Epic Quest to Find Beatles Music!

Me with the guys from "No Fly Music" who played FABULOUS Beatles music at Hayward Memorial park!

These guys knew all the words to the songs -- John and Dave! they were GREAT! I look tired -- that's cuz between working late and dancing the night away, I must admit I was kinda tired!

No Fly List at the Sports Page, YAAAAYYY!

Here I am with a couple of guys from a local Hayward band called "No Fly List." They played and sang Beatles music this past Sunday at Hayward Memorial Park along with two guys who also performed Beatles music who call themselves "Two Of Us." I had never heard of either band before, but I was surprisingly impressed by them...the lead singer here is way too young to really remember when the Beatles made their debut, however, he and his band, including an upright bass player, sounded fabulous as they belted out Beatles songs such as "I'm a Loser" and "Things We Said Today" and "Cry Baby Cry."

I had never been to Hayward Memorial Park and all sorts of things were going on this past Sunday, the huge Art & Wine Festival in Mountain View, etc. But I'd remembered that someone had mentioned Beatles music near Union City where I live now on Sunday. I don't know Union City or the surrounding area very well at all because we just moved here in February and I'm usually over near Mountain View where I work and where I've lived for many years, or on musical adventures in Santa Cruz or San Francisco...so here I was alone on a Sunday afternoon. Jeremy, Jen and Baby J left to watch the 49ers game at a friend's house...

I also found very little info on the local bands or even on Hayward Memorial Park which is right off Mission Blvd., so it was easy to find. At first, when I saw the sign for the park and a rather old building with a dated, slightly rusty sign that said "Hayward Plunge" on it, I felt a little dubious, wondering what to expect. I couldn't really see the park, just a few trees and perhaps a small playground and sidewalk. The Hayward Plunge was obviously a public pool -- I wasn't sure whether it still operated.

I parked the car in what I hoped would be a safe parking spot and walked around the building. That's when I heard Beatles music drifting through the air, and saw a large stage with steps and cement in front and a lovely park -- grass surrounded by tall oak and eucalyptus trees -- families and people of all ages sitting on the grass or on lawn chairs, small children running around. Off to the side of the stage, I saw people playing chess at picnic tables and another group selling hot dogs and drinks. Beatles music played, kids danced around -- I talked to a 90-year-old woman and her son...the woman said she used to be a Beatles fan back in the day!! Kids with chalk drew murals and pictures on a wall...a lady danced and skipped into the park wearing sun dress and tennis shoes, dragging a small dog along with her. It wasn't too crowded though -- as I listened to the music and looked at the stage, I thought -- wow! Why don't more people know about this fabulous place? It's perfect for outdoor concerts with that nice stage and lots of shade or sunshine, whatever you prefer, to sit in? It was like finding a rough, rare gem -- one of those places only the locals seem to know about...and the band, No Fly List, sounded good! I ran back to my car and got my chair and my 8-string uke -- just for fun this time. Turns out this event was to benefit the local high school choir -- and I was able to get cold water, diet soda, a hot dog, an apple for whatever I wanted to donate.

No Fly List rockin' it! a band called "Two of Us" also played Beatles songs (before I got there).

It was a perfect, beautiful day -- low key, not too crowded, but enough people. An older lady came over to dance with me...I played along on uke when I could...During the break, some kids from the high school choir sang Beatles songs. and the guys from No Fly List play locally in and around Hayward...hard to believe I used to have a boyfriend from Hayward back in the 1970s...his family lived there, and I actually spent some time there back then...the exboyfriend introduced me to his high school friend Sonny (whose real name was Wade) but I always called him Sonny...he had a round face and the most beautiful smile. The boyfriend left but I remained friends with Sonny, who lived in Hayward, until he passed away in 1992 right after Megan was born...he drove a Ranchero and said that "back in the day" he'd cruise up and down the strip and get to 100 mpg! I wondered if it was Mission Blvd that I'd just driven down...and smiled, remembering how Sonny taught me how to water ski when I was around 18 or 19...on the Delta and how he'd say the water looked like glass...many years later, he took my kids down to the delta in his boat and showed them how to ride a boogie board. Even his wife knew we were best friends. he loved Hayward and knew where all the local places were...I'll bet he knew about this park too...and he was probably here back in the day...how had I forgotten about that?

I stayed until the music stopped.

I ran into them again last Friday night at the Sports Page right here in Mountain View where I work!

THE MAGICAL, MUSICAL WEEKEND TOUR. It all began Friday night after a long day of work...when I decided to stop in at the Sports Page in Mountain View because the band I'd discovered a week earlier, No Fly List, was playing there...I'd never been to the place before -- tucked in between the Shoreline Amphitheater, the sprawling Google campus and the movie theaters...the bar was colorful, open, festive and fun -- not too many people when I first arrived so I could sit at one of the tables. The band played "I'll Cry Instead" and I loved the Beatles music...figured I'd stay for a little while and then head home to Union City, but then...!!!! I met these two computer programmer guys who knew all the words to the Beatles songs and we danced and sang along to the songs -- then other people showed up and Hey Jude was played three times in one night -- the last time me and all these people swayed with arms on shoulders back and forth singing Hey Jude at the tops of our lungs! GOOD TIMES on a Friday night...desperately needed after a particularly stressful week.

My Epic Adventures (August 2012)

Day 1 of EPIC ADVENTURE

Spent all day at the Auburn Ukulele Festival up in the hills!!! had soooo much fun...Stu's Strumbelievable workshop was STRUMBELIEVABLE...we played and played..and I flipped out when the Strum Bums played Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds on uke! fabulous people and fun! spending the night at Sue and Ed's pad in Elverta...hittin' the road and heading north on I-5 tomorrow morn...next stop...Tacoma, WA, with a stop in Ashland, OR on the way...GOTTA walk around downtown and hang out at Cripple Creek Music Store there...just for a little while of course!!! see ya on the road of LIFE!

