Day Five: Travel Day March 2nd, 2010

Day Five: Travel Day March 2nd, 2010

We’re at the beautiful Days Inn in Goodland, Kansas on our journey to Coffeeville KS, 725 miles from Canyon City CO. Our room has two full-size beds with 70’s style bedspreads. All our stuff is dumped on one of them, and we’re jockeying for space on the other. How did our parents and grandparents ever get by?

Today we were giddy soaking up the Colorado sun in temperatures of more than 60 degrees. It also didn’t hurt that our show last night went so well. We savored every moment. There are many ways to measure success with these things: Attendance, the quality of the piano, the venue, the audience’s response, lack of screw-ups, a good sound and lighting team to work with, CD sales, and being invited back. We had all that last night, including the most important thing of all to me: new ideas. Because many people in the audience had heard us two years ago, we rehearsed all afternoon and changed up our show. Also we were given an article from their regional newspaper, which headlined: “Sally Harmon, Pianist, brings Energy and Comedic Flair to Canyon City.” Well, all I had to do was walk on stage and people were ready to laugh. Yikes! I didn’t even have much of anything funny planned until the second half! So, I winged it, improvised a lot, and they ate it up. I like to teach my students about performing, and how a good show involves a love triangle between the musicians, their instruments, and the audience. When everybody feels included, that’s when the magic starts.

We ended up goofing off most of today instead of making much headway in our long journey. First we took a long walk along the path by the Arkansas River near our hotel, and then we ended up stopping in Colorado Springs on our drive east and buying some new running gear. We took a 5K run in Monument Park by the same river in the beautiful sunshine.

Oh, and I made one more purchase today: an apron. My job in the car this trip is to peel oranges, pour coffee, put peanut butter and jelly or cheese on crackers, as well as navigate and answer both of our phones. By the end of a long drive, my lap would look like the ruins of a birthday party for a dozen five-year-olds! Not everything brushes off. So, I bought an apron for the car! The lower pockets catch crumbs; hold sunglasses, cell phones and more. I think it’s a great idea, but Frank looks at me like I might as well be wearing a Moo Moo or something. God forbid! Maybe if my apron looked a little sexier, say, like a French Maid’s outfit…hmmm…

I’m still jockeying for space here. Frank just rolled over in this “full-sized” bed and my laptop almost took a tumble. I guess it’s time to end today’s reporting in, and roll over to defend my territory. If you were to know what it’s like right now, you would need all five senses. I’ll leave you with that.
Sweet dreams.