Me & Primetime Productions, the student activities crew at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI

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Saturday, April 2nd: With a full house on a beautiful spring day in the UP (Upper Pennisula), my last scheduled college show of the season was a great success! The Primetime Productions crew did a great job promoting the event and I really enjoyed their very gracious hospitality. It was a schlep, but it was worth it.

www.leighannlord.com

FDA Women's Program

Jennifer Canale (Coordinator), Me, Claire Nicols (my sorority sister). The lady on the end was the winner of FDA's Phenomal Woman Contest.

I was invited to participate in the FDA's Women's Day Program last Thursday, March 31 and I had a blast! The color of the day was red, my favorite; and best of all it was 10 minutes from my house! At the end of my performance they presented me with this beautiful award! It doesn't get better than that!

Brrrrrr

Wednesday: St. Thomas.
Saturday: Marquette, Michigan.

Where’s that? 455 miles north west of Detroit. Almost a thousand miles from home. I am out here; or up here. I could sneeze on a Canadian and hear them say God bless you.

They get about 250 inches of snow a year in Marquette. Some of it is still on the ground. On the ride in from the airport I saw people skiing. I’ve never been skiing in my life. Oh I’ve been on a ski trip or two, but I’ve never "hit the slopes." It’s not a "Black thing." It’s a "I-hate-cold-weather-sports-and-possibly-breaking-a-bone-thing." Steve, the shuttle driver, told me that’s there’s a group of skiers who come every year with their own crutches. I don’t know if that’s smart or pessimistic.

The people here are really nice. It’s like a small southern town with snow. "Everybody know’s everybody here and the crime rate is very low. Almost non-existent," said Steve. I believe it. If something ever was stolen, they’d probably know exactly who did. "Okay Bob, give it back."

For the record, my cell phone has no idea where I am. It’s been searching for a signal ever since I left Detroit. Instead of signal bars, I’ve got an icon of a little man scratching his head, looking at a map in consternation. And in case your wondering. My phone worked just fine in the Bahamas. I guess T-Mobile doesn’t like the cold either.

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www.leighannlord.com / Upcoming Shows / E-Mail Me

Not Bad For On The Fly

Showtime on the Carnival Valor

American Airlines lost my luggage and I joined the Carnival Valor in Nassau with only the clothes on my back. On board ship for three days and no clothes, it was off to the on board gift shop. I thought I'd be doing my shows in a sweat suit, but being the newest ship in the Carnival fleet, the on board stores actually had some pretty fancy duds. The black silk pants blend into the background, but how about this top? The sleeves have pretty little sparkly things on them. Spiffy, eh?

Oh, by the way. I still don't have my bag. I lost it on Monday. Today is Friday.

(My wrath will be legendary. Hell hath no fury like a woman separated from her wardrobe.)

Oh Yeah..... Happy Easter

In all my travel adventures over the past week, I completely forgot to wish everybody a happy and healthy Easter!

I guess I wasn't really in the Easter spirit since the Palm Sunday incident. What Palm Sunday incident you ask? Well let me tell you:

Every year my Mom goes to church on Palm Sunday and brings home a plethora of palms. She shares them with neighbors who are unable to go to church, and she brings me some too. (I'm able to go to Church, I just don't). We strategically place them around the house for good luck.

Not this year.

There's a new pastor in town who must be part priest, part efficiency expert. This year the palm buffet was closed. No more, "all the palms you can carry." Instead, the palms were parceled out. My Mom came home with barely a handful; a pittance. A palm paucity!

I know the church is trying to save money, but was there a big mark up on palms this year? First milk, then gas and now palms? Perhaps that's what I get for not reading the CNN news ticker.

On deeper reflection, I think this is just a shrewd plan to boost church attendance. With the demise of the palm home delivery service, I'll have to get up, go to church and get my own palms.

Nah, I'll just dust off last year's.

Okay --- Now I'm REALLY Warm

Traveling has been an adventure since Saturday. Due to major flight delays and a detour to Beaumont, Texas to refuel the plane, I literally missed the boat (the Carnival Imagination) in Cozumel. I spent the night in Houston courtesy of Continental Airlines.

On Sunday I flew to Miami, spent the night and flew out today (Monday) to meet the Carnival Valor in Nassau. I arrived. My bag didn't. On a direct flight from Miami to Nassua, American Airlines lost my bag. Well, they didn't so much lose my bag as they decided not to put it on the plane in the first place. Some gobbledy gook about weight restrictions. I'm not heavy, but my clothes however are another story.

American Airlines can get my bag back to me at my next port. Great! Which will be Wednesday in St. Thomas. Not so great. Two days and three shows with no clothes. Can you feel my joy? This is the oh so glamorous side of traveling.

I'm not normally a vengeful woman, but this is a frequent flier's nightmare. Too bad I packed my voodoo doll in the missing bag, or there'd be a tortured and screaming bag handler in Miami.