with my friends and family up there. We had a lot of fun...gifts, food, games and of course my mom's famous Black Forest Cake! Yuuummmmmmeeeyyy!!

 

Oh, and it's gardening time! They say after April 15 it's okay to start planting 'cause the danger of frost is over. So off I go.......

 

18 Mar 2008 - Video!

It looks like I'll be working on a new video in the near future. I'll be working with CMT Canada to put this one together and it will be the first after a fairly long break. It's going to be for my first single called 'Break It' which will kick off the new album. Pretty exciting stuff!

 

We're just now putting the finishing touches on the 'treatment' (script, storyline) and then we'll start shooting.  I haven't quite figured out what I'm gonna wear yet…I probably should get shopping!  Maybe I'll just get one of those chicken suits or something…hee, hee!

19 Feb 2008 - Simplicity Brides

Has anyone heard of Simplicity Brides? They claim to be a company that wants to give me all kinds of free stuff. I got a call from them last week (the shop where I got my wedding dress must have given them my number) and they said I had been selected as the winner of a two night-three day vacation in the Caribbean and a bunch of other gifts. They said all I had to do was come to their event and listen to someone go through a talk. It turned out I wasn't in town that day so I couldn't go anyway.

 

I went online and Googled their name and a whole bunch of comments came up from others who had gotten the same call. It sounds like the deal is that in their talk they try and sell you a cookware set for an exorbitant amount of money ($1000) and most of the people that bought it said they didn't even like it and that the quality wasn't good. They also said that the trip is real but they forget to tell you that it doesn't include airfare and there are other limitations and restrictions too.

 

The overall consensus was, don't do it…it's a SCAM! So if you happen to get a call from Simplicity Brides, ask them if you can call them back...say, maybe around…never!?

7 Feb 2008 - Deck the Halls?

Believe it or not my girlfriends and I have just now gotten around to exchanging Christmas gifts! Between our traveling schedules and some of us being sick we just couldn't get a day that all of us could make.

 

So we finally had the day (Feb. 2) and my friend Victoria had us over to her house and when I got there she had totally recreated Christmas in her house! She even had a tree that she found in the back alley that she decorated and had Christmas music playing!  My first thought was 'why the heck is there still a Christmas tree in the alley?'  But there was and it still smelled great too. Plus, she made a turkey dinner with all the fixin's and pumpkin pie! Yes, my friend is crazy........but a good crazy. It took her all day to prepare everything!

 

Needless to say we had a great time hangin' out and no...we didn't sing Christmas carols....the line had to be drawn somewhere.

27 Jan 2008 - Bored

I'm on my fourth day of being sick with a strep throat type of flu and I'm so bored! I feel better but not enough to do anything. I've done nothing but watch TV and it's sucking all the intelligence out of my brain! Although I did watch a couple of episodes of that fashion show with Tim Gunn...you know, that guy who tells people they have no style?...and it was actually pretty good. Plus I've seen dozens of episodes of Law and Order...I like Eames and Goren (Criminal Intent) and Olivia (SVU) the best. Olivia has awesome hair for a cop! It's time for my 97th cup of tea...gotta drink the fluids...and chicken soup...yeehaw.

16 Jan 2008 - What Stinks?

My sweet little cat Mrs Weasley (Weezie) has traded in some of her sweetness for wildness. She loves to be outside chasing leaves and climbing trees and of course...catching mice. She has brought four in the house so far as presents for us. Sometimes dead, sometimes not, sometimes alive but without a tail...ah Weezie! Her most famous act is the one where she brought a mouse in when we weren't home and it ran into a vent that didn't have the cover on it and then it died and stunk to high heaven! So Paul and I had Vicks VapoRub under our noses and the heat turned off waiting for the smell to subside! Ughh!

 

Gotta get those vents closed up...

 

5 Jan 2008 - Turkey, Stuffing, Pie......and Poker?

Some families play games with each other but how many families do you know that play poker together? We do! I went over to my cousin's house on the 29th and played Texas Hold 'em with a bunch of relatives. I've only played a couple times so I wasn't exactly a wiz at it. Needless to say I lost my money but it was still fun. Maybe I should work on my poker face......

I got back to Nashville New's Years eve just in time for midnight and for the last few days I've been totally vegging out! I'm trying to get my good eating habits back after eating a gazillion chocolates and cookies at my mom's. Total sugar overload!

I'm giving myself 'till Monday to relax and then it's back to work.......time to get on the wedding plans and album plans and exercise plans......plans, plans, plans!

26 Dec 2007 - Let it Snow

Happy Boxing Day everyone(it's a Canada thing).

 

I hope you all had a great Christmas! I'm in Vancouver today with my folks and Cosmo and getting ready to go and have a pedicure and massage...Merry Christmas to me!!

 

I got here on Christmas Day from Nashville arriving just in time for turkey dinner. And...the best part...we had SNOW!! I know that sounds weird to be so excited about it but I can't remember the last time we had snow on Christmas! It was pretty cool! The usual Vancouver weather is rain and more rain.

 

I spent Christmas Eve with my fiance Paul and a couple friends - with dinner at PF Changs and some gifts and finished off with a festive episode of South Park...'Mr. Hanky The Christmas Poo.' Yes, I know that sounds disgusting but it's really quite funny if you haven't seen it.

Over all it's been a really nice Christmas, especially with Carson and it being his first one. He got a ton of gifts but of course his favorite thing was the red wrapping paper that he promptly put into his mouth!

 

Enjoy the holidays!