Day 2 of EPIC ADVENTURE

Coming to you from Motel 6 (how exciting yeah!) in Roseburg, OR (even more exciting)! said good-bye to my awesome friends Ed & Sue...then headed north. it was a day of firsts and mishaps...first, for once I was actually HAPPY to get pulled over by a cop -- because the GPS chick went bezerk and sent me down the wrong path...ended up in Marysville off Highway 70 instead of...I-5 which I kept thinking was around the bend...a young dude at Arco mumbled something about Chico and Oroville..? Cop was concerned cuz I slowed down and caused a traffic jam behind me apparently...but he gave me awesome "short cut" detailed directions on how to get back on track...roads that no doubt Miss GPS and non-local people would have no clue of...! yay for the cop (this time!)...another first...I really ordered from the "senior" menu at a Denny's - egg white omelette with oatmeal! does that sound senior enough?! Oh yeah! LOVED it, whipped out ID for the server and everything! drove in HOT weather, had to stop a lot to hydrate...stretch...man just can't drive for 14 hours straight anymore! stopped in Ashland and walked around downtown...past Cripple Creek Music although it was closed...UKULELES in the window -- OF COURSE! :) Now I'm here...at a cheap Motel 6 (not that fancy Seven Feathers Casino place I had to pull into cuz the neon lights flashed "A Hard Day's Night Beatles Tribute Show!" -- that was around...ummm...not sure what town it was near. already missed the show, rooms too spendy but wow, stellar indoor pool! I will be in Tacoma, WA by early afternoon (I hope!!!)

Photos of Day 2 Epic Adventure

DAY 3 OF EPIC ADVENTURE

I MADE IT! I am finally in Tacoma, Washington!!!! yayyy!!! the drive through Oregon and Washington was way more pleasant cuz it wasn't as hot....had to get an oil change in Roseburg, OR...luckily all is well with car, whew! I highly recommend Oil Can Henry's where you sit in the car while all these dudes wearing bow ties come running out to help you and dote on your umm......car, yeah! Such cute young men.  Soooo cool!!! lots of memories filled me up as I drove through Salem, Oregon and made that trek to Tacoma, WA as I'd done so many times with a carload of kids...arrived this evening and went out to dinner with Julie Pettibone and her kids, Ethan & Hinley...(Heidi's grandkids...at Securo's...amazed at what fabulous, smart insightful kids they are...they rock! seems like just yesterday when my own kids were around 10 and 12...here just for a day and then heading back down to Oregon...

Photos of Day 3 Epic Adventure

DAY 4 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

12-year-old Ethan fixed breakfast for us all...hung with Julie and kids all morning and then dropped them off at car shop...heidi's car also in shop today so I did all driving through areas I'm not familiar with....of course Heidi and I got lost in Seattle...we found that big building where my friend Vikki works and then somehow ended up in a tunnel..which took us far away......but eventually we made it. TOTAL Heidi adventure! had a GREAT visit and lunch with vikki!! the view from the 51st floor in seattle is FAB! had a picnic at heidi's with Heidi's son Dougie and Sonja...they're having a baby soon...hangin' with Heidi tonight...leaving super EARLY tomorrow morning...headed for Newport to have lunch with my mother's friends...I'll be where the "book" begins...then to Corvallis to see Colleen...she asked if I brought any ukes with me and I told her I brought two and she said, "Cool, we can jam!"

Photos of Day 4 Epic Adventure

DAY 5 OF EPIC ADVENTURE

(warning: this had to be longer than usual. Read at your own risk!).

Got up at 5:30am this morning and it was still sort of dark. SCARY! (I never get up this early!) Had coffee with Heidi, said good-bye and then headed south to Newport, Oregon to meet my mother’s long-time friends (who are family to me), Vicki and Auntie Jann and Joel. How fabulously ironic that we met at a...restaurant called “Flashbacks” (which by the way I’ve been having all day long!) and how even more fabulously ironic that Flashbacks is an awesome restaurant Vicki picked out for us to meet that happens to be right across the street from where my mother lived for many years, and where that tiny apartment my kids and I shared when we first returned from Germany. The day was cool and clear as I drove down the Pacific Coast Highway (101). My ipod, which I had set to shuffle, played “If You’re Going to San Francisco, Be Sure to Wear a Flower In Your Hair!” as I drove past the State office buildings, the laundromatte and I pulled into the small parking lot of Flashbacks which wasn’t there back in 1986. I had a fabulous visit and lunch with Vicki, Jan and Joel, only missing Bill who couldn’t make it – we talked about life and family and my mother and it made me happy to hear that my mother’s “spirit” is alive and well among their circle. They still remember her and think of her all the time – Posters from the 1960s adorned all the walls of Flashback’s – some of which I actually own! And some cool Beatles pictures too. The “jukebox” played mostly Beatles music, lots of songs from The White Album. They warned me that Nye Beach had gone “yuppy.” Jan was not happy but Vicki said it’s still a cool place. They all looked so vibrant, happy and full of life…we finally parted ways – Vicki pointed out the cheap motel next to the restaurant and said that’s where Mom would stay when the winds came because the building she lived in across the street wasn’t stable. The building is torn down now…just recently.

Nye Beach has indeed become “YUPPIFIED.” What would my mother have thought of that?? She loved Nye Beach. It was probably her favorite place in the world. At first it was a bit jarring to see this transformation – even some “modern” apartments built above coffee shops and cafes – but luckily all the old houses are still there…it was cold, crystal clear and windy on the beach and I could see Yaquina Head Lighthouse – a beacon n the distance – we’d scattered Mom’s ashes a mile off that lighthouse…I remembered. I walked around looking for signs of what was, finding some amid the shops and cafes and more modern looking stuff, which isn’t always a bad thing I guess. On my way out of Newport, I had to make one more stop – to the end of 10th Street near Jump Off Joe’s – I turned the corner and saw the buildings – low income housing – where the kids and I moved after a year in the tiny apartment. We thought we were moving to the fanciest most incredible place ever back then. Oh and I did not see one nice car parked in front of the buildings – one car kept together with duct tape, all run down – oh together with duct tape, all run down – so much for people on assistance driving expensive cars. I’ll bet half those families don’t even have a car. They probably walk with their kids everywhere – in strollers if they’re little, like we did – but I left this place by the ocean all for that dream – the “good” job that would make all of our lives so much better…maybe it was a bad choice. Not just one bad choice either. Maybe I should have stayed in Newport and never left – we had this place by the ocean and I let it go.

I jumped into the car and headed out of Newport, on Hwy 20 to Corvallis to visit another long-time friend, Colleen. I hadn’t seen her since 1998 when I graduated from college. Steve Parker had introduced us back in 1987 at a Macintosh User’s Group meeting in Corvallis and we became instant friends – our kids played together – we both ended up with 4 kids. And here I sit right now at the same dining room we all sat around so many years ago – I can still see our kids running around…tomorrow to Salem, Portland – and then FINALLY tomorrow night at this time I’ll be at the Sunset Surf Motel in Manzanita, Oregon following the dream.

