When the rain comes . . .

A week has gone by and I am still talking up the incredible night my pal and I had at the Paul McCartney concert. Here I am, in the United Center parking lot getting ready to see the show. Thanks to my pal who took this excellent picture! The lights to the right of the United Center sign is from the windows of a housing project, just a block or two east of the United Center. We took this picture about 6:45 at night and it sure looks dark but I don't remember it being that dark out. Dumb camera! It is surely time to get a new one! The buttons I am wearing on my 2002 Paul McCartney tour jeans coat are vintage "flasher" buttons from 1964 from my collection. I loaned a few of my 80's Paul buttons to my pal to wear on her 2002 Paul tour jacket. We looked like a couple of twins except she is taller and better looking than me.

If you can see the rings on my fingers, on my right hand is my vintage Paul ring my pal gave me for my birthday. On my left thumb is my silver John Lennon ring I picked up at The Fest!

On a related note, here is a picture of my middle finger on my right hand the day after the concert. If you can see, it is badly bruised! Recall that in the middle of the concert, my finger started to hurt and swell for no good reason, except maybe I was clapping too hard. Anyway, this is the same thing that happened to me last fall, about this time, again for no good reason. It was pretty swollen and black and blue for a few days and it was getting better only to get banged up again yesterday. Oh dear, not again! The weather is kinda gloomy around here so maybe that has something to do with my finger going wacky? I don't know . . .

Okay, enough for now! More soon! All the best!

Under Calico skies . . .

Well, here is a picture of the bracelet I got at the concert the other night at the Paul McCartney concert- thanks to USA today for having a picture of it. There is a really good article about the Music Lives Foundation and Paul's connection to it, if you would like to see it, go to USATODAY.com - Music lives, through Paul McCartney. This purchase is a prize in my Beatles collection and am proud to say I haven't seen one on Ebay yet! If you look at the back side of the bracelet in this photo (top left), you can barely see Paul's signature. Cool! Glad that the money went to such a good charity! Thanks Paul!

Other news, my hearing has returned to its usual level, no more ringing. I also found out that my Mom didn't mind the phone call during the concert and enjoyed "Hey Jude". That was great!

Well, how could I even open this post without saying something about the big game tonight! I haven't watched my TV in the past few days but I understand that the city is in a huge "security" hype mode today and have barricaded a number of neighborhoods to prevent dangerous types from entering the area. That makes me laugh! How is anyone to get a souvenier or a cold one with all this? The mayor must be conflicted over his need to keep the city appearing to be running nicely with his need for additional revenue. We shall see how things go tonight. I am actually looking forward to all the opening hoopla, even tho hubby pie isn't so excited.

The reason I am looking forward to the series is that I found a connection between my hysterical allegiance to the Cubs and this year's World Series and why I can cheer for the Sox. Back in 1974, I had the following baseball card in my collection. Yes, Ron Santo had one year when he had to leave the Friendly Confinds and move to the South side. I understand he considers that year like a "lost weekend", the kinda thing where you have an experience, it seems good at the time, but you regret it happened years later. So, since Ron Santo graced the field at ole Comisky Park at one time and wore the Sox garb, I can cheer for them. I don't think Santo stayed with the Sox long enough to sport the infamous Sox shorts!

Finally, fall is in full color around here and the leaves are blowing about. It needs a few more days and a bit of sunshine to put everything in a "Hallmark" card look, but it isn't too far off. The pies have adventures this weekend and I look forward to a bit of sewing time. Hmmm, what CD shall I listen to while I sew????

Sitting in the stands of the sports arena, waiting for the show to begin . . .

Well, I am back from the Rockshow . . .

It was worth every single penny, every moment of waiting! It was two and half hours of nonstop music, but this time the stage and video were simple, not as distracting. Our seats were great - 8th row off the floor, about the 20th row back from the stage. Great views, saw everything clear as the bell that is ringing in my ears right now.

I wrote down all the songs again in my little notebook and was surprised to find that there were a few I didn't recognize at first. Again, a couple of songs were played that I couldn't remember the name of. People around us were all older than us, but one family in the row in front brought their 10 year old son. He wore his Yellow Submarine shirt proudly and seemed to like the Good Day Sunshine song the best.

Paul looked great and sounded better than the last time he came by. He was much more relaxed and focused a lot of time on pointing at the crowd. There were posters about saying that this concert was to be filmed and there were several cameras filming the floor seat customers. My sad little signs got left behind in the car as we rushed to the United Center to get in line so we missed that little moment. Glad to see all the other signs out there. Paul did a little talk about the "signs" and how it affects him on stage - that was cute!

I called my Mom during Hey Jude so she could listen to it. She listened for a good long time so don't know if she was annoyed or enjoyed it. I couldn't hear her speaking so will have to find out later today what she thought. I thought it would be fun to share that little moment inside the sold out United Center with her.

My pal and I took some pictures outside the United Center then left the camera in the car. My pal has a picture phone so she took a couple of shots inside. She didn't have a zoom so we shall see what they look like. We also got some souveniers and of course, I did pick up the confetti off the floor again to put in my bag to bring home!

