Saturday, July 24 When we arrived at the bus his morning, we noticed that it was bedecked with streamers and signs. Someone was apparently having a birthday! Yes, today is Martha’s birthday. There were gifts and presentations, singing both fun (the choir’s “most original efforts” – per Rosie), and cute (the bus driver’s 4 year old daughter. The birthday activities were definitely enjoyed throughout the day! When we opened the bus doors into South Carolina, we were greeted by a wall of heat – it was 100+ degrees! It is times like these, especially, when we are thankful for air conditioning. After a brief rest period, we dug into our music, and spent several hours practicing. The music is beginning to lock in, but there are trouble spots that need some attention. There were also several hours scheduled for “recreational activities”. This included, but was not limited to, volleyball, email, facebook, personal music practice, sleeping, walking, playing with the bus driver’s children, and playing piano. It was very nice to relax – we hadn’t had very much extended relaxation time.