Photos of Day 5 Epic Adventure

DAY 6 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

Coming to you from Manzanita, Oregon!! Yes this place really does exist (although I saw NO signs for this town on the road until I got here). It’s almost like a dream – a room overlooking the ocean...I’ve fantasized about this for so many years. I meet fellow writers and Jennifer Lauck tomorrow morning at 10am at a cabin (which I hope I can find!). I’m beyond excited yet ...nervous all at the same time. This is living the dream…I’m here ‘til Monday morning. Today was fabulous! I hung out with my long-time friend Colleen at her house this morning. She took me to a coffee shop right across fro the OSU campus in Corvallis, OR for coffee and lunch – her art will be displayed there in a week. Then we went to her favorite music store so that I could get a new tuner (I keep losing my tuners for my ukes!). Luckily Colleen has a baby grand piano in her living room which is perfect for tuning musical instruments at her house – and Colleen plays so beautifully. I remembered that from back in the day when our kids were young – how she played piano and sang – professionally even. I gasped when I saw that beautiful Chickering upright piano sitting so elegantly among a bunch of guitars…it looked EXACTLY like the Chickering upright that sat in our living room throughout my childhood, the same piano my grandfather gave my mother for her eighth birthday. Mom never really learned to play but she kept the piano. I loved that piano so much, although I never really learned to play that well…could it be the same piano? No way! But what if it was the same piano? I had no way of figuring out what to look for. Mom sold the piano in 1989 or 1990 when she fell upon hard times – in Newport, Oregon and Corvallis isn’t far from Newport and…warm, happy memories filled my heart as I pondered.

We finally left the music store and The Beanery was right across the street – a coffee shop I remembered from the 1980’s when we lived in Corvallis – did they still have that Epicurian Spice tea I loved so much that I’ve never found anywhere else, I wondered? Colleen and I walked into the shop and we found the Epicurian spice tea! That’s when I remembered my mother and I sipping on that tea using a “tea ball” for the tea leaves that second night when I returned from Germany with my kids. They had their days and nights mixed up and ran amuck in the middle of the night while we sat at the cart table in the tiny kitchen and sipped that tea…

And of course I could not leave before Colleen and I had a chance to play more music together! We sang and played Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head and other songs ending with Ukulele Lady – so fun! Even when our kids were young, all running around the house and playing, Colleen played music and sang – and we talked about cool, creative stuff. Now the kids are grown yet nothing has changed. The years since 1998 when we last saw each other melted away. We reloaded the car with suitcase, backpack, ukuleles and headed down the road this time destination Manzanita!!! My GPS chick (whom I still don’t trust completely) said it would take 2 hours 35 minutes and 117 miles. I drove down Highway 99…I used to drive this road every day when the kids and I moved from low income housing in Newport, Oregon to Adair Village in Corvallis – to the State office job in Salem, Oregon. I had forgotten how rural the area was around Corvallis and how I had to drive to get anywhere. Little Beavers Daycare is still there! My kids went to preschool and after school program there – they loved that place. Jeremy learned to ride a two-wheeler there, the kids learned to swim at OSU. Then I passed Adair Village where we lived for a year and a half before I finally moved to Keizer, Oregon closer to my work. It was a cool place for the kids – but so was the cul-de-sac in Keizer, Oregon – that whole guilt thing cropped up again – moving my kids around all over the place. Just keep on driving, I thought. But when I drove through Monmouth, Oregon, I had to drive past Western Oregon University where I went to school for several years before moving to California – got my Bachelor’s degree in English there. Those were wonderful times yet bittersweet as Mom was diagnosed with cancer and passed away six months before I graduated. She was thrilled I’d finally gone back to college. “You’re 38 years old – it’s about time you read Shakespeare!” she said. I’d drop Megan off at the Teaching Research Center where she met her first friend (she was not quite three then)…

And now I’m here in beautiful Manzanita. My room overlooks the ocean the “healing place.” The reality here hasn’t quite hit yet – I’m really here. I can hear the waves and see the ocean and smell the salty air…the writing journey begins tomorrow.

Photos of Day 6 Epic Adventure

DAY SEVEN OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

As I write this I sit here in my room looking out at the ocean. The half moon glows and lights up the ocean and it’s turned orange. I’ve had an amazing and productive day and have decided that THIS is the ideal life. It goes something like this. Wake up in the morning to the sound of the rhythm of the ocean waves. Make coffee and prepare for meeting with other writers ...at a cabin – walk alongside the ocean and up the hill to the meeting place and collaborate with several other writers for three hours – discuss concrete details vs. abstract details and story structure. Walk back down the hill with backpack, etc. and stop at the Sand Bar Pub for a lovely salad and iced tea. Marvel at how the pub looks like the inside of a ship. Discover that a Led Zeppelin tribute band is playing at the Sand Bar Pub on Saturday night and decide you WILL be there to dance with the band. Walk back to room, drop off stuff and change into shorts and sandals. Walk on the cool and windy beach on a beautiful clear day and notice that the ocean water is actually warm in some areas. Watch three birds glide with the wind and the para sailors on the beach. Notice how beautiful it is on the beach and how the sand looks like desert sand in some areas – yet it’s cool and windy and not hot. Be one with the ocean. Head back up to the room and rewrite an entire scene from my book. Eat a quick dinner and then walk back up the hill again to meet with Jennifer Lauck and other writers. Read my revised scene to three different people. Finally discover what I really need to do to finish my book – it should’ve been clear as day a long time ago. Get excited because you know what you need to do. THIS is the life, living the dream!!!

Photos of Day 7 Epic Adventure

DAY 8 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

Still in Manzanita and living the dream! Today I came to the conclusion that writing is just like learning to play a musical instrument. You just have to practice and keep doing it. My friend Heidi is here from Washington!! After the morning writing session, we walked on the beach and a sea gull sat on the railing right outside my motel room. When I walked into the house, ...he walked down the railing and peered at me through the window – stalked by Jonathan Livingston Seagull, yay! I wrote for a couple of hours and then headed out for the evening writing group session at the cottage house. THEN we went to the Sand Dune Pub and ROCKED OUT to this really cool Led Zeppelin tribute band called Ramble On. They were awesome!!! I danced like crazy!!! Another fabulous day in Manzanita PARADISE! Oh there’s a sign on the wall at the Sand Dune Pub that says, “Whatever happens in Manzanita stays in Manzanita!” too funny! signing out...!!!

