On the Road: Day 1--Getting Ready

Day 1 was work at the library, then on the road. I'd packed the night before, putting the sound system, items for sale and program suitcases in the car, figuring out what to wear and what to take with me.

For the library programs, I brought stories to go with the "Get a Clue" summer reading theme most of them were using this year. That included riddle stories, how and why stories, and stories with questions or mysteries. Of course, each performance included two or three songs--the Riddle Guessing Song, The Carrion Crow (Appalachian version), and my favorite, Knocked Him in the Head--no guessing or riddles in that one, but just plain audience-participation fun.

I also used my story bag, which had a variety of items that linked to stories. The bag was a hit at all performances. It included a fairy for The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle, a crystal slipper for Rindercella, a fish for The Three Wishes, a small granny puppet for Red Riding Hood Rap, a yellow glass bird for Freedom Bird, a candle wedding cake that can be used for a variety of stories but usually used for a Jack tale, a jeweled brooch for Toads and Diamonds, a button for Just Enough to Make a Story, a frog for The Golden Ball, and several other items. The "mystery" here was--what would a child select from the bag? What story would I tell to go with the item they selected? A quilt went into that suitcase for a tablecover.

I had to pack for Appalachian programs too. The suitacse for these programs included the mining items--hard hat, carbide lamp and carbide, miner's lunch bucket, cap wire, my father-in-law's miner's certificate, and scrip from the Black Band Coal Company where he once worked--and the things I need to tell my "Turpentine Tales"--a bottle of turpentine, an old glass bottle of Vicks salve, and a skinning board--as well as the Prince Albert tobacco can of marbles for the Headless Woman of Briar Creek. Again a quilt (this time the double wedding ring one) went into the suitcase for a table cover.

I also had to pack the sound system, cords, mike, etc., and my books and CD for sale. That meant another suitcase.

So the total suitcases: 4, plus the sound system. All to be loaded into my little Nissan Sentra. It was full, both trunk and back seat. But I was ready for anything that was asked of me during the week, and by the end of the performances I had used every single thing I brought with me.