The Heart of Louisiana

We left Ky one day earlier than we had too but we wanted to make sure we live up to having adventures and seeing new things.  Graceland was convenient as it was enroute to our goal of Monroe, LA for yesterday and this morning.  We wanted to go to the Duck Dynasty (Duck Commander) warehouse just for kicks since this is our first trip to LA.  Our trip isn't taking us as far south as the Big Easy so we wanted to at least see something unique and cool t LA.  And since we like the show, what the hey.  The RV park we stayed at in Monroes was very nice and only $27.00 for all of us, the cheapest on the trip so far.  I think the only way to beat that is to stay in a Walmart Parking lot.

Though the Duck Commander warehouse/factory is truly where they tape the show a good portion of it has become a gift shop for the show.   But we knew that before we went.  Unlike the Field of Dreams, where we went last year, which looked and felt exactly what it seemed like in the Movie, the warehouse looked like it does on TV (people don't get to go to the laces where the show is shot inside), the location wasn't as way out there as one would think and the town of West Monroe is far from Hillbilly.   The warehouse is less than a half mile from the interstate and a Walmart and every other standard chain store in every other mid to large city in the country. In fact, their are all sorts of business just out of camera shot all around the warehouse.  So that was a bit unexpected.   Still it was fun going to a location we see weekly on TV (when we aren't traveling).    I did get Jim and Kyle a T-shirt off the clearance rack.  I will have to get them to wear them this week and post them.

The drive to Franklin Parrish, more specifically Winnsboro, took less than 45 minutes.  A portion of the drive was interstate and it made me glad we took the country highways coming in as the view from the interstates are always the same....boring.    On the country roads we saw what could only be Louisiana.

We got her just around 1pm but had to do some rearranging as the city had no power anywhere near us. We are still about 100 ft away, our limit due to the fact that is all the cords we have.

We are actually experiencing late Spring here. It has been in the high 70s.  A nice southern breeze has been keeping us cool.  Kyle is getting his feet a little more wet in setting up the show.  Since the show doesn't start until tomorrow no one is in a rush.

To get a little taste of the state we bought some boudin, a rice-pork sausage and will give it a whirl.  It is the store-bought type so tomorrow at the festival we will have to find some "homemade" kind.

Elvis and Monroe, LA

If you want to tour Elvis' home and en his get the full looksy at all his stuff, even his planes you have to hand over a lot of dough.  But if you can get up by 7:30AM then you can enter his "meditation garden" and walk around his yard for free.   You can pay your respects to Elvis and his parents who are buried alongside him. Mami and Jim did just that.  Mami met a French man and a Scot and shared some stories of our family and our show. Below is a picture of them with Mami in front of Elvis' house.

Jim and Mami were the only ones willing to wake up that early.


Packed up we headed south, deep south.  We took a very interesting scenic route to Monroe, LA.  Our hope is to visit the Duck Dynasty place tomorrow morning so we aimed to come here before driving the last 45 miles to Winsboro to set up for the show tomorrow. (Show on Saturday)  The drive took us through the real Louisiana. We drove through some very cool little towns.  I  was surprised at how flat Mississippi and Arkansas were, at least the parts we drove through.   Wisteria grows wild out here all over old trees and it is quite stunning. Today's drive was a relaxing 4 and a half hours instead of the grueling 10 hours we often have to do.   I remember we 19 hours was easy.   What I am saying is I am getting old.

Since we got here so early the kids were able to enjoy a ladder ball, aka HIllbilly Golf. Amelia ended up beating everyone and is officially the champion and she won't hesitate to tell you so.

Visiting Elvis

We are on our way to Louisiana so we decided to take a route we have never taken before, through Memphis.   In fact, we found out the behind Heartbreak hotel, which really is at the end of Lonely street (cross street is Elvis Presley Blvd) Graceland RV park.   I am glad we got the new RV this year (New to us, newer than our old one) because all the RVs here are top end.

It was great to be on the road again but I haven't done a long drive in a  month so I am a bit bushed tonight.

My mother told me to tell Elvis, "hi", but the the security guards stopped me after hopping the gate with a pick and a shovel. Sorry mom, maybe I should get you an Elvis clock where the seconds are marked by Elvis' hips moving back and forth.  Nah, Can't afford the $21.00 for it so maybe next year. LOL  ( I wonder if she would actually put it on her wall. We would probably be forced to hang it in the RV.   Mami would kill me.