Photos of Day 8 Epic Adventure

DAY 9 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

It’s my last night in Manzanita sad to say and it was the last day of the writing retreat. I love this place even when it’s raining. We could hear the rain fall as we sat in our sanctuary, me and the other fabulous writers – for a five and a half hour workshop marathon. The clouds drifted in early this morning, but that didn’t stop me from swimming in the heated pool when ...I awoke. Then I worked on a piece to be workshopped today and found a lovely quaint store called Salt and Paper where they print copies for you – the younger local woman who worked there and helped me out blushed when a cop showed up with a coffee for her. “Here’s your coffee, they ran out of doughnuts!” he said. She laughed and they gazed into each other’s eyes as I stood at the counter waiting for my copies and for the staples for the stapler I needed to use for my copies. Awww, too sweet. What an amazing time I’ve had with an amazing group of writers! Didn’t think it was possible to learn so much. We all shared incredible stories – and I felt sad saying farewell to everyone…many special moments shared. But the biggest gift of all? I’m writing again. Every day. So even as I return home – back to my chaotic life and my family and full-time job, I will carry my words with me and remember this special place. And yes, I will be back! Tonight, my last night here, I sit here with the fire warming my feet – the sliding glass door is open a little so I can hear the waves of the ocean. Tomorrow the journey home begins. But tonight, in this moment, I am still here listening to the ocean waves.

Photos of Day 9 Epic Adventure

DAY 10 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

This morning, my last morning in Manzanita, Oregon, I flung open the curtains of my modest little motel room and the sun shined and danced upon the waves, the entire Pacific Ocean stretched out in front of me. The rain and the clouds of yesterday are just a mere memory for now. The view took my breath away as I opened the sliding glass door and sucked in the cool, salty a...ir. I called the front desk and asked if I could leave a little later than 11am and the lady gave me ‘til noon, yay, one extra hour! So I swam in the heated pool along with a bunch of young kids with the same idea – met a couple from Canada who also fell in love with Manzanita just as I had. As I floated in the pool, I remembered something Jennifer L. said at the writing retreat – “The work we’re doing is a labor of love. It’s all about love.” Yes, I thought, that’s what it is…it’s what keeps me going – and why I must do this every day – for the sake of love. I saw a tiny boy with goggles and swim trunks jump into the water – soon enough my little grandson Baby Jeremiah will be there too…it all happens so fast. It seemed to be just yesterday when my kids jumped and played in pools like this…It didn’t bother me to swim with a bunch of splashing yelling kids. They were having fun and that was okay…all is well with the world.

I said good-bye to my long-time friend Heidi who had driven down to hang out in Manzanita with me for a couple of days – when I wasn’t at my writing. As I waved good-bye to Heidi as she drove off in her van, I smiled and remembered all of our “adventures” over the years. It was no big deal for us to jump into whatever car was available, many times kids in tow, and head off on adventures in Germany when our kids were small. Soon it was time for me to pack up everything and say good-bye to Room 38 at the Sunset Surf Motel in Manzanita, Oregon VOWING to myself to return to this magical place. Once I had everything packed into the car, I gazed over at the beach – what a perfect day. I decided I had to walk on the beach. And so I did, basking in the sunshine and feeling the warmish water against my feet and ankles – this water wasn’t any colder than the water in Santa Cruz, I thought. My brother Michael called me and we made plans to meet at the Lloyd Center in Portland later that afternoon – with my brother Michael, sister-in-law Sharon and my three beautiful nieces. My oldest niece is having a baby any day now!

So I said farewell to Manzanita just for NOW and headed to Portland, Oregon. I only got a little lost and my GPS attempted to take me on a very scenic route, but this time I ignored her and went the way my brother informed me to go – I just cannot trust that GPS chick. I hadn’t driven my car at all since arriving in Manzanita last Thursday. I found my brother and his family at the food court near the ice skating rink at the Lloyd Center – Merehuka looked radiant and very pregnant – blew my mind. I really liked her boyfriend Celio and am impressed with them. They have a plan. Of course babies have a way of changing all plans, and I wasn’t sure whether to share this with Merehuka. My twin nieces, TeRuiHui and Rangitau have grown so much! At 14, they’re taller than I am. They love “Korean Pop” music and tell me they dance to it. I will have to look up this genre of music which I am completely unfamiliar with. My brother asked all about the writing retreat – he’s working on a dissertation for his Ph.D. right now. Now the “urgency” of finishing my book, the labor of love, is more prevalent and close to my heart than ever. We had a fabulous visit and then I said good-bye and we parted ways. This time when I jumped into the car, I pressed “Go home” on my GPS. I don’t always trust Miss GPS chick, but somehow I think she knows the way home. Tonight is my last night in Oregon. By tomorrow night at this time I will be home.

Photos of Day 10 Epic Adventure

DAY 11 OF EPIC ADVENTURE.

I am home. It was a long journey...I kept the adventure going just as long as I could...stopped in Ashland, Oregon...hung out at Cripple Creek Music and played guitars and ukuleles...NOTE TO SELF: Beware of hanging out in music stores too long...it's waaayyy too tempting. I have enough musical instruments for now! One of the guys who works there remembered me from over a ...year ago when I hung out there (June 2011)! and he was nice to me when I asked if they had capos for ukuleles too! (the guy at the music store in Corvallis yelled at me when I asked for a ukulele capo..."We don't have them and besides, you don't need one! just play the bar chords!" he ranted on and on...well DUH! Like I don't know. But sometimes it is nice to have a capo right? so the capo for ukuleles exists, yay! got one. plus I got to hear the guy who sold me said capo impress me with his stellar licks on guitar and ukulele...! stopped at a book store (NOTE TO SELF: beware of book stores!)...got a book about George Harrison's spiritual journey...walked through Lithia Park...saw many musicians playing various instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, you name it...a couple sitting on a bench reading shakespeare to one another...sweet...lots of academic-looking older people...kids and families...even met a group of people from Corvallis who know my friend Colleen! wow! finally I reluctantly left and drove the final 360-mile stretch home...no sun beating down on the car this time...reality is about to hit me HARD in just a few hours...signing off...

Photos of Day 11 Epic Adventure

I Can't Drive 55...even if I tried!!!

So the circle of life continues...and here I sit at my favorite coffee shop, the safe haven I've returned to for so many years...ever since I can remember. I can still see Aaron behind the counter or over at the voluminous roasting oven...his bare muscled tattooed arms held out so my young red headed daughter Megan could swing on them and Aaron could yell, "I'm going to sell you to the gypsies!" And Megan would laugh as I sat here perhaps right at this table reading and writing...

