Another Graduate!

One of our favorite foster guide dogs, Todd, graduated on Saturday.

 

He's on his way to Twin Falls, Idaho.  We both love him so much.  In fact, George once said that if  Todd didn't make it as a guide then we should adopt him. He would have been a perfect pet but we are both happy that he was successful with his training and that he'll spend his life giving this very nice woman independence! Way to go Todd!

2 1/2 Years Later and I Still Love Paul!

 

George knows how to make me happy!  When he heard that Paul McCartney was coming to Portland, he called and asked me if I wanted to go.  Only one answer to that - YES!  Our friends the Mathews and the Lowes came.  An absolutely perfect night!

First song "Hard Days Night" - 2nd time he's performed it as a solo artist, the 1st was the night before in Fresno.  That opening guitar cord sure brought back memories to this Beatles fan!

And he went on from there with everything from "Love Me Do" to  "We Can Work It Out" to "Band on the Run," as well as recent Rihanna and Kanye West collaboration "FourFiveSeconds."
"Live and Let Die" featured blasting pyrotechnics, sprays of lasers and climactic fireworks.  Another of my favorites was his tribute to George Harrison singing "Something", starting off with uke-only and ending with a fantastic full band. 

 To quote from the on-line review of the night:

All of it was joyous, exuberant, a gift from one of the world's greatest songwriters to the fans who have followed him for decades.

That's 5+ decades for me!


 Calling a McCartney gig a concert is like calling "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" a movie. The legacy, the nostalgia, the expectations—McCartney understands all of it. His "One on One" show rolled out the expected lighting rigs and video screens, but the real stagecraft was his storytelling: he touched on playing ukulele with Harrison, meeting Russian officials who learned English from Beatles songs, being nervous in the studio recording "Love Me Do" with late producer George Martin, and penning "Blackbird" to support the 1960s civil rights movement. These moments from rock history were funny and humble, €”or as humble as one can be about, say, Jimi Hendrix learning your new song in two days, as the guitar god did for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" upon its release. On Friday, McCartney returned the tribute with an instrumental jam through "Foxy Lady," taking his major guitar solo for the evening.

He even mentioned my home state of Arkansas as he explained the writing of "Blackbird" saying, "I heard about civil rights in places like Alabama and Arkansas and wrote the song in support."  It is a beautiful song!

 

His voice is not quite as smooth and strong as it once was but it is still great.  I told George that if he comes back in a couple of years and isn't using a walker and if we aren't using walkers, I want to go again!

April General Conference

Last weekend was our semi-annual General Conference, the weekend when millions of Mormons listen to 10 hours of talks from our General Church leaders which are broadcast from Salt Lake City in five session; three on Saturday and two on Sunday.  Also on the Saturday night before General Conference we get an added 1 1/2 hour broadcast meant especially for the women and girls from ages 8 up!  I look forward to these meetings and not just because I get to stay home and 'watch' church in my pajamas!

The Women's Conference introduced a new emphasis for our church that is so exciting.  Did you know that there are about 60 million refugees, including forcibly displaced people worldwide and that half of them are children? According to the UN, 1 in every 122 humans has been forced to flee their homes.  That is shocking! Through a new relief effort called, "I Was a Stranger" the members of our church have been  asked to 'prayerfully determine what you can do to serve the refugees living in your neighborhoods and communities.  This is an opportunity to serve one on one, in families, and by organizations to offer friendship, mentoring, and other Christlike service".

Linda K Burton, the General President of our women's organization which is called the 'Relief Society', when speaking of meeting refugees encouraged us to ask ourselves this question:

Here are a few more quotes that touched my soul and inspired me to try harder, to be kinder, more grateful, and a lot more loving!

I feel so blessed!