In today's post you will learn nothing useful. But you will get to see a slightly out of focus photo I took of Elton John last week and get to do a time wasting online puzzle of Philip. Because for today Google can suck it.
That's right. I told Google to suck it. Google can go and suck a big fat egg. For today anyway. If you're wondering what THAT'S all about you can read my post from last week about how Google and blogging works.
Even though Google doesn't give a crap about how I went to see Elton John last week and had 8th ROW TICKETS - you might. And that is how we got to this post.
Here's how it happened. For the past - oh, I'm going to say since Tab was a popular drink choice - I've wanted to see Elton John in concert. Because he's an icon, a showman and even in the Tab days was getting on in years.
I knew one year he was going to stop touring. That year was 2020. But I forgot to get tickets for the 37th year in a row.
As luck would have it, in 2020 the entire world was shut down due to a toilet paper shortage. So Elton's final tour was cancelled. Final tours are always the best - I can attest that Cher's first farewell tour was a memorable one.
A couple of years later the toilet paper shortage is over and we have entered a much more reasonable time of life where the only thing you can't find is a house under a million dollars. And about a zillion other things including but not limited to appliances and Sriracha sauce for some reason.
This post on guaranteed crispy sweet potato fries has a REALLY good Sriracha/mayo dipping sauce recipe.
THIS time around I wouldn't forget. When Elton John announced he was going to be kicking his farewell tour off in 2022 I marked it on my calendar. The very MOMENT tickets went on sale I was doing something - I can't remember what - but it definitely wasn't buying Elton John tickets.
If we're going by odds, chances are I was either staring at my computer or putting out the garbage because where I live it's garbage night every night. At least that's how it feels every Tuesday night.
You know the story doesn't end there otherwise you would not have had the pleasure of seeing a very unprofessional blurred shot of Sir Elton at the top of this post.
I live about 45 minutes outside of Toronto (17 hours if you're travelling at any time other than at 3:47 in the morning). Apparently I wasn't the only one who was hoping to see Elton John in Toronto because the sales were so fast they decided to add another date.
This time I set an alarm and had my computer and credit card beside me.
I was going to get the very best tickets I couldn't afford. I had been waiting for this moment ever since Darryl B. brought in a 45 of Crocodile Rock for show & tell in primary school.
This was my last chance and I was doing it up good. Also, the prior 2 years saw me saving a lot of money what with having nothing available in stores to spend it on.
The 1-3 row tickets were out of the question because they were upwards of $3,000 each. I'm not that rich. I then found 2 seats in the 8th row, almost centre for $1,000 each. I bought 2 tickets. I'm not that rich.
The buyer's remorse didn't hit until I realized I needed to find someone else that also wanted to see a 75 year old man play the piano in his bathrobe.
No this is not the same photo as the first. They're very different in that one is of Elton John with his hands spread apart standing behind his piano wearing a bedazzled jacket while in the other one he is wearing a bedazzled bathrobe.
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We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
I luckily found someone to go to the concert with and do not regret giving Sir Elton John all of my money. My friend and I even made an event of the night having dinner first which consisted of a free lavender tainted flat beverage that someone was handing out on the street and a hot dog from a cart.
I can only live large.
The night after the show, still on a bit of an "I saw a celebrity up close high" I went up to the garden to check on things. It was there that a gang of rodents scratched their way through my good mood. Staring over my patch of sugar pumpkins I was shocked to see it had quite violently been reduced from 6 pumpkins to 4.
Something (I suspect a vole, probably the Kingpin) repeatedly attacked one spot of the pumpkins until it had drilled a perfect hole into two of them. Once inside the entire twitching organization of rodents proceeded to eat the whole pie pumpkin from the inside out.
Twice.
Without cinnamon, sugar or whipping cream. So we immediately know we're dealing with radicals.
Philip was with me because I bring Philip up to the garden with me the odd time. He's pretty good about laying in the dirt and just smelling the smells. The problem is he doesn't want to lay in the dirt paths, he wants to lay on inconvenient dirt.
Like my carrot bed. He loves laying in the carrot bed. Which is not something you can have delivered from Petsmart, otherwise I'd order one for my house.
So that's one of the reasons that Lip likes it up at the garden.
All he wants to do is lay in the carrots. And chase toads. And pee on the celery. And break the dahlias.
Which I would scold him for if it weren't exactly what I do at the garden every time I go.
This time of year is one of the busiest for anyone who grows their own vegetables. You have to harvest your produce, preserve it (if you're preserving), pee on the celery one last time, clean the beds up and gingerly poke the compost pile to see what comes running/slithering/flying out towards your face.
You'll find out all about the horrors and fun of September gardening in Monday's How to Start a Vegetable garden post. That's where I'll be all weekend; weeding the weeds, digging up the potatoes and fluffing the carrot tops.
Because sometimes it's fun to just sit quietly and be frustrated by an actual puzzle instead of the puzzle that is life, I leave you with this.
Because the odd time Philip is a good boy and doesn't lie in the carrots. He lies in the zinnias.
Don't try to do the puzzle on a cell phone, you'll make yourself crazy and then you'll get mad at me and I've already had to deal with two sucked out pumpkins this week. The puzzle is meant to be done on a tablet, laptop or desktop.
