Once in a lifetime something unexpected and "special" comes along. I have been a lifelong Beatles' fan...ever since the 1960s explosion across the world when they bounded onto the rock scene. I bought all the teen mags with their photos, kept Paul's under my pillow to sleep with at night....smuggled my transistor radio to bed to listen to their songs before going to sleep....wearing "Beatle Buttons" on my clothes to school and church,....I even remember driving the family crazy one Sunday night to get home in time from church so I could watch them on the Ed Sullivan show.....and made it just in time! (one of those moments I'll always remember exactly where I was and how it felt!!)...As I grew older, and they began to edge more into the acid era, and their rock got harder-edged, I drifted away from following them.....was appropriately sad when they broke up, mourned John Lenon's death as tragic....however, I can still remember their birthdays (!)....and every word to their classic songs....

As I get farther on the other side of 50 now, I seem to be thinking about things I haven't yet done. Last Thursday, I read an article in the paper about Paul's tour this summer...and told Val that I really should have gotten tickets, because, I now realize that I'll probably never get to see him in concert (since I obviously missed seeing the Beatles live - my parents would have NEVER allowed that!).

The very next day at work, my boss came out of her office, holding 3 tickets in her hand, asking if anyone wanted to go to the concert the next night!!! I started to say yes, but then realized I was scheduled to work....but she said to get coverage and go! SO, that's exactly what happened...I got coverage.....called Steve and we made arrangements to drive to FedEx field in Maryland for the big night!

After waiting 2 hours in the upper deck (which, btw, is NOT a bad place in this particular stadium! Not too steep....and the view of the stage was great!)...Sir Paul finally took the stage with 4 extremely talented musicians and began what I can only describe as a miraculous feat - playing in extreme heat and humidity for 2 solid hours without a break for a drink.....leaping from one song directly to another, from guitar to ukelele to piano....fast to slow pace....only to return to not ONE but TWO encores! AND he still "skipped" off the stage like he had just started! Awesome vocals, even better music....old and new.....I loved it all. "Hey Jude"....transported me back to age 16....."I Saw Her Standing there", to when I was 14....."Yesterday".. back to my first love and breakup and tears..... "Live and Let Die" (complete with fireworks and explosions) to my 20s.....some really really amazing guitar riffs and jamming.....a drummer that rivaled ANY I've ever ever heard....and, of course, Sir Paul himself.....a little lined in the face.....but fit in body....and vocals to die for.

Can you tell I'm a happy camper right now???? What a blessing to get to do something on the "bucket list"....that brings such joy....such memories.....

And what a blessing that this person for 50 YEARS has touched lives in literally EVERY part of the world. Peace to Paul....and Peace to all...

James River view from Beverley Plantation
This is what I do to my kids to keep them in line.
Teacup ride at Busch Gardens! SO much fun! Matt, Hope, Ian, Karin
Val @ Jamestowne - frame of original long house
Went to Sunday Prayer service @ this, the Original Anglican church in America...est.1607 !! A great reminder of our freedoms and what it cost the English to come and establish a country.

The article below gave me pause....and a reason to look more closely at the 2010 elections....I don't necessarily endorse or agree with all of it..and think it is probably a bit biased...albiet in the favor of freedom.....worth thinking about.