17 Dec 2007 - New Addition

We have a new addition to the family.  Paul and I have a new kitten as of this past weekend. Her name is Mrs.Weasley, (character from Harry Potter) Weezer for short. She's so cute! She's just now starting to get comfortable with her new home...the first night she hid behind the washing machine and wouldn't come out! Now she'll still hide under the couch but only for brief moments.  Our dog Tracey seems to be okay with it although Mrs. Weasley is not so sure of this huge animal. I'm sure they'll be best of friends before you know it!  Fun, Fun!

7 Dec 2007 - Bootyful

I was on my way back from Vancouver today and was killing some time at the Seattle airport and came across an article in People magazine about Jennifer Love Hewitt. Photographers had taken photos of her on the beach, highlighting the fact that she is not as thin as she once was and many people have made comments about her gaining some weight.

 

But Jennifer is having no part of such ridiculous comments. She said in the article that she was quite angry that people would say she's fat, and that she loves her body the way it is.

YOU GO JLH!!! I was so happy to see a Hollywood actress stand up to the media and not be willing to put up with the unrealistic expectations that get put on female celebrities. I think every mother should be putting this article in front of their daughters to show them what a healthy role model is. Healthy is way more important than thin. Folks, we've got to educate our young girls (and boys too) about their bodies and make sure they're getting appropriate information because leaving it up to Hollywood will only set them up for disaster!

 

I'll get off my soap box now…

 

On a different note, the reason I was in Vancouver is because I've been asked to be the Honorary Chair (along with Global TV’s Steve Darling) for the 2009 CCMA's which will be held in Vancouver. I was there for the press conference on Wednesday to make the big announcement. Pretty cool, huh?   It's gonna be a great opportunity to show off all the great west coast music we have and of course to show off our extremely beautiful city!

12 Nov 2007 - Oh Baby!

One of my best friends gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday, on Remembrance Day. Her name is Mila Vee (so far at least, her mom wasn't quite sure) weighing in at 7 lbs. 9 ounces. Her mom ended up being in labor for about 36 hours...yikes!!...but of course it was all forgotten when she finally came into the world, healthy and perfect!

I got to be in the delivery room for the whole thing and WOW was that ever an amazing experience! Totally fascinating and surreal and emotional all at once to watch a little being take her first breath.

 

Two of my other girlfriends were there too and every time mama pushed we all held our breath and then let it out at the same time...it was kinda funny...we couldn't help it...it was so intense!

 

I certainly won't ever forget this experience and I'm really grateful that I got to be a part of it.  I was thinking maybe they should call her Poppy because she was born on Remembrance Day.  Although she would probably be teased a lot less at school with the name Mila. Or maybe she could have play dates with Carson and they could grow up and marry each other. I'll ask her mom...

 

 

5 Nov 2007 - CHRISTMAS?.....WHAT THE....?!?!??

 

Yes, already the Christmas stuff is on the shelves in the store. I still have Halloween decorations up! My spooky Halloween graveyard is still laying in the front yard scaring the neighborhood children!

 

I went to Lowes yesterday 'cause we're fixing up the kitchen at the house and while my fiance was buying tiles for the floor I was suddenly distracted by the two HUGE isles of Christmas gear…trees, lights, yard ornaments, nativity scenes...you name it, they had it. My first reaction was, 'it's waayyy too frickin' early for this!' but then before I knew it I was imagining how I might decorate my house this year and I was completely sucked in to the Christmaspalooza they had goin' on. I went from 'it's too early' to 'I want everything here!'

 

Luckily Paul found me before I bought out the store and dragged me away. But this year...I'm goin' all out! Lights, garland, reindeer in the yard......the whole deal!

 

I gotta go take down my graveyard...

 

23 Oct 2007 - Getting Closer

I'm happy to say that progress on my new record is going really great!

 

We're done with all the instruments and vocals and down to the final mixing stage (the icing on the cake).  It's an amazing feeling considering that this project started out not really knowing exactly what the direction was going to be and now all of a sudden here we are almost done!  It'll still be awhile before it will be available to the public but it's coming...

 

Check out the Music page on the website for sneak peak of one of the songs.

 

I'm pretty darn excited about this music...now I just have to decide what the album title will be...I'll keep you posted!

2 Oct 2007 - The Shack

I've been reading this book called 'The Shack' and it's really, really fantastic! It's about this man's struggles after his daughter is abducted on a family vacation. He ends up going back to the crime scene and has this totally amazing experience. It's a must read especially for anybody who has their doubts about God and the whole spiritual thing. Very inspiring!

You can't buy it in the store but you can go to www.theshackbook.com and order it from there.  I hope you get it!

17 Sep 2007 - Guess What?

I have news everybody! I'm so excited to tell you that on Sept. 14 at around 10:45am I got engaged!  Yes, you read that right......ENGAGED! I can hardly believe it myself.

My fiance is Paul Jefferson who I've been dating for a while now. He is also a singer/songwriter so now we'll be 'making beautiful music together'. (hee, hee) That same night we both played in a round at The Bluebird Cafe and it turned out to be a really special evening. Some of our friends were there so it was a great way to celebrate our news! I think we both had a little extra emotion in our songs!

We haven't set a date yet...no rush. There's lots to decide on of course...what kind of dress...how will I wear my hair?...shoes...flowers...cake (well, chocolate, duh)...what will he wear, can't leave that up to him...geesh! I gotta go...