Dave R
19:03
So glad I came into work today at the end of my vacation to go through email and voicemail messages and spend 19:03 putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Welp, I guess I should get back to work so I can go home and enjoy the last of my vacation by relaxing with Dahmer on Netflix.
Karen
I tried Dahmer but Ryan Murphy ruins everything for me. I liked a few American Horror Story seasons but I just can't with anything else. The worst part is he creates shows and movies on subject matters I would LOVE to watch.😖 ~ karen!
DoIHaveTo?
Just under 54 minutes.
But I haven't done a puzzle in at least 30 years. So not bad. Hey! I DID finish! That the important thing!
That's what I'm gonna keep telling myself...
Lol 😂
Karen
LOL! Well I"m just happy there's someone worse at puzzles than I am. Did you do the Spot the Difference today? ~ karen!
DoIHaveTo?
I tried, but my screen showed it small and dark, so I got 5 before my eyes hurt and I just scrolled for the answer. Took maybe 30-60 seconds.
But at least I got those right. Hmm, 50%, that's a passing grade, right? Lol ;)
Kimberly
Lip is gorgeous, indeed. And I bet he really knows his way around that garden. Thanks for sharing Elton John pics and the story. I’ve only seen him once, and it sure wasn’t from the 8th row center. Wow! That was definitely worth it! I’M glad you splurged. Lol.
Karen
Thanks! Lip is a good lookin' boy. I'm glad I splurged as well. And I was honestly quite happy with a hot dog for dinner that night, lol. ~ karen!
Jeannie Kieselburg
It took me 38 minutes on a cell phone, LOL. Pretty Lip!
Adore Sir Elton John. I'd have gone with you, but we'd have needed to bedazzle our own bathrobes.
Karen
That's O.K. I'm sure I have a bedazzler somewhere. ~ karen!
bridget
Brand new puzzle and I already lost a piece. It was probably the cat.
Monica Berens
That was unexpected and entertaining. Thanks. And thanks for the update on Philip aka Lip. He is growing up so beautifully.
Penny
I'm glad you got to see Elton John. I went to a gig he played at Leeds University in 1970. It was my first experience of live music and I will never forget it; start as you mean to go on!
Ann Brookens
It took me 19 minutes and 22 seconds. I also expected to leave it unfinished after I completed the outside edges...but I didn't!
Karen
I love how the pieces click together. :) ~ karen!
CJ
Oh, Karen - this is one of my most favorite posts!! Especially the jigsaw puzzle at the end. Sometimes I love you!
Karen
Imma keep you all on your toes from now on. ~ karen!
Penny
I don't have a laptop, PC or tablet. You're right about it being a pain in the posterior on a phone! I left it to do Heardle and Wordle and came back later. Lovely shot of Philip!
Linda in Illinois
30 some minutes. I did it on my cell. It was HARD to do on cell which is all I have. Fun though thank you. Lip is beautiful
Karen
Thanks Linda! I can't believe how many of you did it on your cell phones. I don't think I could do it. It would definitely take longer! ~ karen
Mary C
Nothing against Philip, but knowing what I know now, my current 14 year old pug will be the last male dog to cross my threshold. Girls squat and usually not on top of the garden plants (nor do they lift their leg on any furniture.) He sure does look majestic though-even if he does pee on the celery.
Karen
He does. He's a celery peer. He would never in a million years lift his leg inside though. He only *just* started lifting his leg actually, but he doesn't pee on normal things like a tree or a hydrant. He'll just lift it and pee all over the sidewalk.😆 I'm trying to teach him to at least run to the grass. ~ karen!
Lacey
So glad you finally got to see Elton John in concert and UP CLOSE!! My only question is - why is he looking straight at *you* in your photos? Must be something goin' on you're not telling us, so you and Elton just carry on with your secrets and fabulousness (yep, I know he's gay but gay friends are the best!)
Meanwhile, Lip!!! Hell, I'd lay in the soft green of the carrots too so I can't blame his majestic self.
Karen
He's a hunk. I'm thinking of doing a pinup calendar with him. ~ karen!
Mary Hughes
Oh Joy - that was fun! I don't know how you did it, but I managed to lose myself in your blog for.. I don't even know how long!?! And I did not once glance at the To-Do list - Yes!! Thanks for taking me to the Elton John concert and into your carrot patch with Phillip. Loved the puzzle!
Karen
I'm glad you liked it Mary! ~ karen
Jackie
24.36. That was fun - different & unexpected. Thank you. Lip is beautiful. What a good picture. Glad you got to see Elton John. I got to see my favorite of all times, Elvis Presley in concert once & it was great - I'll never forget it. My dear husband arranged it & took me. It was so long ago that our tickets were $5.00 each. We were very far away but I had binoculars so I was ok. That was the first concert either one of us went too & the sound was amazing.
Karen
That is an unbelievable first concert! I just happen to be watching the movie Elvis right now. ~ karen
Jenn Billesberger
allo there from the wild wild West ~ loved the puzzle! (although it took me 25:32 to finish, so a bit of an ego hit). ;P
love Philip, and you know those raccons might have moved out of my torn down old garage onto your street! sorry! have a wonderful fall - -
Karen
O.K. I will blame you. Or your old house at the very least. ~ karen!