Day 23—Thursday, December 22

Guest Post by Frank Michels

Well, it has finally arrived—the last day of the tour. We have had a great time and a successful tour, and we are all eager to get home to see our families for Christmas. But first, a shower at a hotel, and then a short drive over to the outskirts of Waterloo to an area called St. Jacobs and tonight’s final gig at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.

St. Jacobs Country Playhouse

When Loren starts backing up the bus for the load in, a bearing gives out on one of the trailer’s wheels and it falls off. Fortunately, the bus company has an office a couple hours away, and they are sending a mechanic so we can keep to our schedule for departure and drop off Lori and Tim at separate airports to fly home tomorrow.

A broken wheel on our trailer

This area was originally settled by Mennonites, and Lee and I see many of them in their distinctive black hats when we go for a walk to a nearby farmers’ market, where all manner of vegetables, fruits, and meats are on display, including whole lambs and giant coils of sausage. Mobs of people are busy buying things at multiple booths featuring pies, breads, chocolates, clothing, boots, paintings, and a hundred other things.

A giant coil of garlic sausage lies in wait at the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market

The mechanic finally shows up and fixes the trailer wheel (yay!) and the band sits down to some real Italian food the venue had delivered. Kyle ordered me calamari and I actually like it.

The show has a bittersweet feel to it. In a way I’m sorry the tour has ended, and now we will go our separate ways. But it will be good to be home again.

Before the last song, a stagehand brings out a ladder and we take a group picture on stage with the audience behind us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!