10 Sep 2007 - Congrats!

I was in Atlanta, GA this past weekend performing so I couldn't be in Regina, SK for the CCMA Awards, but I wanted to tell you that my good friend Patricia Conroy won the independent female artist award last night.
Congratulations Patricia!!  Congrats to all the other nominees and winners too!

27 Aug 2007 - You Are What You Eat

Well, I'm about two weeks into a new diet…actually it's not really a diet as in 'lose weight and starve yourself' but it's more of 'get healthy and feel good’ diet.

 

I spoke to a nutritionist and she told me that I should eat more organic foods and of course...less sugar. Yes, I believe refined sugar is the devil in disguise!

 

So far I think I'm doing pretty good...I'm starting to get into better habits and I'm amazed at what you can buy now that actually tastes good! Did you know you can buy organic chocolate that has only natural ingredients? It's really good! You pretty much have to re-mortgage your house to pay for it, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. I also bought this juice with spirillina and wheat grass and mango and some other fruits. It kind of looks like sewage in a glass but it tastes pretty good. In general, I'm trying to stay away from foods with preservatives or chemicals or any strange words I can't spell in the ingredients.  After all...you are what you eat and I don't want to be a monosodiumglutimoussucroloseaspertamical person!

 

20 Aug 2007 - Sore Fingers

I performed at The Harmony Arts Festival in Vancouver on the 10th. It was my first show in a quite a while and the first one with the 'new sound.'  I've always had a larger band in the past but this time it was a three piece plus me which meant I had to play my instruments a lot more (mandolin and guitar). I'm not used to that so my fingers were VERY SORE by the end of the show! I need to practice more...

I was a little nervous about doing the show this way but it went really well. The people responded well and I loved having less instrumentation. It makes the volume on stage much quieter and and it's much easier to hear myself! My new record will have a similar sound to it...more focus on the songs and vocal and less on fancy production.

I also did some camping that weekend with my family and I slept in a tent! I haven't done that since I was a kid! Oh yes, I was really roughin' out there with my queen air mattress and indoor plumbing 15 feet away...

And by the way...little nephew Carson has rolled over for the first time and can blow bubbles! I think he might be a genius...

8 Aug 2007 - Potter Fan

Are any of you Harry Potter fans? I definitely am. I went and saw the latest movie the other day...I liked it a lot but I was wishing they’d kept more of the early fun stuff in it like the candy store in Hogsmeade with the chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and the ghosts that live at Hogwarts (nearly headless Nick). It was much darker than the first couple movies.

I have all the books and I just bought the final one. I’m reading it slowly ‘cause I’m bummed that there won’t be anymore Harry Potter once I’m done reading it!

Who knows...maybe there’ll be a spin-off with some of the other characters...

 

26 Jul 2007 - Ridin' in Style

Our show in Gravenhurst was awesome! It was me and Victoria Banks and Tania Hancheroff who are two of my best gal pals. We had a great crowd (it was Victoria's hometown) and the sound in the Gravenhurst Opera House was really good!

But then we stayed a couple extra days for some lake time and relaxation with Vicki's family. They live in Port Carling which is really a beautiful spot.

But one of the highlights of the trip was when Vicki's dad took us for a ride in his 1914 model T ford! It's fully restored with all the original parts on it. Amazing! We drove out to the local icecream shop for some dessert (double scoop for me ) and then back home. I felt like I was in a Waltons episode! Except I did have my cell phone in my pocket in case we didn't quite make it all the way home. I think that's sacreligious isn't it?To have a cell phone in a 1914 model T?

17 Jul 2007 - Twang

Has anybody heard an episode of 'Twang' yet on CBC? If you haven't, it's on every Saturday night at 9:00pm across Canada. (those of you in the US can get it online). I'd love to get any feedback if any of you feel like giving your thoughts. I'm brand new at this hosting thing so please be nice......ha,ha.

I have had a lot of fun though, being on a different side of the biz.

It's always good to shake things up a little, but I do have to say that it's difficult to hear my own voice talking on the radio. I don't mind hearing my singing voice but I can't stand my speaking voice! I've heard thats a common thing amongst other radio folks.

But aside from my voice I LOVE the selection of music we're playing on the show. I have to admit I didn't realize there was so much great indie stuff out there (and mostly Canadian).

I really like The Duhks, The Bottle And The Truth, and Luke Ducette and a bunch of others too. It's an exciting time for independants!! Yahoo!

28 Jun 2007 - Tomatopalooza

Big news everybody! The biggest! You're not gonna believe it! Are you sitting down? I'm so excited...

I counted 45 tomatoes on my tomato plants this morning! (hee,hee)

22 Jun 2007 - Coffee and Kuchen

I just got back from Vancouver this week...my grandmother passed away so I was there for her funeral. She was 87 years old so yes, it's sad to see her go, but she was with us for a good long time. She was one tough woman too...she was born in Germany in 1919 and came to Canada in the early '50's so you can imagine the struggles she and her family went through coming from that part of the world. I'm sure she's in a much better place now and having coffee and kuchen (that means cake, her favorite thing) with the angels!

On a more upbeat note I was also working on the new show 'Twang' that I'll be hosting over the summer. It sure is alot different doing radio than it is doing live shows! The best part is not having to worry about what I look like. I could show up in a potato sack if I wanted to...not that I'd necessarily want to........

The first episode airs next Saturday night on CBC Radio One. I'm nervous!

