Whew!

This past weekend was a blur.  It was amazing and fun but it went by so very fast.

Friday I got off an hour early, went home, picked up Bob and our cat Maisey and hit the road.  We dropped Maisey at the vet and then it was Hinckley or bust.  I drove and by sticking to the main roads (stop and go traffic mean nothing to me!) we got to our hotel by 5.  We checked in, dropped off our stuff and went to get some dinner.  After dinner Bob took the shuttle to the casino to play slots.  I stayed in the hotel room and enjoyed a pay-per-view movie.  Ah the decadence. 

At 8 I took the shuttle to the outdoor amphitheater to meet Bob.  He was right there waiting for me with tickets in hand.  I got stopped at the gate by security.  They wanted to look at my camera and lenses.  OK, here’s where I come clean.  I knew that unless we were in the front row I could not use my regular 35mm lens.  While I was back at the hotel I put my giant zoom lens on my camera and snuggled it into my camera bag.  I put caps on my smaller lens and just stuck it in the bag as well.  Well, for some reason, the security chick didn’t notice the giant zoom lens attached to my camera.  She only noticed the free floating 35mm lens.  After looking it over and determining that it was the proper size for this particular venue, she motioned me forward lenses and all!  Score!

We ended up sitting near the front of the stage but to the right.  The zoom would need to be used.  But there was tight security including MN state troopers stationed EVERYWHERE.  On guy sitting to the right of us asked how I got the camera in.  I told him my story.  He and the guy in front of me said if I took photos they would stand guard and block the giant lens if only I would email copies of the photos to them.  DEAL!

Styx opened which surprised me.  I thought this was their show.  They were awesome and played a great show.  I’ve had Too Much Time on My Hands in my head ever since. (Also, Come Sail Away.)  Tommy Shaw does NOT look like a man in his 50’s. I got some great photos.  It was interesting being outside for this concert because the lighting was so different from the start of the show to the end.  All the photos from the beginning of the Styx show have the golden hue of the setting sun.

The Boston show was OK.  Their new lead singer needs to learn stage presence and get his rock star persona on.  Granted he was a former Home Depot worker picked from the masses on YouTube but DUDE!  You’re the lead singer of a rock band now. Dress the part.  He could sing though.  And bang the heck out of a tambourine.

During the second part of the concert the crowd, having drunk the concession stands out of all their beer, got a little wild and rowdy.  There was a verbally abusive woman berating the man in front of us and two twenty-tweeners acting uppity with me and Bob.  We ended up leaving at 11 during Boston’s musical interlude.  Seriously, from the time we left our seats until we got onto the shuttle (maybe 10 minutes?) not one lyric had been sung.

We got back to the hotel around 11:30 and basically just went to bed.

Saturday morning we got up, checked out, had breakfast and drove home.  Once there we realized what a beautiful day it was outside so we did some outdoor stuff.  I cleaned both patios, watered and weeded the flower pots, washed the grill and deck chairs (it’s amazing how much yellow pollen build up) and then went inside to upload my concert photos.  As darkness fell, a storm blew in.  We almost lost power so I shut everything off and we went to bed to watch the storm.

Sunday I got up and ran errands.  I got home and started in on a project I’ve been putting off.  Bob’s sister is having a yard sale in July and asked for stuff to sell.  I went through all our closets, cabinets, and cupboards and filled nearly 10 small boxes full of stuff.  Then I moved the stuff I wanted to keep around so now everything has a place and we no longer have a bunch of clutter laying around.  I also did laundry and cleaned the apartment.  I started this project at noon and didn’t stop until after 8.  A glass of wine made me sleepy so it was off to bed.

Monday was a weird day.  I was the only person in the office from my department and there was no manager in the office at all.  I got a lot of work done without any co-worker interaction/distraction.  At lunch I ran a bunch of errands that need to be done before I go to WI this weekend.  After work I had to drive to Hastings to meet Bob.  He had driven down earlier in the day to have our brother-in-law give the van an oil change and check up.  I was driving my car down to leave for 2 days.  It took me 50 minutes to drive less than 10 miles and 30 minutes to drive more than 20.  All in all, it took me more than an hour and a half to get there.  Still, I will pick up my car on Wednesday and it will be road ready for my trip to WI on Friday.