Paul's Coming-AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Here we go again. Paul's coming to Miami on April 3 and I have to be there. There is no way that I am not going to be there. Yeah, ticket prices are loony but over the last few tours I got used to paying gobs of money for decent seats. Now there's the operative word. Decent. Let the mania begin.

Paul playing Jet

Tickets go on sale on Sunday and because I'm a member of the fan club I get in on the presale. In the old days the fan club seats were fantastic. Sixth row center would be the usual and 20th row would have been considered crappy seats. Now I'm fighting with everyone on the internet. It's hard to get good seats these days.

I love the blue backdrop

Now I absolutely must keep my head about me. It's easy to accept lousy seats just to be there and pay hugs prices for them. If I had $1500 I would go for the VIP tickets where you get to get into the sound check but alas I don't have that much. Money is tight these days so that option is out. I must remember that when I log onto Ticketmaster that the first seats that are offered are not necessarily the best ones. I want floor seats and if I have to opt to wait until something goes on Ebay then that's what I must do. The last time I saw Paul, which was in Tampa, I got my seats on Ebay and they were GREAT. I had to pay $100 more than face value but the location was totally worth it. I must remember that when I am trying to score tickets on Sunday. Yeah, right. LOL

Paul from behind 1993

Now here is my other problem. When I found out Paul was coming I was so excited that I told Michele. She is my usual partner for these concerts with me paying for both seats but when I told Kerry about it she said that she would come home for the concert and wanted to go. I remember the last time I took Kerry to see Paul. We had floor seats and she had such a great time. It did my Beatlefan Mom's heart good to see her singing along to every word of every song. She even knew the words to C-Moon which a lot of fans don't know. I was proud. Of course, I'm going to take Kerry but I need a way to tell Michele. I guess I'll just tell her Kerry wants to go. She knows Kerry trumps her.

Paul on a cherry picker going over the audience

Paul and Robbie in 1993

The concert is going to be at Dolphin Stadium. I really wish Paul would go back to the smaller venues like Bank Atlantic Center where I saw him in 2002. I hate these huge stadium concerts. It's really hard to get close and you end up watching on the video screens which is like watching it on TV. However, it's better to do that then not be there. I am going to be there. It will be the 10th time I've seen Paul and may very well be the last. He is, after all, 67 years old and how much longer is he going to be touring. Knowing Paul, his roadies will have to wheel him out in a wheelchair when he's 90. I can only hope. I'm coming, Paulie.

My Yearly Mammogram

I have an appointment at 8:15am for my yearly mammogram. My mom developed breast cancer when she was 75 and it was the beginning of the end for her. She never really came back from the stress of the surgery and two years later I found her dead in her bed. It was a terrible time for me. Mom was my best friend and my rock. She is gone 12 years now but I still think about her and miss her every day of my life.

I make sure that I go for my yearly mammogram because I don't want Kerry to go through what I did with my mom. When it comes to this test I don't procrastinate as I do with many other things. When I get the letter from the Coral Springs Women's Wellness Center that says that I'm due I make my appointment right away. I also don't sweat the results. I just go, get my boobs squished and then put it right out of my mind until the results come in. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't start to worry until I had something to worry about.

So, I'm going to get into the shower (no deodorant or powder) and get dressed. I don't want to keep the medical staff waiting. Maybe I'll call Michele when it is over and meet her for a cup of coffee. Then it's off to Publix to get a few things that I forgot when Pat and I went food shopping on Saturday. When I get home I will get in some exercise and then it's off to work in the afternoon.

So that's my day today. Don't forget to get your yearly mammogram. It can make the difference between life and death.

Happy Paul McCartney's Birthday

Today is my Pauly's birthday. Yeah that's what we call him...us fans. We call him Pauly. Well, today is Pauly's 66th birthday. It is a day for celebration and music. I have a busy day today but I will make time between yoga class and the closing to stop listen to Pauly and be happy that I was born at the same time as him. Well, 9 years, 7 months and 11 days after him.

Paul from the White Album

I have so many wonderful memories of Pauly. I remember Shea Stadium in the 60's and flying to NY to see him open at Madison Square Garden in 1989 but my favorite would have to be the last time I saw him which was in 2005. My friend Michele got her husband to fly us up to Tampa. I had really great seats at this concert and I was able to sneak my way up to the third row. I stood there and cried. It was amazing to be so close to my Paul. The security guy kept tapping me on the shoulder and making me go back. After about 10 times Michele stepped in front of him and said "Do you know what dream smasher is? Just leave her alone. She's not hurting anyone". Well, the security guy felt bad for me, listened to Michele and left me alone. There I was. 3 row away. I saw him and he saw me...OMG!! There are no words.

Happy Paul McCartney's birthday to everyone.

Another one of my guys...Jimmy Connors

When I was 17 and I started dating Pat one of the things that he was into that I wasn't was watching professional tennis on TV. In those days it was all about the best Australian player to ever live, Rod Laver. Pat taught me all the rules of tennis while we watched Laver beat everyone he played. I had never played tennis no less watched it on TV however I was quickly hooked.