Happy Birthday to my god brother, Steve. The guy who taught us how to fish. I am grateful for  having him as my friend.

Hey, JC, I sang you favorite song, "All Shook Up", and was arrested for using a deadly weapon, my voice. Now I can sing "jailhouse rock".

On a different note I was recently interviewed for a tv thing and I was asked an interesting question. Today I had a chance to check it out and I figure it out. I was asked what does it cost to travel with our show. The answer is $1.20/mile not counting food. We will do at least 20K miles this year.  BTW gas in Ky jumped from $3.57 to $3.79 overnight, literally. That was a sad way to make us appreciate the $3.40/gal in TN.  When GWB was around we were paying under $2/gal with the exception of a short blip upto $4. Maybe they were just testing us to see if we would take the prison love treatment, if you get my drift.  But I digress.
Sorry for the negative note on such a positive great day.  It really was a blessed and beautiful day. God has been good. And our friends, fans, and family who have been supporting us in various ways (prayer, money, encouragement) I say thanks.   I want to mention the names of a couple or more folks who have actually sent us donations to help make ends meet when the season fell apart in March. But I am not sure they want to be known. "Don't let the left hand know what the right hand is doing."   Let me tell those of you whom which I am referring, we are being good stewards and not being wasteful and foolish...though I was tempted with that clock I mentioned. Haha.   I have some great news coming down the flume....but I can't talk about it now. That doesn't mean we are out of the woods yet. We still have to fill May and June. So keep the prayers going and if any of you have any suggestions or leads for the venues or gigs in the south,east and midwest let me know please.

Last Night in KY

Well, we have spent a very interesting month in Kentucky.  The state itself and the people have been fantastic. And we will be stopping over here from time to time in the coming months.   But It is time to head south. We will cut our 12 hour drive into two shorter drives and aim for Graceland, Memphis, TN tomorrow.   Since we are on a shoestring we will see as much of Elvis' old digs as we can from outside. I'm not a big enough fan to pay $33 per person to go see a dead guy's house.   Maybe when I make the first million.   Besides we are more of a historic site-seer than a pop-star site-seer.  They do let folks in free at 8am for an hour to visit the grave.

Today was supposed to be a rainy day.  And it did sprinkle a tiny bit in the AM and again about an hour ago. But otherwise it was an absolutely fabulous day.  The kids spent the first half in studies and practice and the second half loading up and prepping for our departure tomorrow.  Gotta tell you it is a pretty cool feeling to be getting back into performance mode.

CC came down to say goodbye and stayed for dinner and we all watched Galaxy Quest, a family favorite.   Miles had meetings and homework so when we dropped CC off we swung by his dorm for hugs.  

The prep I mentioned included cleaning animal cages. I have the job of taking care of Bobbi the cockatoo because she only likes my hands in her cage. Anyone else will get a love bite....it might even bleed.  After getting her travel cage ready I placed it on the toilet seat for a moment as I groomed Bobbi a bit. We also practiced one of her routines. The travel cage somehow was off balance and crashed to the floor sending water and seed all over the RV bathroom.   And I had to redo her cage.  Fun Fun Fun.

Gosh, not much more to say.  Wish us luck and keep us and our safety in your prayers please. God Bless.

Strange.

Today was strange. We had a giant major weather system moving from the north and another form the south. Both threatened us with terrible storms. Both split and left a huge gap right over us. We had wind and a couple of tiny showers but no storms.

I went to Richmond (the town over with all the bigger stores) and brought the dying mackerel with me.  I did our shopping at the big chain grocer (they don't sponsor us so no naming them.)  Then, since half the mackerel we bought last week were dying I decided to go fishing alone. I ended up getting hung up and the 25+ winds tipped my makreel bucket over I went home with nada. Still, it was calming being on the lack , literally, alone and just casting ans fishing was nice.

We were supposed to get thunder storms. But the most we got were sprinkles.  It was like magic. On the radar giant cells were moving towards us and just outside of town they broke apart.   Weird.

So the kids got some practice in.  I am so proud of them.