12 Jun 2007 - Freedom

I turned 34 last Wednesday...did the usual birthday stuff...cake, chocolate, McDonalds for breakfast...okay maybe the breakfast thing isn't that usual but that's what me and my girlfriends do on our birthdays. Sausage McMuffin with egg and a hashbrown! Oh, and don't forget the coffee from Starbucks!

 

The best part happened the day before. I signed my official release papers from Curb records. Whoo hoo! I know that may not sound like much of a birthday present but it sure was to me! Freedom is a beautiful thing.........

4 Jun 2007 - Band in the Window

I had a really cool thing happen to me that I wanted to tell you about. As some of you may know, my song 'Band In The Window' was recorded by Pam Tillis recently and it's her current single. I wrote it with Kim Mclean about the bands down on Lower Broadway in Nashville that you can see in the windows as you walk down the street (anybody ever been down there?) It just so happened that Pam was playing down on Broadway at a place called 'Cadillac Ranch' so I went down to see her. It was amazing when she did 'Band In The Window'! There I was, hangin' out in Nashville, listening to Pam Tillis sing one of my songs about the very street we were on!

 

How awesome is that?!

 

It was definitely one of those rare moments that's keeps us all

truckin' along in this business!

12 Mar 2007 - All NIght Long...

Hi there,

Thought I'd update you on the latest comings and goings.......

I've just come home from a trip to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I was a part of the 31st Annual Telemiracle Telethon this past weekend and performed with some of my fellow Canadian friends, Johnny Reid, Amy Sky, Brad Johner and Beverly Mahood, to name a few. It was quite an amazing experience!

We were on the air from 9:00 pm Saturday night until 5:00 pm Sunday and raised over $5.6 million! Last year they raised about $3.5 million so they well exceeded everyones expectations. The best part was getting to hang out with all the performers in between songs.......it's amazing how funny things become when it's 4:00 am and everybody's had way too much coffee!

The money will be used to aid adults and children with disabilities throughout the province. Way to go Saskatchewan!!

Are any of you Pam Tillis fans? I hope so because she's just released a new record with one of my songs on it! It's a song called 'Band In The Window' and I co-wrote it with my good friend Kim Mclean. Pam is also going to shoot a new video for the song so you'll have to watch for that too. She's invited me to come and hang out for the shoot so who knows, maybe you'll catch a glimpse of me in one of the shots........

On a family note, I'm heading up to Vancouver in a couple weeks to celebrate with my mom because she's retiring after working for the City of Surrey for more than twenty years! As most of you know she is president of my fan club so she'll have quite bit more time for that now. Plus, her first grandchild is arriving in April (my brother/manager Dean and his wife Michelle are having their first baby) and she's ecstatic about that!

And Auntie Lisa is quite exited about the new addition to the family too!

That's all for now.........

Love,

Lisa

25 Dec 2006 - Merry Christmas

Ho,ho,ho everyone!

It's Christmas time again and never have I arrived home in such
style...I rolled in on the CPR Holiday Train! We left Montreal on
December 1st and made our way across the entire country and ended up in Vancouver on the 19th. I've traveled the country many different
ways...by plane, by bus and van...but never by train and it was truly
an amazing experience!

We made 70 different stops throughout the trip, sometimes 5 or 6 a day,
and it was so great to see the faces of the people (especially the kids)
as we pulled in with our 13 cars all lit up in thousands of lights - and
then the doors of the stage car would open up and we'd do our show. Our
very special guest was the one and only...SANTA CLAUS! Of course
he was the star of the show because he had the candy canes and train
whistles for the kids...but the rest of he show was pretty good too.
The blues/rock group Wide Mouth Mason really added a lot of high energy music and it was a real pleasure to get to perform with them and hang out with them on the train. And also, we had Mike Norman (who I've known for years) with us as our band leader so that was a blast too.
There weren't a whole lot of opportunities to get off the train so we
were pretty much in our own world most of the time...away from
civilization it seemed.  I really had a hard time figuring out what day
it was or even what time it was. It was a strange feeling as time
seemed to stand still.

Alot of our down time between towns was spent staring out the window
and taking pictures. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking!
Especially coming through the Rocky Mountains and through Rogers Pass into BC. It was like a never ending postcard! We'd be sitting at the
dinner table looking out the window and someone would say, 'Oh yeah,
this is us...'WORKING'. And we'd all laugh because we were so not
working!

Speaking of the dinner table, eating was also a major pasttime for all
of us. Our cook was totally awesome! Her name was Jill Winkler and we
called her the train mom because she took such good care of us all
(probably a little too good, as I was starting to feel a bit like Santa
Claus myself!)

Aside from all the music and fun the most important part of the trip
was all the money and food donations given to each town. Since the
CPR Holiday Train started in 1999  it's raised a total of 3 million dollars for the food banks across Canada! That's awesome! That's what having Christmas spirit is all about! It's a good feeling when us performers can do what we love to do and combine it with doing something good for someone else.

Overall, the Holiday Train was a huge success and I'm so glad I got to
be a part of it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love,
Lisa

3 Aug 2006 - I Haven't Forgot About You!

Hi everybody,

 

Sorry about the delay in my journal updates. I haven't forgotten about you it's just been a strange time with a lot of changes going on and now I can fill you in on them.

 

The main big change is that I will be leaving my current record company, Curb Records, which I have been with for 6 years now. As some of you know may already know I've shared some thoughts on that experience in my previous journals and it seems that the best thing for both parties is to part ways so I can move on to new adventures. Along with my exit from Curb, I will be taking a pause in my touring schedule as well. As usual, it's been an exciting summer of concerts all over the country and I've really enjoyed the travel and getting to see some of my fans cheering me on at the shows! But every so often it seems the best thing to do is to step back and take some time to regroup and have a chance to gather my thoughts and get ready for the next thing.