Through the years I always tuned into the tennis majors which are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. I was a huge Jimmy Connors fan and never missed him play. I loved his bad boy attitude and Beatles haircut and when he made his last run at the US Open in 1991 I was in front of the TV with my drink in my hand ready to watch Jimmy kick butt.

James Scott Connors

I had just gotten into bed and was waiting for the match to start when the phone rang. It was my very pregnant best friend Michele. She told me that she thought something was wrong because her water had broken. Michele's husband was out of town and I was in charge of making sure all was well with the world so I had to get out of bed and drive her all the way to Miami. Sure enough, she was in labor and had to have a C-section. I sat in the OR holding her hand as the doctors cut her open and pulled her new son Michael from her body. It was an amazing experience but I couldn't help but wonder what had happened at the tennis match.

When I got home the next morning I found out that Jimmy had lost the match and it had been a bit of a blow out. It was the last time that Jimmy played with any real chance of winning against the best players in the world so I guess the 1991 US Open was his swan song.

Jimmy ended up marrying Patti McGuire who was the 1977 playmate of the year. Yeah, a playmate of the year. Oy vey. They are still married and I saw a picture of them recently. It looked to me that the years have been kinder to Jimmy than they have been to Patti but we are all getting old, aren't we?

I still think about the tennis match that got away from both Jimmy and me . To this day I remind Michael that he ruined my last chance to see Jimmy Connors play competitive tennis. I guess seeing a baby born via C-section was pretty cool but OMG! Jimmy Connors was my tennis Paul McCartney and it took me some time to get over missing that tennis match. Michele was lucky that it was Jimmy Connors and not Paul. I might have told her to call someone else that night. LOL

A Pep Talk....To Myself

OK Claudia, so today is your last day of being 55. I know that you have been pretty upset lately and thinking to yourself that you don't know why. C'mon, you know why. We both know why. It's because tomorrow is your birthday. I think that being upset about your birthday is something that you learned from Ma. She was always upset on her birthday and maybe that's a way of feeling closer to her now that she is gone. Maybe it's time to really look at things instead of just crawling into a hole as you seem to have been doing over the last few weeks.

Being 56 won't that bad. It could be a lot worse. At least you have things in your life to be happy about. You have a rock solid marriage that has been going strong for over 31 years. Pat lives for you (and golf) and after all this time you still look at him as the only one for you (besides Paul). The two of you are still like a couple of high school kids. It feels good to have someone that you can count on no matter what. Yeah, it feels good.

Kerry is doing really well and how proud of her are you? OMG! She is amazing. She is a loving and caring person and so focused on what she wants out of life. She is working so hard to become a doctor. You know that the world is a better place because she is in it. She is a constant source of happiness and joy for you. She is the best and you are a lucky mom. Yeah, being a lucky mom feels good.


Rigby is there right by your feet. He may not be Mac but he is Rigby and he is your doggy love. So what if he is like a needy boyfriend? You look into his eyes and see his soul. It gives you comfort to know that he needs and loves you. He makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Yeah, that's a good feeling.

You love your new job at Curves. Even though you will not become Donald Trump at this job it is fun and it feels good to help people reach their goals. The clients all love you and they respond to your upbeat personality. They look forward to coming when you are there. Best of all you get paid to workout. Just like Richard. Yeah, that is good.

Your overall health is good and your weight is steady at 145.5. I know you feel as if you have not been doing very well when it comes to eating and exercising but you are not showing any weight gain. You are going to have to make an effort to get a little more exercise on nonworking days. You also need to start cooking at home more than you have been. Your blood pressure has been a little high lately and I am sure it's because of the salt that is always in restaurant food. You need to make more of an effort to eat more healthy food. Remember what Richard told you oh so long ago. "Cut the crap and just do it". Yeah, that felt good.


You are lucky to have your brother Jon to talk to. He makes you feel as if you are still a Long Beach kid. He always brings you back to Lafayette Blvd and when you talk to him it's almost as if Ma and Irv are still alive. I know you miss Ma but she would want you to continue down the path that you are on and she would be very proud of you. She would be very happy that you and Jon are close and that you have each other to rely on. You have to keep on him about his health. You need him to live a long life with you. Yeah, having an older brother is good.

Cousin Stevie is with you too. Well, where else would he be? Stevie has been by your side from the time you were a little kid. Yeah, he drives you crazy sometimes but he is family and he reminds you that family is what is most important. Yeah, family is good.


You always have Michele too. You call her the sister you never had and the brother that you did. From the first time you met her it was as if you knew her your whole life. You two have gone through everything together including losing our Moms and having kids. You are as close as two peas in a pod. Michele is your Ma replacement. When you need advice from Ma you go to Michele and she always says what Ma would have said. How does she do that? There will always be room in the Winabago for Michele. LOL Yeah, having such a close best friend feels good.

You are part of the Fab Four. How lucky are you to have found these three ladies? They all get you and that is SO unusual. They remind you of what you are capable of and that is a gift in itself. You love them all and they love you too. Yeah, being a member of the Fab Four is good.


So life at 56 won't be so bad. After all, as Ma used to say there is only one alternative.