Friday, November 22, 2013

Our Night at the Concert

Okay, I have to admit to you here that I am a died-in-the-wool Beatlemaniac, 
fifty years later. 

Fifty years. 

It just doesn't seem possible. 

I layed on the floor in my parents house, in the dining room, where our "Hi-Fi" sat on the floor, and listened to the music turned very low, so it wouldn't disturb my mother watching tv in the living room. 

I had to buy the albums with whatever money I could earn, and oh, my, I did any extra chores that would make me a little money, and used all my allowance.  I had to walk about three miles to the Katz drugstore that sold the albums to get them, but how glad I was.

Last night, my friend Jill and I drove to Topeka in driving rain to see 
Rain, the Beatles Tribute. 


I had lucked out and got good seats again, seven rows back. 


The Topeka Performing Arts Center is a beautiful venue. 


We drove in driving rain and falling temps... and wind.  It was very chilly walking the one block to the door... and we were suprized to find the Westboro Baptist Church picketing the concert.  I felt so sorry for the children among the picketers, brought up in hate, and out there in the blowing cold for something so silly. 
Keith and I pray that this hate-filled group will someday come to their senses and just go away quietly. 


While visual cues can suggest John, Paul, George and Ringo... the actors playing them do try to get as close as they can.  This "John" had a great voice, and sang his leads with gusto, and they were all good musicians, and were supplemented by a synthesizer keyboardist who did all the special sounds.  
This was my second chance in as many months to go back in time and relive that girlhood happiness. 
The camera/phone police were on duty, however, and it was only at the end of the concert that I was able to get a couple of shots to show you.  

When we came out of the concert, everything had iced over.  Jill had to scrape the Suburban, and we waited for it to warm up.  We headed down the big boulevard to cross over the Kansas River to go home... and the bridge was CLOSED.  We detoured four blocks to another bridge, got on it, and discovered black ice.  Jill skillfully drove to the center lane, and we crossed that bridge at five miles an hour.  We were lucky to follow two snowplows partway home, which we drove about 40 miles an hour.  (I was praying all the way and kept reminding Jill to "Slow Down".... I'm sure she wanted to throw me out the window). 

We made it to Tongie, and then poor Jill had to drive another 30 miles home to Overland Park.  She texted me at midnight to tell me she had just pulled in. 

Keith and I talked until 1 and then I got up and ate some cereal, as I had not kept anything down yesterday... so it was a short night for me. 

Very cold (29) and icy this morning, and I carried warm water.  I'm going out in a minute with more warm water to check everyone's watering bowls and make sure they are still good. 

Keeping the Hooligans, and Delilah in today, with lots of good brome hay to much on. 

Staying safe and careful on the frozen deck and stairs. 

Remember what else happened fifty years ago today, when a nation's innocence was stolen, and several good men lost their lives.... and so many lives were changed forever. 

Prayers to their surviving families, and for our great nation.  




8 comments:

  1. We went to a movie once and a church was picketing in the very small town of Brookhaven. Could not believe it.

    Glad you got home safe and so did Jill.

    Hope you get to feeling better. I've heard of several people in the last couple of days who have had some kind of bug.

    Get well and happy weekend.

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  2. What a fun night for you guys!!! I am so surprized those people were picketing..they will find anything to raise a fuss won't they....we rode in a motorcycle group on time on a funeral duty ...heartbreaking ...they were there also...they left pretty quickly. I am glad you made it home safe, i hate driving on ice...i am an old lady driver then, and like to drive to stay in control....hopefully today will clear off and get better i haven't checked yet, it is only 30 here.
    Stella Rose's Momma

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  3. i am a big beatles fan too. the concert looks like so much fun. black ice sure can be tricky to drive on. i was 9 years old when kennedy died and my mom sat on the sofa watching tv and cried and cried. she was dead 2 months later

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  4. Moms would have enjoyed the concert. Beatle fans for sure.
    So glad you guys made it safe and had a good time. Its good to re- live old feelings-- even though it was 50 years ago it must feel good to know you can still get excited--- its good for the heart.
    Yes, so many people in this world need to learn the importance of peace - and celebrate the differences in all of us- not picket and fight,, its time to for things to change.
    And 50 years ago moms remember that dread ful day too.
    It was 21 degrees this morning
    love
    tweedles

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  5. What were they picketing about???

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  6. We had fun for sure and an adventure coming home. To clarify, there was no skill involved! LOL The car did whatever it was going to do and we just let gravity take over. It took awhile to get the jitters to go away! That bridge was LONG and WAAY up there! I wouldn't have thrown you out! Someone had to do the praying! I was too busy white-knuckling the steering wheel and trying to keeping us between the lines! xxoo

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  7. I'm glad you got to enjoy your concert and made it there and home safely. Snow is supposed to moving in our way today and it'll get very cold below freezing for the next two days. Next week won't be a whole lot warmer either but above freezing. Take good care with the watering.

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  8. When I was a young girl, my older sister by four years, was head over heels crazy for the Beatles. I thought they 'sucked'. Fast forward to my teenage years and early twenties I gained some appreciation for the Beatles. I am still not a big fan, but I do have some favourites songs of theirs.

    Glad you enjoyed your concert, and had a hair-raising safe drive home.

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