 

Sooooo........that's what I'm gonna do. I'll be spending the next few months in Nashville drinking coffee, eating chocolate and writing as many songs as I can! (Chocolate and caffeine are good for the creative mind, you know.)

 

Come December, I'm sure I'll be ready to do some more traveling so I will be joining 'The CPR Holiday Train' which travels from Montreal to Vancouver and a whole bunch of cities in between. That'll be a blast! What a great way to see the country and of course we'll be doing our favorite Christmas songs too. We'll have a listing of cities on the website as soon as we know where we're gonna be. Choo, Choo!

 

I am also excited to tell you about my 'Best of' project that will be coming out soon.  It will be appropriately entitled 'Chapter One' and will include several songs from my past records as well as three new ones. I'm hoping it will be out around the fall but we'll keep you posted on actual dates.

 

My latest piece of news is that I'm going to get the opportunity to be the host of a new radio show on CBC Radio One called 'TWANG'. It will be airing on Aug. 7th at 12:00 pm and it's going to be a two hour show of various country/alt-country songs including...you guessed it...some Lisa Brokop songs (live in the studio) of course! I'll also be talking with Jim Byrnes as the special guest of the show and he'll be sharing some of his music and stories too. Jim is a blues/country performer from Vancouver and he and I both acted in the movie 'Harmony Cats' years ago (Jim played my dad) so you can be sure that's bound to come up in the conversation! I'm really looking forward to this opportunity even though I'm a little nervous since I've never been a radio host before but I think it's gonna be a lot of fun. I hope you all will tune in!

 

Well, that's the latest from me. Life is good and I hope it is for all of you as well.  Enjoy the rest of your summer!

 

28 Dec 2005 - Frozen Chosen

Happy Holidays everybody!

I just arrived back to Nashville after a fun filled December. I'm just now opening Christmas cards because I've been gone since the 4th!

As some of you know I've been a part of three different Show Tours for the Canadian Military but there was still one tour I hadn't done yet. The Northern Canada Show Tour! So off I went once again to play for our troops. The group consisted of about 16 of us this time and what an adventure we had!

We started in St. Jean, just outside of Montreal, Quebec to put the show together and then had one dress rehearsal. Then we took a 4 hour bus ride to Trenton, Ontario to be fitted with arctic suits which included pants, a jacket, toque, scarf, gloves that looked like oven mitts, boots, and a balaclava (face mask). It was a rule that we had to wear the suits while we were on the plane and then of course we'd need them in the freezing temperatures we'd be encountering.

We departed Trenton on Dec. 9th to Goose Bay, Labrador in the Hercules (the plane) and I must admit I was a little nervous about taking off in this strange flying machine. Most of the Hercs were built in the early 60's. They are primarily for cargo so the seating is not the most comfortable and the bathroom, well… it's just a seat with a curtain around it. You wanna make sure you're holding on to something while you go or you could fall out during turbulence!

We did three shows in Goose Bay and were treated like royalty by the folks there. We made a lot of new friends and learned about the Labradorian/Newfoundland tradition of 'getting screeched'. What is that you ask? Well, it means we all stand in a circle and one by one drink a shot of 'screech' (80 proof) and then you have to kiss a fish and say 'I love Labrador, Bye!' It was disgusting! That fish was 4 years old! Uggghhh! But I did come home with my diploma to say that I had indeed been 'screeched'!

On Dec.12 we got back on the Herc and flew up to Alert. If you look on a map it's about 500 miles from the North Pole and is the furthest most inhabited place in the world. There's about 75 Candian Forces troops stationed up there gathering intelligence and basically trying to stay warm. The temperature was usually about -32 degrees Celsius and it was dark all the time! The last sunset was in October and their next sunrise will be sometime in March. Yikes! It's very strange not seeing the sun rise and set. It's like having one very long day.  Lucky for us the temperature wasn't so cold that we couldn't go outside and walk around some. The week before we got there it was down to -60! My favorite part was going out and walking on the frozen arctic ocean and climbing huge chunks of ice under a full moon (not without my arctic suit, of course!) It felt like we were on another planet! It's an amazing part of the world.

Needless to say, there's not too much else to do up there so putting on a concert for these people was quite an event. They were an awesome audience and it was such an honor to be able to bring our music to them this time of year when morale can be a little low.  We were supposed to leave Alert the day after our show but due to engine problems on the ole' Herc we got to stay an extra day and a half. Apparently those flight delays are all too common! Eventually it did come time to say goodbye to our new pals and we headed south. We had a one night stop over in Iqualuit, Nunavat for fuel and then on to Trenton and home to Vancouver. I made it back just in time to get ready for a live Christmas show broadcast on CBC radio on the 18th. We were cuttin' it close!

I was very glad to get to spend Christmas with my family in Surrey, B.C. and with my little dog Cosmo!  We all had a good visit together and of course did the usual over-eating thing! I'm really looking forward to '06 and I'm excited about some new things that I'll be working on (more on that later!)

I hope you all have had the Christmas spirit in your hearts this year and I wish you the best of everything for '06.

Happy New Year! Let's Celebrate!

