Wednesday, May 11, 2011, Monroe, Louisiana, 6:50 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  Bill here.  Hope this finds y'all well or happy.  I am okay, but am very sleepy: just got up not even fifteen minutes ago.  Trying to wake up before I hit the shower and wake my wife up, who will, in kind, get the kiddos up, and then we can be on our merry way home.

We have been in Louisiana for the past three/four days.  We went to the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival: we go every year (it's getting to be a Sandusky family tradition).  My wife, who is Cajun, has been giong to this festival ever since she was a child, and now we go as a family.  We really enjoy it; it seems to have gotten bigger and better as the years go by.

At least we can rest up in time for the National Quartet Convention, which will be held at Dollywood in our home state of Tennessee.  That will be held in the month of October.  We are really looking forward to it; it will be our very first time in going.

We had been going to the CMA Country Music Festival for as long as we can remember (that event is held in June), but then the CMA decided not to feature any Christian artists any more, which angered my wife, so we decided to forgo Fan Fair this go around and try the gospel music convention instead.

All of us love gospel music, espcially southern gospel.  I was raised on southern gospel; my daddy loved it.  I remember hearing groups like the Rambos, The Inspirations, The Blue Ridge Quartet, and the Mighty Oak Ridge Boys; I still love southern gospel music today.  It is such soul-stirring music; it makes me want to fly straight up to Heaven whenever I hear it! :)  

Sometimes whenever the family gets together and we play in our band, we sing southern gospel.  I can remember when the kids were little how they loved singing the harmonies and loved singing about Jesus.  Now the kids are all growing up before our eyes, and we don't get together nearly as often.  I miss those days ... (Sigh)

Anyway, back to my story.  

We had a great time at the Crawfish Festival.  The weather was perfect, the crowds were hugs, the music was fantastic, and the food was to die for!  We ate so  much until our bellies hurt, and we danced so much our feet begged for mercy!  I know mine did!  LOL  I'm not that young anymore; my wife kept on gonig, but I gave up the ship long before she did! LOL

Ronee' did a great job.  She has a brand new band, and they were fantasic at backing her up.  She did a great job in finding capable, talented musicians!  And she looks great!  College life certainly agrees with her!  She LOVES it!!

Johnny is, on the other hand, sunburnt.  Poor guy never tans: he just burns, even after we slather the sunscreen on him. His health is holding up, which has been an answer to prayer.  Hope it continues!

I would keep on writing, but the wife just woke up, and once The General is up, that's it.  She doesn't like to dilly-dally; I am sure she wants to be on the road before too long .... Take care, and may God bless you; I will write in here again, but the next time, we'll be at home in Nashville.  

~Bill.  :)