Waterloo My Waterloo I love you Waterloo.

Johnny the dog show guy.
Amelia rocking out at the Nick Kid's Show

A cake...looks like a diaper bag...but it's a cake.

A cow...proving there are cows at the Cattle Congress

Ok the title of today's blog really has nothing to do with the blog at all. Sure Waterloo is a nice town. It has attributes that makes it feel like a big city and attributes that make it feel like a small town and even further attributes that make it feel rural. John Deere has a big plant here and driving into and out of here gives you no doubt agriculture is a dominate thing.

We played to good sized audiences with show one being SRO and the second likewise SRO. But the third show was only 3/4 full. It was rodeo night. And to be honest in spite of the great attractions the National Cattle Congress isn't the big draw it once was. The management is doing a great job trying to change that but it will take time.

Really slow sales of our merchandise tells me it's the economy stupid. In fact, a sales clerk at Wal-mart said, after we invited her to come see the show, that it was just too expensive, "you have to say $10 to get in $5 for parking, and then more for the rides, the foods, etc" Money is tight out here and rumor is negotiations between the unions and John Deere aren't going too well and the contract is up next month. That and the fictitious stories our government is feeding us about an economic turn around has no one fooled when folks are out of work, threatening to be out of work, or see loved ones or neighbors get out of work. Though corn yields are high i guess not everyone in this state benefit from it.

Update for Bill and others who love JC....good new is he does not have cancer and he and his bride have found a home they like and are going to buy it. Good going JC....lunch is my treat next time.

In regards to the Chevy Van...it's 90 miles out of the way from here but we are going to pick it up on Monday and try to take her back to Cali....next place she breaks down is where we will leave her to rust! Sayonara $540 more.

One great comment on stage tonight occurred when Miles used the fire-whip to whip a fingertrap out of may hand. A man yelled, "Hey, do it out of your mouth." I responded, "Sure, but it's my policy that the person who yells stuff like that has to do it first..." I turned adn said it in the direction of the voice. Nos response. SO I said, "Interesting how when I say that the person changes their tune." It got a laugh. The last show also had one really obnoxious, loud lady who looked like a teen but claimed to be an adult who just blurted out whatever was on her mind constantly during the show. It got to be annoying. I had to shut her up when she demanded I jump again from the platform to the broken glass in my bare feet (earlier she was claiming the glass was fake and that she could walk on it). Fortunately (or unfortunately) I got a small cut on my big toe that bleed liberally. I held it up and said that since I was cut and she had said she wanted to walk on the glass that I would happily let her take a jump. She declined. And was quiet from then on.

The long schedule allowed me to sneak off the grounds for an hour or so to get the van serviced (oil change, etc) and do some shopping. These long time between show gigs can be killer. I was blessed with no lines at the service center and both stores I went to. Straight in, straight to the register and I am a little more broke than I was when the day started.

Until tomorrow...cheers.