Love,
Lisa

31 Oct 2005 - Where Does the Time Go?

Hi everyone,

 

Does anyone have a time machine? If you do, please push stop if you would! Where does the time go? I went to Cracker Barrel the other day in Nashville and they already had the Christmas stuff out! How can it be? I swear it was just yesterday and we were at the Calgary Stampede or eatin' a corn dog somewhere…

 

Anyway, life is good lately. I was in Vancouver last week where I got to attend the BC Country Music Awards as well as the Western Canadian Music Awards.  I got to do things a little differently this week and boy, was it fun. I sang a song that I wrote called 'This Ain't My Louisiana' at the BCCMA's and it was just me and my guitar and an accordian player named Jack Velker. It was so cool! Jack is an amazing player and really creates a magical moment when he plays. Then at the WCMA's I got to sing with my favorite Albertan, Corb Lund as well as Zubot and Dawson. We sang the Emmy Lou/Gram Parsons song, 'Ooh Las Vegas'. How much more fun can one person have in one week? I loved it!!

 

I'm happy to report that my current single 'Big Picture' is doing extremely well across Canada and just reached the Top 10!. Everyone at radio has been totally awesome and are giving me a lot of support (and I wanted to let you know that we are aware that some of you may have tried to buy it on iTunes in Canada and can't. We're working on it...........sorry!)

 

I've also had a bit of down time lately to do some writing and hanging out in Nashville. There's always so many great writers nights and showcases happening and I find it really inspires me to get my own creative juices flowing. By the way, don't forget to buy Terri Clark's new record. It comes out in November and I have a song on it! Yaaayyy!

(The song is called 'Travelin' Soul and I wrote it with Liz Rose and Mark Narmore.) I'm very excited about it!  That's it for now folks…

 

Happy Halloween!!!!!

 

Love,

Lisa

 

8 Jul 2005 - Gingolx, BC

Happy Belated Canada Day folks!

We had the most awesome Canada Day trip! We went to a little tiny place in northern B.C. called Gingolx, just north of Prince Rupertfor their annual 'CrabFest'. The population is approx. 400 people (except during 'Crabfest' when it becomes 4 or 5 thousand) and most everyone that lives there is part of the Nisga'a First Nation.

I've now decided that when people talk about 'God's country' they must mean this place. It was so beautiful and breathtaking with it's mountains right on the ocean and eagles flying overhead. The people that live there were also the kindest and most generous people you could ever meet.

We got there July 1st in the afternoon and as soon as we arrived they had a welcoming ceremony for us and the other performers that included all of us following several of the locals through the village as they were dressed in traditional clothing and playing drums. After that we checked into our accomodations at 'Lavinia's B+B'. Lavinia and her family were extremely gracious to us and let me tell you, she's an awesome cook too! We then went to the VIP area where we were treated to a feast of crab! It was unbelievable! We totally pigged out! My favorite part came next when we were taken on a tour of the 'Longhouse'. It was a brand new building in the village and inside there were several paintings on the wall from some of the local artists. It was absolutely beautiful! A very peaceful place. You could just about sense the 'Great Spirit'.

That evening we did our concert including a rousing rendition of  'Oh Canada' to kick off the show. Unfortunately we had some rain throughout the day and through the show but I was amazed at all the people who pretty much said 'the heck with the rain, we're watching the show!'

Gotta love that!

It ended up being quite a whilrwind trip and I wish we would have had a little more time to enjoy it but overall I'm totally grateful for the experience!

Off we go now to Calgary for Stampede!

Love,

Lisa

24 Jun 2005 - Utica, New York

Hi everybody,

Happy first week of summer!

Me and the band just got back from Utica, New York a couple of days ago. For those of you who don't know yet, I will finally be releasing a new single called 'Big Picture' in the US in a couple of weeks. That's why we were in Utica doing a show for the radio station there. It was very cool! The people at 'The Big Frog 104' asked us to come and join them for their 17th annual 'Frogfest' concert.

We had a total blast with all the people there (several thousand) and I was especially glad to see longtime fanclub members Jim, Audrey and Benny singing along in the front row! (and they brought me some really great cookies too!) It's been quite a while since I've done any touring in the US and I was really excited to see some people out in the audience that knew the words to some of my older songs and who also brought their cd covers to the autograph table. Awesome!

It's a really exciting time as we kick off the summer touring season and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds!

See ya on the road,

Love,

Lisa

P.S.- Thanks to all of you who have been voting for 'Ladylike' on the CMT Canada top 12. I appreciate it!

3 May 2005 - Over The Finish Line and Beyond!

Hi everybody,

I completed the 'Country Music Half Marathon' this past weekend and what a feat that is for me!! 13.1 miles (21 kilometres)! Holy rubber legs Batman! I can hardly believe that I actually made it and I even made pretty good time too. It took me 2:22:17 which is about an 11 minute mile. I thought it was going to take me longer than that but I guess a little adrenalin and a little competitive spirit can go along way on a day like that. I came in 6527th place! WhooHooo! (out of approx. 11,000 people, so don't laugh!)

There was so much going on around us it made it a lot easier to forget about how far we were going and just enjoy the run. They had different bands playing at every mile point and get this..... right around mile 10, I heard a familiar song and realized it was one of my own songs! About a 1/4 mile back Danni O'Neill was singing a song that she cut of mine on one of the stages. I was so excited and I wanted to tell somebody, 'Hey, Thats my song!', but I didn't know anybody around me. Oh well, it gave me an extra energy boost at the very least. What are the odds of hearing one of your own songs while you're running a marathon?!

Also very exciting is the fact that we raised over $20,000 for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters! There were about 60 of us running with 'Team Rio' (headed up by Diamond Rio's Marty Roe and Jimmie Olander). Way to go team! You all rocked!