How did it happen? How did Megan grow up and the teenagers all became grown ups. And yeah, how did I turn 55? Well, I'm here to tell you that age is relative...and I still can't drive 55!!! or even 65 for that matter...or whenever I get the chance.

This morning I got up early for a Saturday morning...I had to head over the hill to Santa Cruz to play ukulele on the beach with 75 to 100 other crazy people. They were doing my song list this week...the one I'd created...

here's the songlist -- the one I created, realizing that I forgot When I'm 64... but oh well.

so these are the songs we sang this morning... I had invited all of my kids and some of my friends to come on down to the beach...a beautiful beach by the harbor complete with lighthouse...coffee shop and restaurant right there... everything you can possibly imagine, even surfers and sailboats drifting by as we all sang and played ukuleles...the conga drums and dude on upright bass keeping time.. I was amazed that everyone wasn't all excited to get up early and head over... it is just so beautiful...

In the end it was just me by myself who headed over the hill...and in the end, we are all alone on our life journey although we encounter many people along the way, especially those we love family and friends... yes my friend Albert showed up a bit late... and once I got there, I wasn't alone...playing and singing with all of my ukulele playing friends... I've found my "group" a community that I feel as if I totally belong, among these crazy ukulele players... it's wonderful! and I could've easily played longer than 2 hours...this morning I decided to bring my 8-string ukulele...somehow it seemed like the right ukulele to play...

I mean it's not like I went to bed early last night or anything. I am part of several meetup groups, including one called 40 plus singles... they have all kinds of activities and last night there was a free dance class at this dance studio in Mountain View by the movie theater. I don't do much with this group -- mostly I do stuff having to do with the music groups..but thought it would be fun. I even managed to talk my coworker Leslie into going -- it was only fair since she talked me into going to a rock climbing event earlier in the week!!

of course we didn't realize that there was a big concert at the Shoreline and we'd get stuck in traffic just driving across Mountain View...then the trippiest thing happened when I called my good friend Albert up and found out that not only was he also stuck in traffic, but he was coming to this dance event! I was so surprised. I didn't even know he belonged to that group on meetup, nor did I ever believe he would even want to learn how to dance the cha cha and the tango (I was a little nervous about this as well)... and all fees were waived for members of our group, free night of dance lessons! There was salsa too and some sort of swing dancing...

so yes we got there late and I realized how wrong I was to dress comfortably in tennies and comfy pants... Leslie was dressed casually too, although she wanted to go home and change...she is more knowledgeable on these things than I am...I'm used to rock n' roll shows and ukulele singalongs and folk music stuff... what do I know about dance studios?

Most of the chicks in the rather large dance studio filled with several huge rooms and mirrors were dressed like they were getting ready to be on Dancing With the Stars! Seriously! Then I even found out as we signed in with our group that the chick who owns this dance studio was apparently on Dancing With the Stars. That figures.

The dance lessons had already begun began we were late...Leslie said she felt weird because we really dressed for learning these dances...how do these women dance in high heeled shoes like that I wondered? they must've taken lessons just to learn to dance like that? And look at those beautiful dresses. I don't even own attire like that...I do have boots..but I felt kind of weird too as we were wisked into a room where everyone was learning this swing dance that involved triple steps and this instructor guy or whoever he was attempted to show me how to do the dance...I sort of got it. My tennis shoes gripped the floor though, so I couldn't easily slide around or twirl around like all those people dressed to the hilt...

what the heck am I doing here? oh well, might as well go with it. Suddenly we were learning the tango...Leslie caught on faster than me I think tennies and all...I was sort of getting it...but I don't have a clue how to follow another dancer, which is what I'm supposed to do. All I know how to do is get out on the dance floor and boogie down...that's what I DO for heaven's sake!!! but these dancing with the stars people looked cool the way they danced...could I ever dance like that? I doubt it.

Albert showed up and I waved at him...my music playing buddy whom I hung out with at the Reno Ukulele Festival and Burning Uke and various other music-related things..never dancing though. He said he wanted to learn salsa. that looked way harder even than what we were doing, but Leslie and I finally made our way over there where everyone was learning this 1-2-3 move...basic and how to turn around in three steps...and slide and do all this other stuff...then we had partners and we switched partners...I felt sorry for my partners because I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing... one older guy actually went through the moves with me and I was grateful to him.

In the end we had a fabulous time...but I felt like a fish out of water! We then went to downtown Mountain View to my favorite Chinese restaurant which I'd recommended to the gang because I knew it happened to be open until midnight, Kirin...smiling as I walked in through the backdoor, showing Leslie a new place...Albert meeting us there. so many memories of eating here with Megan when she was little, and all of my kids, my family....it's a rather authentic Chinese restaurants with fish tanks (that was what Megan and I first noticed when she was young...look Mom, fish!" and the restaurant was open late... great place...even the gang that was already almost done eating agreed the food was good there.. that it was not Americanized at all... Albert loved the place, the old school ambience. I noticed the same people still worked there just as they had for so many years...they still speak very little English and it's no use going to their website because it's still in Chinese. But the menu has English translations..not always perfect translations, but close enough. I love Kirin Restaurant!

Then we parted ways because, after all, I had a big day ahead with Santa Cruz and all... and that's where I was this morning...and here I sit now on my way back home...

Stevie and Liezl came over and we all ate barbecue when I finally made it home. We sat around and chilled afterwards, and then I remembered the Megatones were playing at Number One Broadway and my friends would be there.

So I got to Number One Broadway late...and I'm so glad I went! we had so much fun!!! I got to dance with cool guys from Korea who had never danced before...now they have something to talk about back home...! and the Megatones...

Me with Phoenix, and the two guys from Korea (who work for Samsung) whom I danced the night away with!

And you can imagine how surprised I was to hear the Megatones play...Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band -- just fo rme! :) FABULOUS!

what a perfect way to end my bday!

Which Direction Do I Go?

