Day Seven: A Surprise in the Wind, Wet, and Cold...

Well, when we were planning our trip down here, Darcy asked hopefully if Rhonda Vincent would be performing while we were here. She was really disappointed when Grant told her, "No." As we headed from the hotel over to Silver Dollar City this morning, Darcy had us put one of Rhonda's CDs on to listen to in the van. Darcy sang along from the backseat. After we got to SDC, the temperature (already chilly and gray) began dropping rapidly. The wind blew so hard that the brightly colored leaves were raining down from the trees like a blizzard. The kids spent part of their time holed up in the heated ice cream shop sipping on hot cocoa. SDC is getting ready for Christmas and are putting up lights and elaborately decorated Christmas trees all over. I was amused at the little Christmas tree in the ice cream shop...it was decorated with snow cones and ice cream cones!

Around 2:15, we decided that Grant would run me with our kids and Greg and Tracey's children back to our hotel room so the kids could watch TV in a warm room while the band finished out their last two sets back at SDC. As we began walking towards the entrance (exit) of SDC, I heard Grant call out, "Rhonda!" And sure enough, just walking in was Rhonda Vincent who said, "Hey! It's great to see you!" and then, bless her heart, she posed in the rain for pictures with Darcy! I guess she was just coming to SDC to shop and do the tourist thing! So, Darcy got to see her idol again, after all! (Darcy got to visit with Rhonda years ago when Rhonda did a guest appearance with Grant's band in KC, and then again about a year and a half ago when Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were playing down at SDC.) In between those times, she has memorized nearly every song Rhonda has ever recorded. Darcy is just plain nuts over her.