The best thing of all was the very cool "Music lives" silver bracelet I picked up. It is really pretty but needs a bit of cleaning. I got it by making a small donation to the "Music Lives" charity that helps schools purchase musical instruments and music for school. Paul's signature was inside. The only other way to get this bracelet was to go into a Fidelity Investments office and plunk down $10,000 into one of their accounts. I found out about it at the recent trip to the big city when we came across a Fidelity office and I stopped in to see what the Paul McCartney give aways were since they are sponsoring the tour. Well, little did I know it was going to cost some big bucks! So it was great to see that they were offering the bracelets to showgoers if they made a donation - well worth it! I should take a picture of it. It goes nicely with my John Lennon silver ring so I am just a walking Beatle geek!

Finally, as always, I got to meet some nice people tonight at the show. Sitting to my left was a husband and wife team. They are the webmaster and publicist for a Beatles tribute band called Liverpool Legends. A great group! They are the only tribute band with a true Beatle connection - George's sister, Louise, is their manager! Great stories they had to share. Fun to look on her Zire to see the publicity pictures of the group. Had a massive digital camera as well! To my right was a Mother/daughter team from Roanoke, IL, located a bit south of Peoria. I was sharing my touristy downtown Chicago tips for their daytrip later today. The Mom was crying, so was the daughter through much of the show.

More reflections tomorrow. I best try to sleep before I have to get up in a few short hours to start my taxi service of the pies again! All the best and thank you, Paul! Me

and I say Hello!

Okay, I am trying not to shake . . . but tomorrow is HERE!!!!! More after the show!

Some have gone, and some remain . . .

Well, Next Year is here, tho it is sparkling on the South Side of town and not the North. Oh well. Kudos to the White Sox who is actually bringing a World Series back to Chicago, the first time in a generation. The weird thing is that it hasn't really sunk in yet! I mean, the World Series is coming HERE!!! Not the east coast, not the west coast - HERE! Hmmm, the Mayor must be wringing his hand with glee as he thinks of the additional parking, entertainment and tax revenue.


On a Beatle note, only 36 hours until the Paul concert at the United Center. Thank goodness all this World Series stuff is going on next weekend so I will have a clear shot on the expressway to the venue. I am sure to have a lot to say on Wednesday about the show but for now, the clock is my foe and will need to keep busy today to make it go by quickly.

Finally, the Volleyball season is wrapping up and the last game will be next Tuesday. Next is Cheerleading season with both pies trying out for spots. Cutie pie will surely make the team and maybe sweetie pie will coach. Sweetie is trying out for Basketball cheerleading at her school as she didn't make a spot on crew for the Show choir. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

TOMORROW!!!! Can't wait!! All the best - A

There are places I remember . . .

So the two pies and I took a train yesterday to the big city, the metropolis, that toddling town, Chicago. It was a glorious fall day, a bit to early for color but then again, the Mayor might not have ordered that particular change in his trees yet. Anyway, we decided to get "WICKED" tickets and instead of being charged up the wazoo by our local ticket seller, we went to the box office instead. We walked right up to the box office, said hello, gave our date of choice, checked the seating chart and plunked down the credit card. We are all set to see this wonderful show everyone has been raving about soon!

After our big score at the box office, we traveled just to the next corner and there it was, the clock perched a bit higher than the street traffic. The clock that ushers you in to find a new purse, a lovely new outfit, a present to give in the famous green box . . . Marshall Fields. It was great to travel through the first floor in all its finery, tho a bit too soon for the Christmas decorations. We made our way up to the Seventh floor and found ourselves quickly in line to the eat in the Walnut room. The place where traditions have been made, were lettuce is overpriced, but the service by those in black tuxes a treat. Anyway, sweetie pie felt a bit claustrophobic in the line so stepped out to the amazement of the gentleman standing behind us. He was in his 60s or so, pleasantly dressed, standing with his son who was looking at a map. I notice his glance as sweetie pie stepped out and said "High Schoolers, they think lines are nuts!". He looked like he knew what I was saying. He told me in casual conversation that he was from California and was visiting primarily to see the Purdue game (really - was that going on too?) but thought he would revisit the neighborhood of his youth - Austin on the west side. He also thought he would grab a bite to eat in Walnut room just as he did as a child years and years ago. It made me think about the millions of people who stood just where I was, along the wood panels of the outline of the restaurante, snaking my way inside. It made me think of the wool coats people might have had on their arms and the swish of their skirts as they moved ahead, closer to the main entrance. You can see inside now, some of the partitions have been removed so you can see the whole scope of the seating area as you wait now. There in the middle, just as a remembered where the tree was so many years ago, now stands a fountain, awaiting its removal for the most grand centerpiece of them all, the multi story Christmas tree with presents and twinkling lights. Great day, I thought!

You can see them out to dinner . . .

Love that "Piggies" song!

Anyway, it is the end of the Bachelorette week around here as the hubby pie comes back from his mission trip abroad. However, before everything returns back to normal, we must have one more meal provided by an outside source and the hubby pie choose Chinese food as he has had his fill of Mexican food. Good for me as well - love the stuff! Found out our Chinese guy is named Bill. Good karma there!