Today was filled with so many choices and possibilities...I had no idea which way to turn. I woke up late because I didn't get home until 3:00 a.m. I guess it serves me right for deciding to go to Woodham's, my old hangout place I rarely go to these days. The ukulele has pretty much taken over my life, and definitely will continue to. But today I took a break from the ukulele. Last night, I have to admit there was a ukulele involved. The evening began innocently enough -- with an office party at one of our attorney's homes...it was a lovely party where people serve you drinks at the door, totally catered. We all felt so pampered -- It was like being in one of those surreal TV shows with cocktail parties. A band of four guys who looked kinda of bored played "soft jazz" music out in the yard on the grass behind the "open bar." It wasn't even the good, exciting type of jazz but it almost reminded me of "elevator music." Of course the music added to the ambience -- a little bit. The bartender was much more interesting. He made me a drink he called a "Daisy." He talked about how margaritas back in the day were not like the ones you see now, those huge blended drinks in giant glasses with decorations on them. No, they used to be "light," a shot of good tequila (Petron) with a dash of sweet and sour and grenadine and I think there was something else too, but I don't remember what it was. 

So I sipped on the drinks and socialized, attempting to "mingle" with my coworkers. I love my coworkers, don't get me wrong but mingling with them at parties isn't always easy -- except for my closer friends. I felt "happy" for a while...we ate lovely food and I sat at a table with my friends and ended up having a good time in spite of the band. Then I attended a singalong jam that apparently has been happening for many years at this one guy's house. I had to find the house on a very dark street in Los Altos but the steps were all lit up...walking up the steps was like walking through a light tunnel, but the house and everyone in it was warm and inviting...most people just sang songs reading the lyrics from these songbooks...my friend Bruce played keyboard and guitar...he was the best musician in the room. I met him because he runs a new meetup group called Eat, Drink and Sing -- he had just moved to San Francisco and wanted to start a new group. I played my ukulele! we sang Beatles songs and other cool songs that I liked and then I headed off to my old hangout place I hadn't been to in ages, Woodham's, where I ran into my friends Larry and his band After Sunset...the minute I walked in, Larry and the band started playing Twist and Shout...SOOO COOL!!! I saw people I hadn't seen in ages and at 1am we were all still dancing and singing... 

So yeah I slept in Saturday -- but there was soo much to do and no way to figure out what. I felt almost immobilized as I dragged myself into the shower at noon and attempted to sort it all out in my head... Okay, there's the Beatles "Sing" at the Chit Chat Cafe in Pacifica right by the ocean. That starts at 2pm... I could possibly zip over there, but what about the Los Altos Art & Wine Festival where two of my favorite local bands were playing, Blue House and the Megatones??? that also began at 2pm... 

Not to mention the evening where things really got sticky...the KihnCert at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View promised a good time with the likes of Pat Benetar and Steve Miller Band!! and I could've probably gotten a relatively cheap ticket. An awesome ukulele player, Brittini Paiva, was playing at my beloved strum shop all the way up in Roseville, CA where I won my Nalu ukulele... do I make the trek? THEN, to top everything off, my friends invited me to the Corn Festival in Brentwood to hang out and AC/D-SHE and Pablo Cruise, among others...! I'd never been to the Corn Festival, yet I'd been to plenty of Art & Wine Festivals and knew what they were like. 

the day progressed yet I still sat at home...dealing with daughter Megan who was visiting for a "short time" between her crazy, mixed up dramatic life as an almost 20-year-old... I hung out with Baby Jeremiah for a while thinking, okay if I don't do something, I won't do ANYTHING>..

by 5pm, I knew my choices were becoming more limited -- the Corn Festival it is! So I got in my car and headed towards Brentwood, a town I'd never even been to before driving on a 2 lane road for about 16 miles right past those weird, windmill looking things you only see in the distance from the freeway, but now they were practically right in front of me as I drove over the hill...it was dry and dusty out there, not damp like the coastal drive. I listened to my GPS and also tried to read the piece of paper I'd printed out since I had no idea where the heck I was going and Brentwood seemed like a small town. When I finally found the Corn Fest parking area, I couldn't believe it cost money to park  -- what can you do. It was so dusty and dry out there that at first I wondered if I'd even made the right decision to go out there...reminded me too much of Porterville, that weird, dusty town in the middle of nowhere I'd lived at for one year ten months and five days.

But here I was, and it was a little after 6pm. The AC/D-SHE band probably just started and I'd already missed the Groove Kings. It was hot, but not humid...got my ticket to get into what looked like a giant carnival having to do with corn and walked into the dusty area...had to get tokens just to get cold water, heard a country western band sing a Ringo Starr song..."They're gonna put me in the movies...they're gonna make a big star out of me!" I felt bad because hardly anyone stood in front of the stage...I knew that wasn't the stage I was supposed to meet my friends at -- it was, I was told, on the other end of the festival. I had to walk through a carnival area, almost getting run over by exciting kids a couple of times, and then I could hear the unmistakable AC/DC music played by the all female band, AC-D-she...and wow, they rocked! Found the stage...filled with people all over the place and there were even bleachers filled with more people...how does one find anyone here, I thought? I started rocking to the music with people I didn't know and then my good friend Michael tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up to the very top of one of the bleachers where his wife MoJo waved with her one good hand...she broke her other hand. they were my friends who told me about this event or I'd never have any idea...so I followed Michael up to the very top of the bleachers where it was shady and much cooler...and we had a perfect view of the band playing and the sound was fabulous because we sat right in between the massive speakers on each side of the stage...the dude on the equalizer machine or whatever it's called just a little to the left of us... and we could stand as much as wanted because no one was behind us...it was perfect!

When the band broke into Highway to Hell, the three of us, me, Michael and Mojo, stood up and sang along at the tops of our lungs, soo much fun. Mojo was right...this band was fabulous...playing all of our fave rock AC/DC hits from the earlier days of Bon Scott. In fact, the lead singer introduced herself as "Bonnie Scott!"

It became darker and cooler and the entire festival was alive with lights, so beautiful! Pablo Cruise was cool...ended with their most popular hit. We stood at the top of the bleachers with smells of cotton candy and roasted corn wafting through the air...kids screaming on the rides and all the lights...reminding me of days from the past when my kids would have been the ones running around the carnival...Mojo's 9-year-old grandson Adam was having a blast with their friend's son... some day baby Jeremiah will be that age and everything will happen all over again...

we trudged through the carnival at 10pm and I picked up a huge bag of fresh corn for $2.00...and a band on the other side still played "With a Little Help From My Friends" and a few people milled about... hmm...they didn't sound too bad either.

So I missed the KihnCert, sadly, and I missed some of my bands play...but at least I got to experience the Corn Festival!

Baby Jeremiah Turns a Year Old...

