iCONS, iDOLS...& LOVED ONES!

"Love is all you need."
-Paul McCarteny

"In the end, the love you take 
is equal to the love you make."
-Paul McCartney

"The idol is the measure of the worshipper."
-James Russell Lowell

i-con-"A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something."

This is the souvenir book Brian bought me at the
PAUL McCARTNEY concert Wednesday night.
It provided great entertainment for me on the trip home yesterday...
lots of awesome photos and interesting facts throughout the book.

Me modeling my other concert souvenir...
Brian also bought me a t-shirt... here I wear it proudly!
My hubby is so generous... and the concert was so amazing.

One of my early photos of the night...
not bad for my little camera taken from a distance.
I read in the souvenir book that this HOFNER BASS
is the same one Paul purchased for only 30 pounds
 in his very first Beatles days... and it is still going strong!
Not only is PAUL iconic... but this BASS is too!

Another photo with another guitar .
It was cute... he said when he removed his blazor...
this will be the only WARDROBE CHANGE in this show!

An enjoyable evening with our dear friends...
Shelley and Wayne...
out celebrating and then off to see Sir Paul together.
Shelley is an iconic dance teacher and her children are quickly
 following in her DANCE footprints.
(Some of you readers will have seen her daughter
STACEY TOOKEY on the TV series, "So You Think You Can Dance.")

The morning after our PAUL McCARTNEY concert experience,
sharing a fun breakfast with our son in law, Nels's siter, INGRID.
She just happened to be attending a work related conference in the hotel
we were staying at, so we worked in some time to share a meal together.

Sharing a lunch here with more Edmonton friends...
Myrna and Larry....
Co-incidentally Myrna teaches dance ...and Larry sells cars...
(just like us!)
Myrna's family have owned the famous LECKY SCHOOL OF DANCE
in Edmonton for over 50 years now.... more icons!

Dining out Mexican style with our co-GRANDPARENT FRIENDS!
These are Mariah and Beau's other grandparents!!!!...we like to just refer to them as
"TOG"... (The Other Grandparents!)
I like to think we are all idols and loved ones to the grandkids...
and we are all so fond of those kiddies, too! 

Our return from Edmonton yesterday and a visit with the
CHERISHED GRANDKIDS!
Poppa Brian rewarded Mariah on her raving review at the grade one
interview her parents were at earlier yesterday. 

Our very LOVED doggie, SHUFFLE (named after the iconic TAP step!)
Here she is back in her Santa Ruffle and in her comfort zone
 back home again when we picked her up from doggie daycare yesterday.

My hubby is LOVED for so many reasons
 and among those is his extreme generosity.
He gave me these very stylin' boots from our daughter's store
The Swank Shoe Lounge
for our anniversary on Tuesday.
I Love the boots...and Love Brian so much! 

This is a photo of us on our Wedding Day
November 27th, 1976
Here with the LOVED ONES who paved the way
for our iconic journey in marriage...
My parents and Brian's parents
They are all the best!
(My dad even wore a polka dot tie at my wedding!!!) 

Here we are November 27, 2012
Celebrating  36 years of wonderful marriage.
We had a delish meal at the iconic OLIVE GARDEN
in Edmonton while on our little anniversary get away.

I do love a quote... and today's 3 quote calendars that I have
all have such meaningful quotes and so related to this week
& this time in my life...
Hope they can be read in this photo!


What a week...
Where do I begin?

Ok so since my previously written blog, so much has happened. I thank anyone popping  by to read this post, and apologize for the lapse between, but I have been more than busy... but having such fun along the way... enjoying LIFE!

Monday I was saddened to read on FACEBOOK posts by many
DANCE TEACHER  FB friends,
that one of my mentors, and dance teachers, LUSIA PAVLYCHENKO, had passed away. She was not only an iconic teacher to me,
but to so many she shared her wonderful knowledge with and trained. I owe a great deal of credit to her for my own success
in my dance career. She was a pioneer to dance in Saskatchewan and will be missed but fondly remembered by all who knew her.
There was a great write up on her in her obit in Thursday's Star Phoenix news paper
here in Saskatoon.
She will DANCE on in our hearts.

My cousin Gwen popped by here for a fun visit and to get some stickers for a project she was doing as a gift. She knew where she could find stickers of every theme!!!! I love my cousin Gwen...and she , too, would have loved the Paul McCartney concert...
we share the LOVE of him...
he was always our IDOL!