kk
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What would you say if I gave you 11 reasons why the elections in 2010 will be the most important in the history of the United States?
1. What if I had told you in October 2008, before the lastpresidential election, that before Barack Obama's first 100 days inoffice, the federal government would be in control of both themortgage and the banking industries? That 19 of Americas largestbanks would be forced to undergo stress tests by the federalgovernment which would determine that they were insufficientlycapitalized so they must be supervised by the government?Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?"
2. What if I had told you that within Barack Obamas first 100 daysin office the federal government would be the largest shareholder intwo US automakers, GM, and Chrysler? That thegovernment would kick out the CEOs of these companies and appointhand-picked executives with zero experience in the auto industry andthat executive compensation would be determined not by a Board ofDirectors but by the government?Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
3. What if I had told you that Barack Obama would appoint 21 Czars,without congressional approval, accountable only to him not to thevoters who would have control over a wide range of US policydecisions? That there would be a Stimulus Accountability Czar, anUrban Czar, a Compensation Czar, an Iran Czar, an Auto Industry Czar,a Cyber Security Czar, an Energy Czar, a Bank Bailout Czar, and morethan a dozen other government bureaucrats with unchecked regulatorypowers over US domestic and foreign policy?Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
4. What if I had told you that the federal deficit would be $915billion in the first six months of the Obama presidency - with aprojected annual deficit of $1.75 trillion - triple the $454.8billion in 2008, for which the previous administration was highlycriticized by Obama and his fellow Democrats? That congress wouldpass Obamas $3.53 trillion federal budget for fiscal 2010? That theprojected deficit over the next ten years would be greater than $10trillion?Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
5. What if I had told you that the Obama Justice Department wouldorder FBI agents to read Miranda rights to high-value detaineescaptured on the battlefield and held at US military detentionfacilities in Afghanistan ? That Obama would order the closing of theGuantanamo detention facility with no plan for the disposition of the200-plus individuals held there? That several of the suspectedterrorists at Guantanamo would be sent to live in freedom in Bermudaat the expense of the US government? That our US veteranswould be labeled terrorists and put on a watch list.Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
6. What if I had told you that the federal government would seekpowers to seize key companies whose failures could jeopardize thefinancial system? That a new regulatory agency would be proposed byObama to control loans, credit cards, mortgage-backed securities, andother financial products offered to the public?Would you have said, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
7. What if I had told you that Obama would travel to the Middle East ,bow before the Saudi king, and repeatedly apologize for Americas pastactions? That he would travel to Latin America where he would warmlygreet Venezuelas strongman Hugo Chavez and sit passively in theaudience while Nicaraguan Marxist thug Daniel Ortega charged Americawith terrorist aggression in Central America ?Would you have said, Cmon,that will never happen in America?
8. Okay, now what if I were to tell you that Obama wants to dismantleconservative talk radio through the imposition of a new FairnessDoctrine? That he wants to curtail the First Amendment rights ofthose who may disagree with his policies via internet blogs, cablenews networks, or advocacy ads? That most major network televisionand most newspapers will only sing his phrases like state run mediain communist countries?Would you say, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
9. What if I were to tell you that the Obama Justice Department isdoing everything it can to limit your Second Amendment rights to keepand bear arms? That the federal government wants to reinstate theso-called assault weapons ban which would prohibit the sale of anytype of firearm that requires the shooter to pull the trigger everytime a round is fired? That Obamas Attorney General wants toeliminate the sale of virtually all handguns and ammunition, whichmost citizens choose for self-defense?Would you say, Cmon, that will never happen in America?
10. What if I were to tell you that the Obama plan is to eliminatestates rights guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment and give the federalgovernment sweeping new powers over policies currently under theprovince of local and state governments and voted on by the people?That Obama plans to control the schools, energy production, theenvironment, health care, and the wealth of every US citizen?Would you say, Cmon, that will never happen in America?11. What if I were to tell you that the president, the courts, andthe federal government have ignored the US Constitution and haveseized powers which the founders of our country fought to restrict?That our last presidential election may have been our last truly freeelection for some time to come?

That our next presidential electionmay look similar to the one recently held in Iran?I know, I know what you will say, That will never happen inAmerica .

If we don't do everything in our power to stop this madness in 2010,may God have mercy on our worthless souls.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson

New puppy.

Abby joined our family yesterday - a Mother's Day gift from Valerie. She is 8 weeks old...a Bijon Frieze mix....will probably only get to be about 8 pounds or so. So far she is completely enamored with Val's dog, Delilah (a 75 pound hunk of muscle!)....they play constantly, rolling, nipping and running....it is hilarious! Now if we can just get her to sleep thru the night. yawn....

Am I the only person who wonders about the bizarre double standard that Pres.Obama is living out????

When the big auto makers came to Washington in their private jets, everyone on capital hill voiced their outrage at the extravagance and poor taste in flaunting their waste.

HOWEVER....
#1. DID YOU KNOW that Washington's Dulles Airport had to shut down an ENTIRE RUNWAY for the Inauguration just to park the 600 PRIVATE JETS which flew in for the day?

or.....

#2. Today's article on CNN that quoted Obama as bragging about his "spiffy" airplane - otherwise known as "Air Force One"?????

I thought I would give this man a chance to prove to me his was different...

but I think I've seen the real man already...

He could have told people to stay home for the Inauguration instead of costing DC metro literally billions of $$ for his protection....instead of wasting $$$$ on fuel and gas emissions for those 600+ jets...

And he could have dinner in the White House instead of flitting off to Chicago for a date with his wife.

ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

While everyone is focusing on the historic events surrounding the inauguration...I am just relieved it is finally over! After weeks of intense planning and training, the whole event went off without a "medical" hitch....traffic didn't materialize to prevent patient transports....people got to work on time....we didn't see the surge in patients in our ERs that we expected (over 1200 were treated on the Mall itself at 1st aid stations!!)....and I am exhausted!

Now we just count the days until any "epidemiological" threat is over....i.e. how long it takes for the flu or for a biological agent to take hold and spread....the flu IS here....naturally occurring...and hopefully no one figured out how to spread any bad stuff thru the crowds of this past week.

It was a great drill.....(my dream come true).
:)