Are we really all grandparents? I thought as I stood in a circle in a lovely shaded area of Lake Elizabeth with my exhusband Steve, father of my three older kids, Jen's Mom Sue and her Dad Tom, whom I had just met in real life for the first time today. He surprised us all by showing up at Baby Jeremiah's birthday party -- traveling all the way from Nashville, Tennessee!! I mean, there we were singing Beatles songs while I played my ukulele, all four of us -- while the younger generation, all of my kids and their friends, and baby Jeremiah and all the other babies watched with wonder... We were definitely the lives of the party!  No way, how did it happen? Just yesterday I was chasing my own babies around the park.

Me, Tom, Steve & Sue (the GRANDPARENTS), and singing and dancing with baby Jenna...
she danced and sang along

The party preparation actually began last night and then at 5:00am this morning -- Jeremy had to drive to Lake Elizabeth to claim a spot. Then what ensued was similar to a sitcom on a TV show when everyone runs around like crazy people. The preparation involved in this party was incredible. My exhusband brought large tables and chairs -- Jen and Liezl chopped food items and prepared beans in the kitchen until late in the night...balloons needed to be picked up, the cake...and all of our cars were filled with "stuff." I watched Baby Jeremiah while everyone ran around and was quite thankful for that, actually, realizing that at one time in my life *I* was the mom with that crazed look on my face -- the one that Jen had when she finally returned from all of her chaotic errands...still forgetting the charcoal needed for the barbecue after all that. Something is always forgotten. That's just the way it is.

So while this was going on, I sat on the couch downstairs with the ceiling fan going watching Yellow Submarine on Jeremy and Jen's big screen TV. It was perfect timing because today, after all, is Ringo Starr's 70th birthday. We were so comfortable on the couch that we actually dozed off for a little while, and there's nothing better than awakening to a lovely Beatles song -- I believe it was Nowhere Man... Apparently Jen's Mom was already out at the picnic site -- there were so many people spending the night at our house last night that she rented a hotel room at Best Western. Not that I blame her, why not? I heard there was a heated pool there.

I showed up a little later because I couldn't get ready until Jen was finally ready to pick up the guest of honor himself, Baby Jeremiah. And, even after we were sure she had everything in the car, including the baby, she still called me frantically to remind me to bring the signs -- the ones that were supposed to be hung up so people could find us at the lake! So I managed to get out the door with my car loaded with the rest of the needed stuff...and drove down to the lake, about four miles away from our house in Union City. I had not forgotten my ukulele or some music, of course. The ukulele goes everywhere, and there's always a time and place...always. Today would prove to be no different. The ukulele is officially immersed into our daily lives, right alongside the Beatles. It's just one of those things.

I was happy to see that they had found a spot in the shade...as it was a warm, sunny day. I could see the lake stretched out not too far away, Canada geese and ducks...and there were a group of my kids' friends and my boys, Jeremy and Stevie. Stevie and his Dad Steve barbecued chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, and there was loads of food...

And what a surprise to meet Jen's Dad, Tom! None of us had any idea he would show up at baby Jeremiah's first birthday party! He had visited right after Baby Jeremiah was born - he came all the way from Nashville, Tennessee! Jen cried because she was so happy to see him, and that was really cool. Then we found out that Tom was staying in the same hotel that Jen's Mom, Susie, was staying at! What a coincidence. Susie also had no idea he was going to be there.

Here we all are -- the Grandparents!!! EPIC! Uber! Baby Jeremiah wasn't sure what to make of all this!!!

Hanging out with the other grandparents, especially my ex, was truly EPIC. (By the way, I was informed my son Jeremy that I was not allowed to ever say the word "epic" again, nor am I allowed to say "uber" and there's one other word I'm not allowed to say as well, but I'll be darned if I can remember it! I was also teased mercilessly by the boys for the yellow shorts I wore. One of their long-time friends Nikki smiled and said, "Did you expect anything else? Of course the boys will do that. They always do!"

Some more of the kids friends showed up -- I was amazed (well not too surprised) that some of Jeremy's friends, Chandel and her boyfriend and Nikki and her boyfriend, now have a bunch of tattoos -- which I was actually relieved about because of my youngest daughter Megan and her tattoos...is this what people do nowadays? Oh yes, and Megan arrived with her sort of boyfriend (who knows???) and her dog, and then Auntie Melissa finally made it as well! I didn't even recognize her because she dyed her hair blonde. I was only sorry that I did NOT get three-generation pictures. No one was as excited about doing these pictures as I was, darn...

Baby Jeremiah got to do all the fun stuff a one-year-old gets to do on his birthday, eat the cake and make a mess and open gifts! And of course Baby Jeremiah did it all in the most adorable way imaginable. And I was thrilled that he LOVED what I got him -- I had fretted over whether to get it for him just yesterday -- a cool combination of guitar, piano and drum...all rolled into one instrument, with songs or the ability to create your own songs...the box said "Ages 3 to 6" and I wondered if it was still okay for baby J to have it, but he LOVED it!!!

Baby Jeremiah with Mommy & Daddy -- his "first" cake...PREDCIOUS! No UBER

It won't be long now before Baby Jeremiah and me will rock out together -- me on uke (and soon enough he will have a ukulele and so will baby Jenna!)...

See, he already wants to make music!!!

My friends Phoenix & Steve joined us for a while...Phoenix and I have been friends for many years. We met in Mike Sult's guitar class back in the 1990s. And, then I got my ukulele out and started to play and sing a Beatles song, "She Loves you." First, tom joined in and next thing I knew, Susie and Steve had joined too! So I played several Beatles songs, the ones I knew off the top of my head...Eight Days a Week, Can't Buy Me Love, Hard Day's Night, Things We Said Today. Some of my kids' friends actually came over and took pictures! Baby Jenna and Baby Jeremiah loved it and Jenna even hummed along...we were dancing and having a great time... 

Is that what Grandparents do?

As the sun slipped into the lake, we all reluctantly knew we had to leave, which involved a huge amount of packing of cars, cleaning up, etc...the hardest part of any party or gathering, the exhausting art where "the party's over." Sue and Tom went back to their respective hotel rooms and we never saw them again this evening. Megan left with her boyfriend and so did everyone out -- leaving me, Jeremy, Jen and my exhusband Steve to pack it all in (including the baby) and head back to the house...but somehow it was okay. It had been a good day after all. I just wish I'd gotten some group family pictures, but Alex, one of the "long time friends," said, "Oh just take the pictures and photoshop everyone together!"

My Musical Adventures!

Me with Daniel Ho who's playing my 8-string Ukulele!
(and he just randomly sang and played Beatles songs -- how cool is that?)