Tuesday  was Brian and my 36th wedding Anniversary... and we started it off by heading to Edmonton for a little get away to celebrate.

The trip did not disappoint... we managed to cram many things in while there including visits and meals with many of our good Edmonton friends, lots of great shopping and visits to 4 different malls as well as Ikea.
But the TRIP TOPPER for me was the CONCERT Of A LIFETIME to see my IDOL...
Sir PAUL McCARTNEY. He performed two nights in a row to sell out crowds at the REXALL PLACE in Edmonton. At the age of SEVENTY years old... he can still go for it!
He did not take one break...
serving up approximately 40 songs from his Beatles, and Wings days as well as his solo career, including a song from his newest album "KISSES ON THE BOTTOM".
He did many instrument changes through the course of the evening, and had a stellar back up band of 2 guitarists, and a drummer. He also included the Edmonton Police Pipes and Drum Core on one song in his show. What a thrill for them to be able to perform alongside the ICONIC Paul ... while he was in their city!
Paul still has a keen sense of wit and charm as he always had and had many one liners that got us all chuckling. There were even moments of sadness too, as he did a singing tribute to former Beatles, JOHN and GEORGE. I took 20 different videos through the course of the night and though the quality of the pictures are not clear... the music sounds great on all...and the memories will live on. He even signed a girls stomach who held a sign at the concert saying...
" Sign my stomach...
This is the only tattoo my dad will allow!"
I got it on video!
There were so many moments that were special in the evening's event for me... and although I have been to many spectacular concerts in my life... this will likely always stand out as "THE CONCERT Of A LIFETIME" for me,
PAUL really did share...
"ALL HIS LOVING!"


We were treated to a wonderful Anniversary supper at a very posh restaurant called
RUTH'S CHRIS. We shared that with friends Wayne and Shelley... then we travelled with them to the concert. Shelley and I even did a few dance steps in excitement and anticipation while waiting for our LRT ride to the show.
(We laughed and said we were practicing up to be Sir Paul's back up dancers!!!)

WE shared ETHNIC meals with other friends...
Myrna and Larry... eating at a VIETNAMESSE restaurant called DOAN'S...
 fun visit... great food!

We ate MEXICAN too at a restaurant called
ACAJUTLA... with our dear friends and
co-grandparents of our sweet grandkids...
Nancy and Arvid...
Also more fond memories to chalk up in our journey of life together!

Brian and I have always loved trips to Edmonton. I actually met him in Edmonton...
he lived there back in the day.
Our first grandchild, Mariah was born
 in Edmonton, too.
Over my years of teaching dancing
I did many dance related events from workshops, to competitions there
over the years.
We have very many dear friends and
LOVED ONES living there and so many reasons to re visit time and time again.


I am always grateful to return to my comfort zone when we come home from any little get away... and this was no exception... we enjoyed a quick little visit with the grandkids yesterday when we got back into town.
They were happy to see us, too!


This morning we visited my in-laws,
Blanche and Greg at their house.
They are always so very appreciative when ever we stop by to see them. I am so lucky to have them still in my life as my parents are both in heaven now. However that being said...
I have sure been feeling their love and many kisses from them lately in the form of snowflakes in the air!


Tonight the beat goes on as we head to the Annual Wheaton Staff Christmas Party.
So Brian and I will be out celebrating
once again!!! Brian's boss, Ross puts on a wonderful event for them each year.


Next week more DANCE ICONS will be here in the city... Brian and Faye Foley will be in town to examine dance exams at the studio
where I work, BSOBAD...
I hope to see them too!

My life is a series of blessings
and all the icons, idols and loved ones in it
just make it even better.

On that note... my poem of the day!

I've so many icons, idols
and loved ones in my life.
And the best hubby ever...
I'm glad to be his wife!
When it comes to awesome lives...
I think mine's the best,
How am I so lucky?...
How am I so Blessed?!
One needs to appreciate
all the things that make life great.
Life's one big celebration,
So I just CELEBRATE!
Lots of people in my life
paved the way for me...
I'm so happy I can share them too,
for all of you to see!
Because life is really good,
and I love to share,
In hopes the love will rub off too,
and also 'cuz I care!
Life is like a journey...
a "Long and winding road"...
"All my Loving " is what gets me by,
with or without code!
I DANCE through every memory
whether big or small...
And fill my heart with DREAMS come true,
and just enjoy them all!