It seems like along with finishing the marathon, a bunch of other things are happening too. My new single 'Ladylike' just debuted on CMT Canada this week and will be out to radio very soon. And.... it looks like we will be out touring this summer in full force! We're just now getting everything firmed up and I'm pretty sure it's gonna be crazy!

Gotta love it!

Can't wait to see you all somewhere along the way!

See ya,

Lisa

(Marathon Queen)

25 Mar 2005 - Lisa in Toronto

Happy Easter everybody! Spring is here in Nashville and everything is starting to bloom! Yayyyyyyy!!

I was in TO last week (not so spring timey) but I had an awesome trip!

Me and my band did a concert at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown TO and we had a blast......and a very jam packed day I might add.

It was decided that a camera crew from CMT Canada would follow me around for the day and get a behind the scenes look at what happens during the day of a show. It's a little odd having a camera on you for an entire day....you forget that little things like just going to the bathroom are much harder to do! But we had a really great time and realized just how silly a person can get when they get a little tired! (You'll have to watch CMT to find out about that!)

We started at the crack of 7:00 am in the the lobby of the hotel so I could get a microphone put on me. Then we drove down over to the 'Canada AM' studio to film their morning show. After that we did some more stuff with Stu Jeffries and Colleen Rusholme at CMT, then taped another interview with Toronto 1. Next was a lunch break (and a short nap), then off to soundcheck and finally....the show! We really had an awesome time playing! The crowd was excellent. They were extremely energetic and made us feel totally welcome. Those are the kinds of shows that end up feeling like 20 min. instead of the actual 90 because we're having so much fun! Big, big thanks to all of you who were there!! I can't wait to do another show there again!

I spent most of my Easter weekend with friends eating chocolate and....... I even got to join in on an Easter egg hunt. But I have to tell you that I'm working off those extra calories because I'm in the middle of training for the Country Music 1/2 marathon (13 miles). I'm going to run with 'Team Rio', headed up by Jimmie Olander and Marty Roe of Diamond Rio, and we're raising money for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

The race is April 30th and is fast approaching. Yikes! I ran 9 miles today (never thought I'd ever be able to do that) and I'm pretty sure rigormortis is now setting in so I must sign off and go soak in a hot bath for a while!

See ya soon,

Lisa

10 Feb 2005 - Off the Road Again

Hello everybody!

We're back from the road for awhile and I'm pleased to say that everything went extremely well during the tour! Tons of fun had by all! We had some great audiences too that really help to keep the fun factor high.

This album is the sixth for me so I thought it would be fun to do a couple songs from each record I've had out. I wasn't sure if people would remember some of the old stuff ("My Love") but to my surprise, they did! I sure am grateful for the loyal fans out there. Of course we did a bunch of new songs as well.

We did 8 shows in all, Vancouver to Winnipeg, and we got to meet some really interesting people along the way including a couple in Winnipeg at Club Regent. I was at the countrt radio station (QX 104) the day before and this lady called in to talk to me. Her name was Karen and she said that just recently her house had burnt down and she and her family were going through some rough times. Then she told me that she had gone to 4 different record stores to find my new album to get the song "Hey, Do You Know Me" because it really meant alot to her and was helpling her through a difficult time.

Karen and Ian (her husband) came to the show the next night and I got a chance to meet them backstage and they were the nicest people in the world.  It's very gratifying to me to meet people like that and know that your music means something to them. That's what it's all about!

We were also traveling with World Vision info so that people could sponsor a child and as a result 25 kids received sponsorship throughout the tour! That's pretty awesome!

When I got back to Vancouver I got word that as soon as I return to Nashville on Friday I'll be heading over to the Ryman Auditorium to perform on the Grand Old Opry with Jeff Carson. He and I have a song that did quite well on the Christian Country charts down south called "God Save The World." I'm really looking forward to that since the Ryman is THE STAGE of all stages!

That's all the news for now. Hope to see some of you in Toronto in March!

See ya soon,

Lisa

30 Jan 2005 - What a Tour!

Howwwddyyyy!!!

What a time we're having out on the road! We're at the halfway point of our western Canada tour and we have a day off in Calgary so I thought I'd take this time to let you know how it's going.

We're having a total blast so far! The first show was in Vancouver and we had about 1000 people there. I can't think of a better way to start a tour than in your hometown. It gave us a great lift off and then we carried on to Kamloops, Calgary and Edmonton. All 3 of those shows were sold out! Very exciting! We had some of the best crowds we've ever had and people seem to be responding well to the new album.

Thanks sooooooo much to everyone who has come out to the shows and supported us and also to those of you who sponsored children for World Vision. Sor far, 21 people have signed up to be World Vision sponsors. Awesome!

That's all the news for now. I'll let you know how the rest of it goes!

See ya,

Lisa

22 Dec 2004 - Nice People

Ho, Ho, Ho everybody!

 

I've just arrived in Vancouver for Christmas and it's nice to be home. I have had a fantastic December. I thought things would be rather quiet this year but I ended up doing a little traveling as it turns out.

