Our TOPS group had our summer BBQ on Tuesday. Despite the weather being in the low 30's, a good time was had by all. We were in one members back yard and it had lots of shade so it was quite comfortable. Lots of great food, conversation and comraderie. A great evening all round.
Friday afternoon Patti, Tristen and I headed out to London. We were treated to a delicious supper at Meghan's new place for the first time and she did an amazing job. Everything was really good.
Once we were done there, we headed out to Leamington to stay over night. Saturday morning was a highland games in Kingsville. I'd been there several times but forgot just how far a drive it is, especially when the navigator (me) gives the driver (Patti) wrong information and we end up a fair piece out of the way. We finally reached our destination around 11:30, so it was off to bed pretty much as soon as we got there.
Attendance was down dratically for these games so they didn't need me to be a Steward. That meant we didn't have to be there bright and early. Tristen wasn't competing till sometime after 10:30 so we could take our time in the morning.
When we arrived I saw a sight I'd totally forgotten about - fish flies, or as they are called in North Bay, Shad flies. They were everywhere. It brought back some memories of trips to Pelee Island and the ferry across from Leamington. Somewhere there's a photo of me with some of the little beggers clinging to my hat.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and it's the same thing again!
Tristen did well, winning first place in his category. He's really gung ho to be the highest finisher at the end of the season for his age and grade group.
Because there were't a lot of bands competing, we left shortly after Tristen was finished his solo. He had a BBQ to go to in the afternoon so we headed back. A long way for a short stay but it was a beautiful day for a drive.
After I got home, I did a couple of things around the house and then took the Miata out for a little spin. I headed over to Guelph to pick something up from Patti's that she had located for me. Then it was over to dairy queen for a mini blizzard. I'd pretty much destroyed my day so far, one more thing wasn't going to make that much difference.
Last weekend was the first of several highland games I'll be attending over the summer.
Last week, was Georgetown, and Tristen's first ever solo competition. He was thrilled to receive a gold medal for his efforts. Well done, T. It was also a first for me, as I am working as a steward at the games. My job is to check in the competitors before their event and keep things running smoothly and relatively on time. So far, so good.
Then this past weekend, we headed out to Cobourg. It was a chilly and early start to the day, leaving Guelph at 6:00 am as I have to be there by 8:00. I have to wear a kilt and Patti found me a pair of the heavy knee socks that go with it. I was very grateful to have those this week!
Tristen competed again and this time came in third, receiving another medal. Points are collected each time they place and are tabulated at the end of the season, so he has set himself the goal of being top in his group. But it is only his first year competing so I'm hoping he is happy with where ever he finishes.
It did warm up somewhat as the day wore on, but not nearly as warm as earlier in the week.
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I had driven up to Fergus to visit my friend Helen on Tuesday as it was over 30'. Perfect Miata weather. I had to go up to Stayner on Wednesday, and had planned to take the Miata as well, but the hot weather that was promised didn't materialize so I took the Prius. Good thing I did. Ran into rain in a couple of spots and temperatures never did get very warm. I was glad I'd taken the opportunity to go for a little run on Tuesday with the top down.
On my way to Stayner, I saw cloud formations in the sky I've not seen before. It was quite eery and when I arrived at my destination, they had experienced a major downpour just prior to my arrivel. Timing is everything!
This week will be busy as well. I've joined the local YMCA to try to deal with some hip issues. Some structured exercise classes and aqua fit should help. I've been to a couple of physio sessions and targeted exercises seem to be helping so I'm going to try to build on that. I have classes 5 mornings this week. We also have our TOPS summer BBQ on Tuesday and I'm making dessert. Good thing we all weigh in BEFORE we eat! We deserve to indulge every now and again!
Then Friday afternoon, we are heading to London to have dinner with Meghan before checking into a hotel in Leamington. There are highland games this Saturday in Kingsville. Too far a drive for early Saturday morning so we'll make a night of it. Then come back on Saturday afternoon.