We had a good day getting last minute errands done and had an especially good shopping adventure for warm coats. The seasons have truly started to change and it is amazing how the coats that fit last year just won't do the job this year. I have a rule that you can get a new coat every other year, but with the growth spurts encountered around here, that just cannot be the rule this year. Besides, we found such great bargains, I couldn't refuse.

Had the little pie tell me a great "Mom" story yesterday. She said that one of her classmates, a guy, was humming and singing a little Greenday song to himself in class. Little pie said "hey, I know that song, that is a Greenday song!" Guy friend said "how do you know that?" Little pie said "Because all the CDs that my mom owns are either Beatle or Greenday ones!". Guy friend said "Cool! I want to come over to your place sometime!". Love being a cool mom just this once. However, there are a few U2 CDs in the car as well . . .

On the "bizarre" list of subjects, I had a weird dream last night. I was at a hotel, the pies were babysitting other children and I was commenting on the amazing spanish tile on the floor of the hotel in the lobby near the restaurante. Was I thinking of food? Am I subconciously ready for another home improvement project? Why was I so attracted to spanish tile that I would abdicate my parental role and allow the pies to be watching other children? As they say at the end of the Tootsie Pop commercial ("How many licks does it take to eat a Tootsie Pop?"), "the world, may never know". Happy Saturday!

There are places I remember . . .

Well, this isn't exactly the picture I wanted but I guess it will have to do . . . went to a meeting at the local High School (not this one pictured as this was my home away from home in the late 70's) and as I arrived to park in the school parking lot, the marching band was making their way to the parking lot. Now, at 6:30 pm around here, that means it is already getting pretty dark. Nonetheless, here came the marching band, streaming from their band room exit, clothed in sweats, hats and the knit gloves with their fingers cut off to have their practice. They first learned a routine on their Parking Lot spot (all marked off with hash lines and . . . . what are those lines called at the 10, 20, 3o yard marks? Yard lines? Oh gosh, I have forgotten!) with the blarring megaphone and loud taps of drum sticks by the Drum majors. At the end of my meeting, I came out to find the band had taken the field for a last run through of the program. Pretty cool, brought back all sorts of memories when I used to be out there, in the freezing cold (50's seemed cold in October), dark, wondering what I was missing on the TV shows of the day - "Knots Landing" and "Soap". I remember back in my marching band days that night practices were the best - it was cool, it was dark and there was the fact that if I messed up, not as many kids would see it. Wonder what the kids of the marching bands of today miss while at practice. They don't need to worry about missing such things now, most kids have TiVo!

Anyone out there a Marching Band alumni from High School and College? Don't you wish there was some venue for us "seasoned" players? It might be good exercise! No, that would mean I might miss "ER" or "Gilmore Girls" as I don't know how to turn on the TV these days, less know how to tape or DVD something!

Got to get ya into my life . . . .

Good morning. I had a double take, snap of the head last night as I dined with the pies at a local eatery. This eatery also happened to be near a Starbucks, a good source of where my disposable income goes. Not a lot, but a good cup of tea is especially nice. Anyway, while one of the pies was ordering her pumpkin cheesecake and apple cider, I glanced at the CD rack near the counter. THERE it was, Paul's CD for sale. Now I have seen everything!

On a related Beatle note, the new John Lennon book is out by his wife, Cynthia. Might run to the bookstore and see how much that might be. Don't think it will be on the best seller list so I might want to wait until the next fest to see if I can see her in person and get an autographed copy. Am acquiring a bunch of autographed stuff in my Beatles arsenal these days which is fun!

This is also the month where I might get some news from Ringo. Recall from August that at the Fest I met Ringo's producer and I gave him one of my Beatle harmonica cases to give to Ringo with a letter for him to sign and send back to me as a reciept of his acquirement. Mark said he would be seeing Ringo in October so we shall see!

Other news is I got my quilting table back in order as I have moved all the papers aside so I have a clear and open playing field. Now, the decision - which project warrants my attention first? I will think about that after I order Wicked tickets. One decision at a time, please!

Strange days . . . .

Well, a busy day yesterday at a local volleyball tournament. A great event, because it allowed the little pie to see what top notch volleyball teams do to win games - bump, set and spike. While the girls only won one of the six games they played, it was great experience in a very nice, relaxed venue so it was well worth the trip! I especially liked the refs who were good on calling the games, funny when they could be and explained the calls they made in a good and teaching fashion. A fantastic learning experience. Too bad this is my last year at our school, otherwise I would look forward to attending this tournament again next year.

Other events of the day was Homecoming Dance for the older pie. She looked great in her dress, had a great time with a bunch of friends and this time, no car crash to end the evening. To not have that repeated was a delight. Last year's dance earned us a trip to the police department the day afterward and about a $300 car expense. The only thing that gotten broken this year was a glass bottle of milk which got broken at the grocery store earlier in the evening. Remind me next time to tell you how much I can't stand going to the store on Saturdays!!!

Finally, we look forward to cool evenings with the windows open for some cool canadian air and sunny days. Today, we might run out to the beach again as it will be in the 80's. Never been to the beach in October before - this will be fun!