 By the way the big tall white boy in the pictures is our suund, roadie and Titus-helper this year.  His name is Kyle and he is my best friend's son. I grew up with his father. He loves the Lord. Less important but vital for us he helps Mami with Titus and he is a great help with the show. He is 20 and an awesome human being and a great brother in Christ.

By the way if you don't like hearing about God, Jesus, the Lord, the Holy Spirit, Christ, etc. I urge you to stick with us. We are in the worst of 20 years on the road and amazingly God has proven Himself true to us.Sometimes he has even used some of you to help us through. We will provide proof that GOD IS ALIVE in this blog.  In spite of a Senate and President that thinks the first amendment only means you can cus and print whatever you want no matter how depraved we will susceed. because the one the world, those of you who reject Christ has already won. You, many of you without knowing it are supporting a horawe that has come in dead last. But reject to believe it because he is running around claiming he won.

 But I bet if you hold the "freedom of expression" to the same standards as "freedom of religion"  it would be a different world (both are in the first amendment...{how many of you can name the 4 freedoms in the first amendment...if you can't then you are a fool to support anyone who attacks "freedom of religion."})....less crime less debauchery, less corruption, less immorality, etc.   But the powers to be, the prince of darkness and all who embrace him (anyone who reject Christ falls into this category) and his standards has got the reigns on those who reject Christ and you are going to see more things that will shock you, more things that will restrain your freedom, more things that will take away your freedom and your money. Its you who allows it in a country of free voting....

But here, in our family is a family, a group that reject the world and what it as to offer.  I would rather die a pauper than embrace 90% what is on the TV and media. We are classified as unpopular because we don't accept worldviews. We stand on an immovable rock and that is going to piss a whole bunch of people off.  But I can't deny the Lord, Christ who died on a cross to take away our sins and was raise by God to conquer the devil.   It is a lost cause to accept what most of you are living.....maybe not in this carnal world but in eternity.

Today, I was moved to tears. Our family is going through the worst season in 20 years or more. The weather literally killed a full month of bookings for us. But we made it through it. Thanks, partially to the support of family, friends, and fans. The loving brotherhood of Christ shone through the darkness and despair that was ahead of us this past month. Unnamed fans, friends, and family, especially family in Christ  came forward and aided us.  It was humbling to the point of tears. Yes, I cried.   The weather killed over 20 days of bookings but God moved in the hearts some and helped us make it through.  

We did not expect the change of fortune this year.   We were scared due to the Arctic Blasts that we might run into trouble. We prayed and hoped that it would be over by the time we reached out first booking in Louisville.  It hadn't and we were in trouble. I panicked. I confessed our troubles and some of you came through and helped.  From the bottom of my heart and with all of my soul I thank you. We still have a tough year ahead. Though some good news has come in, I confess no good news is real until it manifests itself into reality. So we are in state of hope.

Still, we continue on, fight the good fight, endure, practice, make the calls, send the emails, for it is in His name we perform. God made me a performer and when I am on the stage I can feel His pleasure.

Mom, It is late and I didn't proof read so I am sorry.  If I typo-ed or mis-spelled I am sorry.  It is 3AM and I am sleepy.

So blessings to you. Have a happy and blessed Tuesday. Don't give up the good fight. Don't let "the man"make you think less of yourself than you are. You are God's creation and God don't make no junk!!!!
Blessings,
Victor




We leave Wednesday on our LA trip...catfish Festival. It will be nice to perform again. I am proud of the kids because they no nothing but to give 150% or more when on stage. The promoters have promised some good catfish and tips on some honey holes to go fishing. We will also do TV News out of Monroe on the 10th. Keep us in prayer while we travel.  Also we love praying for you so email us at Kent@victorkent.com for prayer requests....there are nine people here ready to lift you up in prayer.

Below are some pix of practice in the wind (20-40mph wind)

Day of Rest

Toady is Sunday so we attended the very fine Berea Baptist Church. Well, most of us. Each week we rotate who stays with Titus since he doesn't do well at church, or most public gathering places. One baby cry  and he is upset for some time. (Sympathetic cryer. ) This week Vic Jr and I stayed at the RV. I listened to Alistair Begg (pastor from Cleveland) on the computer and Victor read his bible.  

