Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Noreen
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 08:42 AM

Got home safe, about 2hrs sleep last night on the plane- I think I've missed a night's sleep somewhere because it was tomorrow when we got here and I haven't been to bed...

Picked up at the airport by Bob & Sue vG who I hope made some sense of the unconnected thoughts, memories, anecdotes and names of friends new and old which I regaled them with before I set off for home :0)

Going to get an hour's kip now before I pick up the children. More later....zzzzzzzzz z zzz

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: karen k
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 10:12 AM

Noreen,
Glad you got home safely. Thanks for checking in. Waiting to hear from Theresa, Carole and Alan as well.

Great fun, great memories but best of all wonderful new, forever friends.

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Barb'ry
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 12:49 PM

We're home too - sniff. Had such a wonderful time - thank you sooo much to everyone we met over there, it really was the holiday of a lifetime!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Barb'ry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 04:12 PM

And Ruth and I dropped Colin off at JFK a couple of hours ago. We are richer, having met him, Noreen, Carole, Theresa and Allan. And what memories! Our Saturday morning breakfast, fellowship and sing with them, the Gospel Messengers and Karen Kobela is an experience we will always treasure. Watching our bass singer Joe, and Colin, head to head, singing bass together on some of the old gospel was so delightful, it was hard not to just stop singing and enjoy the two of them.

We were truly blessed by all of the Shellbacks, and are thankful we had a chance to claim five of them as our own, if only for an evening and the following morning.

Jerry and Ruth

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Col K
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 06:22 AM

I'm home after the trip of a lifetime (with perhaps more trips to come I hope).Once again thanks to all you folks out there who made it such a special time for all of us.
Will post more later when I have had some sleep.

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: SussexCarole
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 06:43 AM

I arrived home last night at 5pm...my UK train/coach/underground journey from the airport took longer than the transatlantic flight.   Colin is right, it was the trip of a lifetime....we met so many wonderful people and the friendship and kindness given to us was amazing.   Thank you all. (Back now to reality & just off to work)    Carole

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 10:08 AM

I just had a lovely chat with Barb'ry on Mudchat and realized how much I miss all of you Shellbacks. The internet has made the world seem smaller, but actually getting from one place to another is sometimes a very long distance still. I have sent off a bunch of Getaway pictures to Pene for publication in the Events section of Mudcat photos. I have hundreds more photos to go through and label before I lose track of who everyone is. I have finally caught up on most of my backlog of sleep and must go back to work tomorrow so Tawmmie and I can save up enough money to go see our new friends again before we retire.

Love to you all,
Mike

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Ferrara
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 10:56 AM

Aaahhhh. It is truly marvelous to hear about your trip, folks. It's good to know that "it was good for you, too." Your presence certainly was a gift for all the people who had the good fortune to meet you, spend time with you and listen or sing with you while you were here.

Was with some friends last night including Ron Davies & Jan (Cicadas, etc) and David & Lucy (harp & guitar), and the Shellbacks' contribution to the Getaway was mentioned a LOT.

One of the neat things of being a folkie married to a folkie is the shared references & little in-jokes that come up naturally. Last night on our way to Ron's we were behind an idiot woman who had her car crossways across the left lane at a no-turns intersection and wouldn't even straighten out and drive across the intersection when a cop pulled up to her, lights flashing. After we passed her, Bill commented on how she wouldn't go forward and I said, to the appropriate tune, "No -- She Did It -- SIDEWAYS." :-D

Cheers,
Rita

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: treaties1
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 12:29 PM

Checking in late but with just the same heartfelt thanks and wonderful memories of people, places, songs and events that made my one off trip of a lifetime, a trip I would love to do again.
After arriving home at 9.00am UK time a short nap in the chair to recover, lasted until my lovely husband Bill woke me up to eat an evening meal after which he packed me off to bed and today normal life doesn't feel normal.
November 1'st I sat in the sun on Gerry and Ruth's front steps, this morning I put up my umberella to go to the shop. It's not fair
Missing you all Theresa

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: karen k
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 04:51 PM

Well, all have now checked in but Alan. I'm glad to know you are all home safe and sound. It was truly a wonderful time. However, I now have to admit that the Getaway is finally over. Noreen, Barbara, Theresa, Carole, Colin, Alan and everyone else thanks for helping to make this the best ever Getaway for me. And an especially big thanks to Judy Cook for making it all happen. Also, a special thanks to Stewart Savage for the Shellback t-shirt. I wore it to the gathering at Jerry's last Sat. I look forward to continuing these new friendships before too long.

love to you all,
k

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: karen k
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 04:57 PM

Maybe we will just have to start a Shellback Chorus - USA. What do you think, folks?

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Tinker
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 05:40 PM

I like the sound of that...

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 05:52 PM

I dunno...some things don't franchise well..*grin*...the concept is fine, but it takes a certain je nes se quois to execute...

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 07:51 PM

Alan is back safe and sound - I saw him at Morris Dance practice tonight.

But his computer has been out of action for several weeks. It's been fixed while he's been away and he hopes to get it back up again in the next couple of days.

