A VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE...

A beautiful morning. Chores as usual...

When I got in the house and checked my emails...there was a message from an office at the college saying they had several VIP tickets to the International Jazz Festival that starts tonight in Rochester...call if interested. So I did. They would let me know if anything was available.

In the meantime, Tom Talley dropped his grandson off at the farm to do some work in the gardens. Several rows of onions have been overpowered by weeds.
Tomas just spent a year in the US (Colorado I think) but his home is in Spain. He will stay here for a couple of weeks before he returns to his family.
He had never done gardening, but worked hard for 3 1/2 hours.
I was also inspired to do a little weeding. Sara dropped off a rhubarb coffee cake and I picked her a big bag of spinach. Also sent home a big bag to the Talleys. It is still coming in like gangbusters.
Around 4 I got word that we were getting two tickets to go see Gladys Knight at the Eastman Theatre....TONIGHT! Called Gary (on his way to get his paper and then more paint) and he picked up the tickets. What a gift.

I did most of the evening chores and Barb finished up. She brought over a big load of sawdust too.


I had plenty of time to take a shower and get ready to go to Rochester.
We left here around 6:30 as we figured parking would be a problem.
This is what it looks like near the center of the city.


Gary dropped me off and went to park the car....$10 rip off, but since the tickets (worth at least 150 dollars) were free, what the heck.

I passed a building covered with mosaic murals.
Of course we were early. Others had gathered in the lobby...
We chose to check out Gibbs Street....where one of the stages was set up, along with all kinds of vendors. It was a little after 7 and the place was getting packed. They expect at least 150,000 people over the next week. The bands/groups come from all over the US and 15 countries. People like Nora Jones became very popular after this Festival (several years ago). Herbie Hancock is on for tomorrow or the next day.... In the past we have had many big name performers.
The Eastman Theatre was remodeled recently and it is absolutely gorgeous.

As for Gladys Knight...she and her band put on one heck of a show....got at least four standing ovations. I tried to record 3 songs with my camera in my purse and they were too bad to post (no cameras allowed). What amazes me, is all the people with iphones, blackberries etc. who can't live without them for a lousy hour and a half. What an obsession! And how rude.
One of the Pips (brother to Gladys) came out and performed a number with the band. He was as smooth as silk...still has all the moves. Both of them have to be in their 60s and they have still got it...BIG TIME. Her voice was superb and so was his. What a way to open the Jazz Festival!

Home by 10:30....

Night all.