Mami stayed after service for the women's luncheon (Love the baptists....there is always food). She was introduced to everyone and had a great time in fellowship.  Afterwards in true Mami form she stayed and help clean up. They also gave here the left overs, Ham, mashed potatoes, corn, beans, green beans, cake, etc. They figured since she had a circus to feed why not give it to her.  

Miles joined us for lunch and got to spend a little time with us. But he was tired from a late night. being an RA for the dorm he had to put up with all the drunk students coming home from a big dance. He even had to help vacate a room where two loud students were sharing, um, uh, time together. Miles said they were so ridiculously loud he could not keep a straight face. So he went back after a couple of hours to his dorm to get some rest.

Cynthia in the mean time got some last minute site-seeing of the Big Easy before flying back to KY. She is back safe.

We are expecting 2 days of thunderstorms so the kids did a little practice today.

By the way dinner was ham, mashed potatoes,etc.

This picture was taken by Cynthia in New Orleans.

Getting Ready for the Take Off

Weather report: Crisp sunny day. Never got really hot.

The kids have been non stop on these type of days working on their various skills.  The thing is they do it out of desire instead of dread.  It is amazing how excited they are to get out there and develop new skills and improve on the old ones.   We have to remind them to take breaks.  Amelia nearly wore herself out again today.  She is excited about the Atlanta Easter show where she debuts her Aerial Silk routine.   Victor can do just about anything on a unicycle now and his juggling skills are really getting good.

I needed a table for our new "Mystery Box" illusion that Amelia will do in her mind reading part of the show. We wanted something that looked old enough to come from a "haunted" place. But still strong and modern enough to hold the fish aquarium type box even in strong winds (we do a lot of work outside.)   I found that table at a second hand store a few days ago when I went on a walk with Kyle around town.  I was planning on building one but feared the price-tag of building one from scratch after losing the bread and butter of March due to the weather.  So I consider the $3 I spent for it well worth it. It would have cost much more to have built one. So I feel a bit blessed here.  The illusion is basically this: Amelia borrows three items from
 the audience. When they are put in the box they come alive. The float, dance, jump, whatever. But outside the "haunted" box they return to their "unprocessed" state.


  I did had to do some work on the table to make it presentable but we had the tools, glue, etc. So all went well.  Nice to be a handy man. Since I had screwdriver in hand I went around the RV tightening things and then grabbed the 409 and went cleaning things.

We are on our last few days in Berea for a month or so. Albeit we do have a stopover as we come back up from LA to IN.  So we are moving from settled condition to pre-travel.

Not an exciting day per-se  but it was a productive day.

Cynthia gave her paper today in New Orleans and has been enjoying the sights and sounds. She did have anything good to say about Bourbon Street. But she is loving the rest of the town.

Miles ran at a track meet today. He did the steeplechase for the first time.  He is a bit sore from that.  He will join us tomorrow after meeting us a church.

Boat Races

Welcome to Kentucky and the wild and crazy weather that makes life exciting.

All week we were warned that Thursday it would be thunderstorms and rain. And they were right. It started around three and has been coming  and coming and coming. The kids though were not thwarted . They took their duct tape and made boats.  Then they raced their boats.  Then they put worms in the boats to act as drivers. And they got drenched.  

Jim confirmed an Easter Sunday show at a Church in Atlanta. Only two or three of them will go down since it is only the aerial silk routine booked.   We are still looking to get an Easter program at a church for the rest of us.   We always do one somewhere every year.  It is a wonderful ministry to share the reason for Christianity and our need for Chrsit. And that is what easter is all about.

We discovered that there is a leak in one of the slide out seals on the RV.  I think I figured it out and all will be well But we will know in a few hours if the testing towels (dry towels near the leak in point) are dry or not.

That was pretty much the day.

Another day in paradise.

OK, JC and Dean by paradise I did not mean where you live. And no I didn't die and go to heaven. I'm in Kentucky.  

Soft rain showers last night brought a beautiful clear sunny morning that would reach the low 70*s by afternoon.  That gave the kids opportunity to practice.