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:07 PM

Snuffy, please pass on my best wishes for him getting it up again.

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:14 PM

oh, my...waiting for the replies to THAT one...*grin*

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Tinker
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 09:02 PM

Noreen in the tree shanty thread
Lie down turn around jack it off today...


Jeri in this thread
please pass on my best wishes for him getting it up again.

Okay ladies, perhaps it's time for .....

I'm definately going to get a blues song out of this round...

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Noreen
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 09:15 PM

Tinker, I never got to hear your song that the men got upset about- I don't suppose it will be on the video of the Getaway?

Hope to hear you sing it sometime :0)

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Tinker
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 09:53 PM

The Song is here

I'd have to add it on somewhere and then it wouldn't be Getaway footage. Besides lets see how the conversation goes... Jarius, would you tape me doing the BOB song ??? Actually I'd have to use a tripod because if I look at him during the song I absolutely loose it. Besides, at the moment the tapes are still family material.

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Edain
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 01:33 AM

For all those of you in the US morning the loss of the Shellbacks back to the motherland, FEAR NOT, there's still one of us abandoned and alone on your side of the Atlantic and if you think you're missing the buggers well, I bet I'm missing them more :-P

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Tinker
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 06:20 AM

Okay who is going to posst the beaver song??? Either here or in the old scout songs thread???? Come on...

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: SussexCarole
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 12:50 PM

We had no idea about the 'other' meaning of Beaver when we sang that song...wondered why there was such helpless laughter from so many.....I'll get in touch with Ruth & ask her permission to post the words - although it's based on a traditional camp song some of the words are her own I think.      Carole

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: GUEST,alanww on his son's computer
Date: 04 Nov 03 - 01:46 PM

Hello All
Well, I fnally got back after a 10+ hour wait at Dublin for a transfer flight to Birmingham and then down to Ross-on-Wye, only coming back home to Stratford-upon-Avon for morris practice last night!
Brill! Brill! Brill!
What a wonderful time we all had and such fantastic hospitality from everyone, particularly Charlie Baum, Rita Ferrera, Judy Cooke, Barbara Hoffman, Jerry Rasmussen, David Kleiman, Jerry Epstein, Jennifer Wood and Bob Clayton, Cathy DeWalt etc.
And it was great to meet numerous people, including Dick Greenhaus, Joe Offer, Max Spiegel, Mike Campbell, Ron Davies, Bill Day, Barry Finn, Judy O, Kendall Morse, Bob Zentz, Chris Koldewey and some of the Johnson Girls (thankfully I will get another chance to see them when they come to England in 2004).
More reaction later ... supper awaiteth ...
"Swing low sweet Chariot ...!"
Alan

Subject: RE: Shellback Chorus to USA Oct 2003
From: Col K
Date: 05 Nov 03 - 12:25 PM

Now that I am home and getting over jetlag I feel it is the time to reflect on a wonderful experience.Where to start is the problem.
My arrival in the USA was made so much easier because of the kindness of Tinker and her family all of whom made me welcome in their home.That night we had to sort out last minute problems.
After meeting the rest of the gang at Newark and telling them of the last minute changes we went for the minibuses at Union(NJ) and then went to collect people landing at Newark and JFK airports.Onwards to the Getaway where our welcome was like meeting old friends.That feeling continued all weekend.Then we had Jeri's car on the stump,before we made our way to our host families where, without exception,we were made to feel at home and part of the family,thanks from me to Judy O (momnopp) for looking after me so well.
Party time at the Cook's on tuesday rounded off our visit to Washington area, wednesday we headed back towards New York,driving down Broadway at 3.30pm as a first taste of New York traffic.
South St in the evening at the seamans mission was well attended, thanks to all who came.Driving on to Newburgh for the night found us driving through snow on the way.
Thursday in Mystic was a wonderful time,singing in the chapel was special.From Mystic we headed north towards Falls Village for the New York Society Getaway,another warm welcome for us, which continued through the night,the huts were heated.
On sunday we left there heading homewards,one last night as a group in the motel,then on monday,to New York to drop off people in various places before returning the minibuses.Once again Tinker and her family, and Judy O were superb in looking after Carole,Theresa, Noreen and Alan while I took the buses back.Jarius then ran the five of us to Penn Station where we caught the train onto Long Island to stay with Barbara Hoffman(now joined mudcat as seahorse).
We were her house guests for 4 nights.On the tuesday we saw much more of New York thanks to David Kleiman who took a day off work to show us around.
Then on friday we went to Derby to meet Jerry Rasmussen and Ruth for Halloween and on Sat morning we went back to have a sing with the Gospel Messengers.The other 4 then left and I stayed for the night with Jerry, going to church with them on sunday before they drove me back to JFK in time for my flight home.
There are so many people that I have not mentioned,you all made the trip so memorable,my thanks to you all.Also my thanks to Derek Seed, the leader of the Shellbacks for doing so much arranging and also thanks to all the Shellbacks for being such wonderful travelling companions throughout the whole trip.
So many people, so many memories
Roll on another year.
THANK YOU ALL