Wish me luck in the morning with my first Aqua fit class 💦
P.S. Did I also mention that Saturday was Sir Paul's 80th birthday? I apparently have quite a reputation (well earned, of course) of being somewhat of a fan as several people texted me and said 'Happy Birthday Paul". They know me too well!
It's hard to imagine that the last time I attended one of Meghan's dance recitals was in June 2019. Fast forward 3 years (okay, not such a fast forward) and I once again had the opportunity to see her dance again. This was the 38th recital for the dance studio.
She joined some of her other dance alumni for the opening number at the recital last night. It was a beautiful dance and the girls did it flawlessly. She's been driving up from London the past few weeks to rehearse. There's another performance tonight and one again tomorrow afternoon (Saturday).
Greg's mom, Lynne, was in town for some medical appointments on Wednesday and stayed overnight so she could also attend. My long time friend, Nancy, also joined us, just like in the old days!
Patti took Tristen to Canada's Wonderland for a school trip so there was no one home at her place. Perfect time for me to play in her kitchen. I made supper for all of us to enjoy before the show. Unfortunately Meghan had to work in London, so went straight to the River Run Centre from there. Lynne were there mid afternoon, after lunch with some friends and Patti and Nancy arrived just in time as well. I made some Paella which went over quite well, along with a spinach salad with almonds and fresh Ontario Strawberries, first of the season. For dessert I made a cake I've made several times out on the island but never with gluten free flour. I wasn't pleased with the way the cake looked after baking but once it was sandwiched between layers of orange and white chocolate mousse like filling, it seems to have redeemed itself. By all accounts it was very good.
After supper it was off to the show. It was great to see how much some of the girls have matured over 3 years. Some of them are not little kids anymore.
When Meg's number was finished, she came and sat with us and it was the first time she's actually seen the recital from the audience.
Well done everyone.
Tomorrow I'm off to Georgetown to my first of several highland games over the summer. I'm going to be a steward, attempting to keep everyone on track for their individual competitions. No idea what I'm doing but I guess I'll have to learn pretty quickly.
I know I forwarded this article after our concert in Syracuse but I wanted to make sure I saved a copy and this seems like the perfect place to put it! (no, I didn't write it, but it pretty much sums it all up!)
Paul McCartney leads Syracuse to the fabulous fountain of youth (concert review, photos)
June 5, 2022
Either Sir Paul McCartney is lying about his age or he discovered the fountain of youth at some point.
The Beatles legend performed 36 songs during a nearly three-hour concert at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse on Saturday, mixing Fab Four classics like “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Get Back” with his solo catalogs and Wings. It was his first show at Syracuse University Stadium since 2017 and the only stop in upstate New York on his 2022 “Got Back” tour dates.
“Welcome to Syracuse, Paul,” read several signs at the Dome.
“It’s good to be back,” McCartney told the crowd of some 35,000 fans at the start of the concert.
McCartney turns 80 later this month, but he still has the boyish charm of a mop singer who performed on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964. He is one of the greatest songwriters in all-time, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, won 18 Grammys and an Academy Award, and was a member of one of the most influential bands in music history.
Yet he’s still a humble, polite boy from Liverpool, thanking people for the signs they made – kudos to the guy who said he was attending his 127th McCartney show – or when they turn on their mobile phones for torch songs like “Let It Be”. He paid tribute to “the best team on the planet” for the amps and showmanship brought by 19 semis, acknowledging the roadies in a way lesser artists almost never do.
McCartney played with the crowd, smiling as he threatened to jump off the stage and crowd-surf, or joking about pyrotechnics during “Live and Let Die” being too old. (If it’s too loud, you’re too old, but we don’t believe you, Paul.) He also feigned modesty when the ladies shouted as they took off his coat.
“What? It’s just a jacket,” he said.
At one point, I swear to you he even pulled a Benjamin Button during “Hey Jude” and looked like he was 26 again, trying to cheer up John Lennon’s son by taking a sad song and making it better.