I dashed out of work at quarter to six last Wednesday night to head for Japan Town in San Jose because my friend Steve said Daniel Ho was doing a workshop. "You should go!" my 6-string ukulele playing friend informed me -- okay, sure I will go! Daniel Ho is an awesome ukulele player and songwriter from Hawaii who present lives in Los Angeles. I met him at the Reno Ukulele Festival -- the one I attended in 2010 that I got to super late because of a major snow storm. Now I finally got to attend a workshop by him.

I managed to get a ticket on my way to San Jose for driving in the carpool lane -- what the heck? It was a trap, I'm telling you! But I wouldn't let that deter from this upcoming workshop. I was determined to have a good time, as usual. I parked a few blocks away and walked back down towards the store sponsoring Daniel Ho's workshop, "Ukulele Source." I had called Steve and he said he was there, but when I got to the store, it was already closed. Where was this workshop? The website hadn't said the workshop wouldn't be anyplace else besides the store!

I was lost and confused, looking around for ukulele players or my friend Steve -- or SOMEONE! Finally, I managed to get a hold of Steve on his cell. He informed me that he was at an Asian store down the street and didn't I see Daniel Ho's website that stated the workshop would be held above a Japanese restaurant down the street and around the corner? No, I had not been informed of this! As a matter of fact, I had no idea. I found myself wondering if it had been a good idea to drive through horrible traffic and get a ticket just for this workshop, but what the heck? I was already here. I wandered down the street trying to find Steve, and a nice lady wearing a Hawaiian shirt saw me with my ukulele and asked if I was looking for Daniel Ho's workshop. I breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and said, "Why yes, I am."

She pointed down the street and told me to make a right and then go into this Japanese restaurant and up the stairs.  Finally, I had some idea as to where I was going -- I found Steve on a street corner with his double-ukulele bag looking all concerned -- about me, about life, I wasn't sure which.  I pointed down the street and we found the correct restaurant and walked upstairs to a long room filled with chairs and a few people with ukuleles already there.

Steve and I sat near the front and met the people who were there -- an older Asian man and a younger chick with ukuleles. Before long the room filled up with ukulele players and then Daniel Ho came in and set up! Yes! It didn't take me long to realize that this workshop really was worthwhile -- the drive from work, the ticket and yes the $25! Daniel talked about his life and about songwriting -- he talked a lot about chords -- I already knew about the I-IV-V thing and how to figure out basic chords in songs -- but now I'm thinking more about the minor chords, like the minor third of G which is A minor and stuff like that. He used Beatles songs as examples too -- like Hey Jude and Let It Be.

We even wrote a song as a class, which was sooo cool -- trying to figure out what note would "fit" and then in the end, he asked if we had any questions, and I raised my hands. "What about writing the lyrics?" The workshop had already gone an hour and a half, but when Daniel Ho asked if people minded staying longer, everyone said that was fine! We wanted to hear about writing the words, and so he shared one of his original songs with us...and went through the process.

After the workshop, I showed Daniel Ho my awesome 8-string ukulele I'd gotten and Daniel Ho played it and then began to randomly play Beatles songs -- soo cool. I sang along! I bought his songbook with the CD that went with it -- and I look forward to tackling the book. I also understand the need for a low G ukulele as well as a high G uke.

Daniel Ho was sooo cool!

May Day Play Day and BEYOND!

it was a magical full moon night in Stockton at Albert's place when we jammed on ukuleles for  SEVERAL HOURS!

So, each year the Fun Strummers in Modesto host this very awesome "May Day Play Day" -- and even though it's in Modesto, it is definitely worth the drive to the Central Valley for this. $20 for an entire day of Ukulele Playing FUN and even workshops! I left early in the morning and picked up Steve along the way -- we got there right on time, around 9am ish. People were there from all different ukulele groups -- a few from our Silicon Valley Group, including Dave Fitchner, a bunch from the Grass Valley Strum Bums run by Dan Scanlon who was doing a workshop (and whom I will forever be grateful to because of his amazing rendition of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds on ukulele that I've now learned and play all the time!)...michelle Kilba was there and she taught a workshop. So was Brooke Adams (who had done a ukulele rendition of Abbey Rd!) -- we're talking $20 for the whole day -- oh yes, we also come away with a May Day Play Day songbook as well and we are fed lunch. It does not get any better than that.

Albert joined us -- he just had to drive from Stockton where apparently his "other" house was -- I had always known Albert to live over in Santa Clara -- south bay -- and I kept forgetting that he also had a place in Stockton.

Anyway, we had an amazing day and played ukuleles ALL DAY long...people commented at the end of the day that their fingers hurt from playing so much -- especially that big long jam at the end! You'd think we would have had enough right?

Wrong!

Albert invited Steve and me to his house in Stockton and we said sure -- since Stockton is not very far from Modesto apparently. He has this lovely yard that's a perfect place for jamming and the weather could not have been more perfect, not too hot or too cold, that is until evening came...I had heard that we were supposed to have the biggest full moon that night (or it would appear the largest) in many years...so I was excited to see the moon rise in the distance since we were in the valley and it was a crystal clear night!

And, ohhh man did we ever JAM! we jammed and we jammed some more...Albert played ukulele, guitar, bass, you name it and Steve and I mostly played ukuleles. I'm trying to remember which ukuleles we played that night... Albert has this huge binder with loads of cool songs -- and we just went on and on...

the song I remember the most from that night was Freebird! It never even occurred to me that people could jam on Freebird on ukuleles and later I realized the song is even in the Santa Cruz Ukulele songbook, although I'd never heard anyone play it and no one ever picked it to play down on the beach...

We had sooo much fun jamming on that song -- at least for 30 minutes, on and on...Steve and Albert taking turns on solos while I kept playing those chords over and over again (because that's what I do and that's okay). I even remembered how I had listened to Freebird on the radio at that 7 Eleven parking lot the night before my mother passed away back in early 1997...when we still lived in Oregon...this is for you, Mom, I found myself thinking on that beautiful full moon night! But I didn't say anything to Albert and Steve about that, or did I?

Albert's parents had showed up -- they often stayed in the back house...and they LOVED listening to us jam! what cool people Albert's Mom and Dad were! I loved them right away! they even made food for us and everything...

Sadly, not too long after that, Albert's Mother passed away suddenly... that's why we didn't hear from him for a while after that night...I had wondered what happened to him.

But what a special night that was. I'm glad we got to play all that music for Albert's Mom and Dad that night... and I hope one day we can play music for his Dad too...