I made some calls and emails for potential bookings. Then after lunch Kyle and I went on a walking tour of the college village part of Berea.  We visited vendor malls, a used book store, the visitor's center, the various student centers and around the buildings just checking it all out.   I did do a bit of magic....one of which made me think of Kyle's dad back in Cali. (Lloyd you know the gimmick that I use to make a silk hanky vanish....well, I didn't tell Kyle the stunt I used to do at your bequest back in our high school days.   But I should have, to show him who his dad really is...lol....just messing with you. )  Sorry to interrupt this with an inside joke.

Jim has been working real hard with the aerial silk with the girls.  They are getting pretty impressive. Yesterday Amelia worked out to the point of pure exhaustion. She could even go fishing she was so worn.

Today we ate the two fish we caught yesterday ....everyone loves fish when Mami prepares it.   Our luck on fish tonight was rained out. We were there 45 minutes when sprinkles started and the weather ap on the phone showed a thunder cell moving in. SO we packed it in.  But not before I had the "one that got away". An older gent who I chatted with for a while, you know the gruff gravelly southern drawl cigarette smoking time worn kind of guy, pointed out a spot that he said would be a good spot (he was raised here). I made a cast and almost immediately I got a bite. I blew it though. I started to reel too soon. I should have "set the hook" with a quick tug back first. But there you go.  It got away.  It looked like a Crappie. Oh, well.

I want to apologize to those who also follow me on Facebook. Yesterday I paid my New premium on my health insurance (this takes my premiums up 1000% since I took the policy out a couple short years ago, most of the raise in the past 8 months. )   Well, I paid it online right before going to bed and it irked me that I had to pay sooo much more and get soooo little for it, so I whined about Obama-care and the people who supported it and so on.  I've removed the posts.  I was surprised. I had people on both sides make comments. One fan even helped out.  So I thank you.  I am still not sure if it was wrong to rant. A person is allowed an opinion, and sometimes it helps to vent, but maybe I was a little hard on the people with opposing views. (I so wanted to put a jab in here but I know JC would just gasp and tell me when I get home, while eating Chinese food, that maybe I shouldn't have done that. SO I won't.)

You know CC is my daughter. Today she called  to vent as well. She had spoken with her grandma back in Cali and heard that our home church will be putting in a policy of locking the doors of the church once the praise music starts until it ends, then the late comers can come into service.  I suppose it is to encourage the ones who come late regularly not to be late.   Well, my character in that girl came out and she vented quite briskly about her opinion on the new policy. She held nothing back. I write this not to question the policy or challenge it.  I write this because hearing her rant reminded me of, well, me.  (Oh, why are the jabs popping into my head so easily tonight....just to let you know I just resisted the temptation to take a couple of more jabs at.......)

Well, we made it back from our evening fishing excursion and 10 minutes later the lighting and water show began. And true to form 15 minutes late it passed.  We are expected to go through all that over and over again tonight and tomorrow.

Tomorrow CC flies to New Orleans to present a paper she wrote at a large conference. Keep her in your prayers as well as us. We still have an anemic schedule. But God provides.  He has also provided us with wonderful fans, family and friends. Thank you all and may you all be richly blessed.

Go Fish.

Good news.  First today was an awesomely beautiful day. The sun shone and except for a breeze that made casting a rod to the south difficult, it was an otherwise wonderful day.

That right we went fishing, finally. I caught a smallmouth bass and Kyle got a large blue gill. Mami is cooking them up for breakfast, you know those Japanese....fish for breakfast, my family has come to be use to it.   Kyle will get his first blue gill fish fry ala Mami.

Since I got word that my six month supply of testosterone is finally coming in this week I have stopped rationing the few tubes I had left and my energy is back up.   I finally felt awake and cognizant enough to do a bible study this morning as well as field calls and even got a contract in.  April is shaping up well and May is survivable but we are still facing a naked June.  But Jim and I are marketing and working on it. And God provides, of that we are proof.

It is with all hope that Wesly will rejoin us in June sometime and we have our clown back.

My energy was up enough, or maybe it was the Mtn Dew I had on the way home from fishing, that encouraged me to play stick ball with the kids.  I even outran Kyle on a catch and chase out.   He couldn't believe a broken backed old man could catch him......surprised me too.   After about 20 minutes I was worn out and called it a game...for me....they played on. I gotta tell you it felt great to sweat.  By the way it is spring again.

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be fine but we expect t-storms on Thursday.  That's the day CC flies to The Big Easy to present her first published paper on communications.