 

I got a call (last minute) to go and be a part of a Christmas show with Gary Morris. For those of you who don't know who he is - he is one of the most amazing vocalists you'll ever hear. You may be familiar with his recording of 'Wind Beneath My Wings'. I've been a fan for quite some time so I couldn't pass up the opportunity.  We did three shows...Jackson, TN, Abilene, TX and Ft. Worth, TX. It was so much fun! Every show was in a beautiful theatre and there were often 5 or 6 of us singing at one time. You haven't heard nothin' 'til you've heard Gary Morris sing Oh Holy Night and The First Noel. Incredible! And...Gary's son Matt was also a big part of the show and has quite an amazing talent of his own. The entire band was awesome too. I'd like to say a special thanks to everyone on the trip...Gary, Matt, Taryn, Chuck, Robert, Jim, Dottie and Diane, for putting a little extra spirit in my Christmas this year.  I got to sing my favorite Christmas song, 'What A Wonderful Beginning' in the show as well. So much fun!

 

So now I've just arrived in Vancouver and the year couldn't be complete without one more airline story!  Here goes...My flight was scheduled to leave Nashville at 6:10pm on the 19th to Minneapolis on Northwest Airlines. Everything appeared to be on time. I got to my seat and we started to taxi to the runway and I fell asleep (I often sleep away my flights). Then I woke up only to find that we had come back to the gate and we couldn't take off because there was too much weight on the plane. Weird! I've never had that happen before. (I knew I shouldn't have had that extra cookie!) Anyway...they removed several passengers and their bags and then we needed more fuel because we'd been taxiing for too long. So, an hour and a half later we were still in Nashville. I knew I would miss my connection in Minneapolis so I knew I wouldn't be making it home that night.  I must say that the staff of Northwest  Airlines were very helpful when we landed in Minneapolis and they had hotel and food vouchers waiting for the passengers.

 

Lucky for me...I ran into some fellow Vancouverites who were in the country music business as well. Jeff, Ron and Greg Storm were all coming back from Nashville after spending some time recording there. Greg is the singer of the three and has been working on his career as an independent artist in Canada. (You'll have to watch for him, I hear he's quite good!) They turned out to be very nice people and they became my traveling companions for the rest of the trip. We all checked into an airport hotel and then promptly headed over to Denny's with our food vouchers. As I was having a clubhouse sandwich I was joined by another traveler, Joel, who was also stuck for the night. We chatted for awhile and I think I may have converted another person over to country music!

 

The next morning I met up with the Storm brothers again. It was easy to recognize each other...we had the same clothes on....and much to our delight we all were seated in first class. That was a nice little perk. Except I think they were a little embarrassed when I put my Christmas reindeer ears on for the flight...No! I'm just kidding! (I only had them on for a minute, and then I put them away and went back to sleep)

You never know where life's little twists and turns will take you and who you might meet along the way. The whole trip turned out okay and I enjoyed meeting my new friends!

 

Merry Christmas to all the nice people out there!

 

Love,

Lisa

 

1 Nov 2004 - My Trip to El Salvador

Hi everybody,

I've just returned from a trip with World Vision Canada to El Salvador and I'd like to tell you all about it…

I left Nashville on Wednesday, October 27th and flew to Houston, TX. where I met up with the people from 'World Vision' and the rest of our group, including my manager/brother, Dean. From there we all boarded a flight to the city of San Salvador. Unfortunately, when traveling in a large group, the chance of someone losing their bag becomes greater. Guess who it was...me! The bag was found and brought to our hotel the next day. Oh well!

Our hotel was in the town of Sonsonate, about an hour and a half from the airport. We were all picked up by Ricardo the bus driver who was our driver for the entire trip. Once we got to our rooms we all settled in and then promptly met for a 'cerveza' (beer) in the hotel lounge. They said not to drink the water out of the taps 'cause we'd probably get sick'...bottled only...or cerveza!  We were then given a short briefing by our leader Jim, and then we all turned in to get rested up for our first day.

The next morning started with a wakeup call for 6:30 am. Yikes! That's abnormally early for me! Then it was breakfast at 7:15 am with the group. Of course the menu was in Spanish so we had some help from our World Vision translator. Did you know huevos means eggs? Yes, it does, but we didn't have any because like the water, there was too much risk of what became affectionately known amongst the group, as B.B. (bad bum). We stayed away from salad and veggies too which pretty much put us on the all-carb diet. So...pancakes it was.

After breakfast we boarded the bus and headed off to our first stop......Sandra and Maritza's home. I was a little nervous as we approached because I didn't know how emotional it might be because I'd never seen living conditions like they had. Their home consisted of basically a one-room shack with dirt floors and tin roofs with no electricity. They had one bed for the family of 4 and not much else inside the house. Outside, they had a very limited supply of dishes for cooking and eating (two or three pots and bowls). Their water was kept in a large concrete container and was so dirty that we probably wouldn't even put our hands in it, but this is what they used to wash with and to drink. Their clothing was very dirty and their shoes were falling apart.

But these two little girls stole our hearts immediately. They had the biggest smiles for us when we got there and were just the sweetest things you could imagine. It was heartbreak and joy all at the same time. They were just two normal little girls. They didn't know they were poor even though they were too small for their age from being malnourished.

Tamara Taggart (CTV weather personality) and I did some filming with the two girls and we both decided to become sponsors for them. Tamara will sponsor Sandra and I will Maritza. This means that they will get proper food and health care and will go to school when they're old enough and their mother will receive nutritional training. Towards the end of the visit I got out my guitar and sang 'Hey, Do You Know Me' for the family and for some of the neighbor kids. What a beautiful moment it was for me to get to entertain these people (and not so easy to get through the song).  Before we left we gave the girls gifts (coloring books and crayons) which they were so excited about and yes, a couple of tears were shed by all.

Next on the itinerary was lunch at a local