McCartney was happy to share his youth with the entire audience, who jumped for joy during “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, danced to “Band on the Run” and acted like it was their 12th birthday during “Birthday Date.” The crowd ranged in age from grandparents and great grandparents to young adults and small children, but we were all drinking from Macca’s fountain of youth.
The only clues that McCartney himself is a 79-year-old “grandude” were his thin white beard and a voice that isn’t always as powerful as it was 60 years ago. His lively backing band and the crowd’s knowledge of nearly every lyric helped with the latter, however, and he showed his guitar skills are still top-notch during a “Foxy Lady” tribute to the late great. Jimi Hendrix.
Besides being forever young, McCartney’s greatest talent is storytelling. He revisited everyone we’ve heard before, like the formation of The Quarrymen and how George Martin helped the Beatles reach bigger stages. He held a ukulele and spoke wistfully of George Harrison before a rendition of “Something” by the Beatles.
This was the first event at the new JMA Wireless Dome, previously known as the Carrier Dome for 42 years. Signs inside and outside the stadium referred to it simply as the “JMA Dome”.
The running joke of the Carrier Dome was that it was named after an air conditioning company, but the building itself had no air conditioning – until last year. Now it’s sunny and cool even on a hot June night, although the irony reigns as it’s still difficult to get a wireless signal on your phone despite the Dome now being named after a company local wireless. (JMA Wireless is working on this.)
The stage setup for the show was fantastic, including 100ft high screens to help everyone in the back of the Dome see everything. The stage lifted McCartney to a platform during the solo acoustic songs “Blackbird” and “Here Today,” a moving letter to John Lennon that echoed through the stadium. Video visuals also complemented performances, such as psychedelic cartoons during “Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite” and footage of Lennon performing on a rooftop from Peter Jackson’s documentary “Get Back” for a virtual duet on ” I’ve Got a Feeling”.
Everything was well choreographed with no breaks. McCartney left the stage only briefly for a minute before the encore, quickly returning with flags for the UK, USA, Ukraine, Pride Month and New York State.
But the best moments were the unexpected moments, like McCartney’s drummer channeling Ringo Starr’s awkwardness during an accordion version of “Dance Tonight.” (He chose to dance the “Macarena” tonight, by the way.)
DJ Chris Holmes opened for it, playing remixes of Beatles songs like “Twist & Shout”, “Back in the USSR”, “Come Together”, “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?” and “Revolution”. Almost none of the songs overlapped McCartney’s set list and allowed the biggest Beatlemaniacs to hear as many of their favorite songs as possible.
It’s wonderful to hear songs that make people happy, and it’s magical how young they make us feel. Let’s hope McCartney returns to Syracuse so we can all “come back” to that fountain of youth.
Paul McCartney performs at Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
Paul McCartney’s set list for June 4, 2022
At the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY
Can’t Buy Me Love (Beatles song)
Junior’s Farm (wings song)
Letting Go (Song of the Wings)
Got to Get You Into My Life (Beatles song)
To come to me
Let Me Roll It (Wings song) with Foxy Lady jam
Get better (Beatles song)
Let Them In (wing song)
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (wing song)
Maybe I'm amazed
I just saw a face (Beatles song)
In spite of all the danger (The Quarrymen song)
Love Me Do (Beatles song)
Dance tonight
Blackbird (Beatles song)
Here Today (tribute to John Lennon)
New
Lady Madonna (Beatles song)
Fuh you
To Benefit Mr. Kite (Beatles Song)
Something (Beatles song)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Beatles song)
You Never Give Me Your Money (Beatles Song)
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (Beatles Song)
Get Back (Beatles song)
Band on the Run (Wings song)
Let It Be (Beatles song)
Live and Let Die (Song of the Wings)
Hey Jude (Beatles song)
Encore:
I’ve Got a Feeling (virtual duet with John Lennon’s rooftop performance video from the “Get Back” documentary)
Birthday (Beatles song)
Helter Skelter (Beatles song)
Golden Slumbers (Beatles song)
Carry That Weight (Beatles song)
The End (Beatles song)
Paul McCartney at Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
