ON THE ROAD: WEEK 1 January 23rd-30th, 2017

"Yep. It was time to move on again, but it didn't bother me though. In fact, I liked it-- movin' on... Guess that's PIONEERIN' SPIRIT!"

When I left NYC on Tuesday, I was a bit sad to say goodbye to the place that has become my home over the past four and a half years. I had to leave my little studio on the UWS for two months, only to return at the end of March in order to find a new place to live. It was a bittersweet good-bye.

Life on the road, however, has sweetened any of that bitterness. I'm enjoying seeing new parts of the country and getting a chance to sit in the hotel hot tub and use the gym. (Yes, I have been working out on the road, and yes I am proud of myself).

On Tuesday evening, we arrived in Dunkirk, NY. On Wednesday, we performed for 4th-6th graders at the Marvel Theatre on SUNY Fredonia's campus. Man! What a beautiful venue and facility! After the show, we travelled to Mineral Wells, WV, where we enjoyed our day off the next day. On our day off in Mineral Wells, we went bowling. I am embarrassed by my abysmal score, so I won't even report it. (I'm used to candle-pin bowling, okay?). We found the most delicious Lebanese restaurant in Parkersburg, WV called Chams. Their hummus was some of the best I've ever eaten. On Friday night, we performed at the historic Smoot Theatre. Built in 1926, this gem of a theatre still has it's original vaudeville floor onstage-- hard floor downstage for dance numbers, softer wood throughout the rest of the stage, and a trap door! Next day, we travelled to Greenville, Ohio. Not much to do but eat fried food at a local pub. Man, I miss cooking! We performed Sunday afternoon at the St. Claire Memorial Hall-- what a beautiful theatre! Then, we packed up the van and drove to Cincinnati. Stopped in at Bakersfield, a taco place in OTR, for dinner. DELICIOUS. After Cincinnati, we were on to Nashville, TN. No shows in Nashville, so we spent our Monday evening taking in the sights and sounds of Nashville. What a neat city!

In the past week, I've travelled to five different states-- from NY to WV to OH to TN and now onto GA. Except for NY, all the other places have been brand new to me. I spend most of the time in the van reading. I am still working on finishing all 9 of the LITTLE HOUSE books (ONLY 2 AND A HALF MORE TO GO). As we travel, waves of gratitude flood my heart. I am so blessed to be doing what I love and seeing new places.

It has been a pleasure meeting lots of children and their families after the shows. The people we have met connect to the Ingalls family; one older gentleman and his adult daughter still call one another "Pa" and "Half-Pint." I hope Laura's story will inspire young children throughout the country to keep asking the difficult questions in search of a better understanding of this world.

I hope Laura's story gives me the strength to keep asking the difficult questions in order to better understand this world.

From my hotel room in Northport, AL,

-Kelly