Monday, June 23, 2008

'I felt so good like anything was possible'


Just what the doctor ordered! What a fabulous night!


I missed it! I did not realize how MUCH I missed it until I was living it again and 'runnin' down a dream!'


First, going to see an act that I really wanted to hear...Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! Gearing up for a great night ahead!


Then just hanging out with friends, special friends who are there through thick and thin.


And something that NEVER happens...my friend actually drove. I am always the one schlepping people around. I honestly did not know how it felt to have the night off from driving. To have someone pick me up at my house and drop me off at the end of the night. I kinda liked it! It was great just enjoying the scenery, jamming to Petty all the way!


I was the 'GPS' since Yak is not from here and had never been to Blossom. In fact, every step of the way I was giving a little tour of our great city...not as good a tour guide as Flynn, but Flynn knows everyone and every inch of this city!


The whole phenomena of seeing an event through the eyes of someone who has never experienced something is a blast! Seeing my friend's reaction to the "Blossom Experience" made the concert and everything surrounding it even heartier!


Now, tradition has it, before a concert at Blossom: FISHER'S!


So a group of us all met up at Fisher's for pre-concert cocktails...and 2 of my dearest friends shared some great news that they are expecting again! Their 4th child! We are all keeping our fingers crossed for a little girl in their world of three boys!


Now more than ever, we all had to celebrate!

Nothing like being out in the open air, enjoying the company of good friends, drinking a corona with lemon and just taking it all in!

I warned Yak, he was gonna be baptized into the whole "Blossom scene" with the drive from Fisher's to the venue. And unfortunately, I was right! What normally takes about 20 minutes, 30 minutes tops took us almost an hour! The traffic was horrendous BUT true Blossom traffic, especially for a sold out show! So we continued to jam to Petty, the Beatles, and back to Petty as we made our way up the winding road.

Oh to be young again....seeing the young kids dashing out of their cars while we were at a standstill and peeing in the woods.....I remember it well, unfortunately!

I guess some things NEVER change! Every car you drove by had Petty blaring out of the speakers....

Finally, we made it into the venue. Fortunately, we had a parking pass so we were kinda close. Parked our car, and tried to catch WHERE we were (will get back to that later!).

I'm just soaking it all in. I can not verbalize the wonderful feeling of going to a rock and roll concert at Blossom Music Center with good friends!

First order of business, rain and all, hitting the restrooms on the way down. We did our business and then made our trek down the huge Blossom Hill. As you enter, there were signs "no mud sliding." That just about says it all. The day's rain covered the entire lawn and it was as slick as a sheet of ice....trust me I know....I have mud all over my black flip flops and almost wiped out a few times!

But, what a rush! I loved people-watching and seeing the vast range of the crowd. I think of myself as fairly young and hip still...had people my age but the amazing thing was the large group of really young kids--late teens into early twenties for Petty. And these girls had little summer strapless frocks on with their flip flops! I loved it!

Two things that really took me back to my college days: the smell of Marlboro Lights 100's which emanated from various lawn locations and the line of 10 guys strategically standing in a line on the outskirts of the wooded area all taking a pee at the very same time....what a hoot!

Once inside the pavilion, the concert is about to start. Unfortunately, our traffic melee made us miss most of Steve Winwood.....

We grabbed our brews and continued to dance the night away for the next two hours! At least I know I still have it. Stood the entire time dancing and never felt better! Just an AMAZING SHOW! Oh man, I just love the acts who sound like their records when performing LIVE...and Petty sounds better than ever! The night went to quickly! Next thing I know he's playing my favorite song 'American girl' as the last song of the night.

After the concert, again, some things never change. The mass exodus up the hill and folks start 'mooing!'

We made our way to the parking lot where we 'thought' we parked. Now mind you, Yak is not familiar at all with this venue so it is all on me. We searched high and low. My phone, which is on it's last legs, was about to die but I ventured on my own to an area where I thought the car was and voila, a sight for sore eyes! I called Yak and just as I had weaved him over to where I was, my phone conked out! It's all good!

Lesson learned: Oh there were many during this amazing experience...but it made me realize that I am not yet old....I still have a lot of living and zest for life inside of me....and hopefully, I always will!

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