Blog Entry
Blog Entry
Answered Prayer
08/19/07Several months ago when I first learned that Clay would be coming to Atlanta, I really wanted to go. But to be truthful, I was really worried about the August weather for Atlanta.They don’t call HOT Atlanta for nothing!!!
A few days before the concert,
I was watching the weather channel to see what the weather would be like..
You see, the weather effects me in many ways.
If it’s to cold, then my joints hurt really bad and if it’s too hot, I pass out.
When passing out, most times I end up in the hospital.Most of my medicines tell me to stay out
of direct sun light due to getting burned or will get heat stroke easier.
I had been praying over this concert for months..
I was praying that my body would handle and tolerate the heat..
The couple of nights before the concert,
I was trying to get my things together.
My joints were unbearable hurting
I took my time in getting every thing together.
Along with bringing my usual stuff for a over night trip,
I was to bring along a lot of things for the auction for the TBAF..
I will admit that
Hubby was worried that
I might have to cancel my trip.
He knew how much I had wanted to go..
On the morning of departure,
I was feeling much better and was ready to go.
.A close and good friend,
Caryn was to drive us..
The drive to Atlanta
was short due to
a lot of
talking,
laughing
and just watching the road
and seeing the sites.
I have to be honest,
it’s been way to long for me in seeing the really tall building.
I know Caryn thought had done lost it for sure,
because I got really excited in seeing the skyscrapers..
We live in such a small town and the highest building here is 2 stories.
And we have a lot of 4 way stops...
We followed the directions through Atlanta
and got off the right exit off the interstate.
Now if you use MAP Quest, please get more information
Because when we got off the interstate,we got lost and could not find the hotel.
We rode up and down Roswell Road
looking for the Comfort Inn of Buckhead North for over an hour.
Thank goodness no man was in the car because we did stop and ask directions.
It turned out that the hotel was right by the exit
and our hotel room over looked the exit off the interstate.
We did rest for about an hour and half before heading out to find the Chastain Park.
As you have probably read in the Atlanta thread,
this park does not work for handicapped people!!!
This was my first and only time there so
I wasn’t sure what to really expect.
We got there right about 5pm.
There were people at the gate waiting to be let in,
I am truly thankful that we took a small wagon with us
because of all the things we brought for the auction.
Caryn had me in a wheel chair
and was going to need help getting me to the party along with items.
Chastain Park did round up two wonderful men to help us.
Now they had to take us around a lake,
up and down hills,
to get us checked into the pre-party.
There were a couple of times,
I was worried,
I was going to end up in the lake with a Lilly pad on my head.
Well after several stop and rest moments,
we made the pre-party.
I will say that
Russell at Chastain Park,
Georgia Claymates
and
Jenna McBride
did a wonderful job on the party.
The food was wonderful and the auction was fun to watch.
Even though some of the items
we brought weren’t sold,
we wanted it to be donated for future auctions for TBAF.
After the pre-party was over,
Jenna and I were having a hard time getting to our seats.
I can walk some but mostly with a walker and not long distances..
A special lady,
I think her name was Margo
,brought us in through the back stage to our seats.
We saw where the musicians were getting ready.
We didn’t see any of the Clay Team.
I got to see Clay’s beautiful bus..
I love the colors.
You can truly see where it is cared for all shiny and new.
We were on the top row of the first box seats.
If I stood,
I could hold on to the back rail.
The concert was a little late getting started.
I think they might have been waiting for the sun to drop a little so it wouldn’t be so hot
or
maybe because they would have been facing the sun singing.
Caryn had never heard Clay sing.
When he first came on stage,
she was listening closely
.She turned to me and said,
" WOW, What a Voice!!"
I think,
I now have a new Claymate travel fan..
YEAH ME!!
She also was amazed at his voice ranges..
She loved Quianna and Angela.
She fell in love with Clay and Jesse.
Clay sang several songs
and Caryn was laughing, woohooing along with me.
She was having as much fun as I was.
She and I both were checking them all out in our binoculars.
Thank goodness,
he didn’t see the two ladies in the right box acting like idiots....
The second half of the show,
where we are suppose to stand up and dance.
Well,
do you know how hard it is trying to stand,
dance
and hold on to a railing to keep from falling.
I looked like I was drunk..
I don’t drink but it looked that way that night...
If I sat down,
I couldn’t see any thing but the back side of people.
Then Clay came off the stage right in front of us
I am only 4 rows away from him.
He was singing. and walking.
Now,
I am hanging on to the railing for dear life,
trying to take a picture
and he wants us to dance.
Caryn is taking pictures,
dancing,
singing and having a wonderful time.
At the intermission,
Margo from Chastain Park came by
and said that I could leave by a wheel chair.
But I would have to leave about 20 minutes before the concert was over.
At this time it being my first Clay concert,
I told her
"I would try and walk the stairs."
Now this is where I really don’t understand,
I had to climb about 35 to 40 steps
and every 2nd step,
climb over a full size trash can.
Caryn was so worried,
I would fall but I made it.
I felt just like Rocky Balboa in Philly
on those stairs in the movie,
"Rocky".
I had to stop several times and rest
but I did make it to the top.
At the top,
I talked with a Mother that was having the same problem.
She was really upset about the whole situation with Chastain Park.
There were no Chastain Park employee’s there to help us after
the concert for the handicapped.
Well, once Caryn and I made it out of the park,
we waited in the bus line.
We were told that all people in wheel chairs to be put to the side.
Clay walked the bus line then he came over to us that were in wheel chairs.
There was a young girl that was really excited to see him
.She was hoping up and down,
jumping in her wheel chair.
To be truthful,
I thought she was going to fall.
He just said to her,
"Hello, Darling and shook her hand."
And she just quieted down with a beautiful smile.
He shook my hand
but he must have noticed
I was watching her,
he shook my hand again
and looked me in the eye
and said,
"Thanks you for coming".
Jenna was seating next to me,
and he shook her hand
and said the same thing.
Then he left.
I remember thinking
what a wonderful smell and breeze
that came from him
as he walked by me.
The temp that day was 101 and the heat index even worse.
I didn’t eat that much but I remember that heat did have a draining effect on me.
It was truly a wonderful experience,
even though
we had to walk so far around the park
with the wheel chair with things for TBAF.
When we got home,
Caryn told my Hubby,
"Thank You For Not Going.!!"
The experience of seeing
Clay, Quiana, Angela, Jesse, and Sean
was really exciting for me.
I am home 99.9 of the time.
The sisterhood of a girl friend was just as much fun..
So I am hoping
to get to see Clay again soon,
because I know,
I now have a new Claymate travel buddy....
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