Well, we waited for weeks and weeks with expectation. I called down to the arena the week before to inquire about taking a camera into the concert and was told that it was permissible, though videotaping was not.
Yay! I would get some really nice photos to share with you here. Finally, Friday the 19
th was upon us and we were stoked about attending the Elton John concert. I was able to plan to leave work early, and so hubby made us reservations at a nice restaurant close to the arena and off we went to have an exciting evening. Our dinner was scrumptious and most everyone in the restaurant was chattering about the concert. We headed down the street to find a place to park, and ended up on the third level of an adjacent parking garage. After hiking to the "Gate 1" entrance with glee, we went up to one of the entrance doors to hand our tickets to the nice lady waiting there. She smiled as she took my electronic ticket and then said, "Does that camera have a detachable lens?" I answered in the affirmative. "Oh, that's not allowed in ma'am." Then, police officer stepped up to further enforce her edict with a stern face... "You'll need to take that to your car. It won't be allowed into the concert."
And so, with a good bit of anger and indignation, I handed husband the camera and he had to hike back to the parking garage to put it in the trunk. I was so very disappointed as I felt I had done the conscientious thing and made sure I could take a camera in. When I called, no one made the distinction that only small "point and shoot" cameras are allowed. I was silently composing a letter to the arena in my head. Then, it made me doubly disappointed as I have a little Sony point and shoot I could have brought, but now had only my cell phone camera. Hence, the only shot I got was the one above of the stage (fully zoomed from where we were) before the lights went down. Once the spotlights were on, the performers were just a white blur on stage. Oh, well... now you know. Don't even try it people.
Once husband got back huffing and puffing, we went back to the same door and I smiled sweetly as I told her I'd be writing a letter to someone about the need for clarity. We found our seats and settled in. We were in the upper level, but on row A, and so had no one seated in front of us and had an unobstructed view. Gee, that rail would have been an excellent place on which to rest my camera... grrrrr. At 8PM, Sir Elton came out to say hello and tell us how the order of the show would be going for the evening. First Leon Russell would be coming out to sing a few of his hit songs, then Elton would do a set, then they'd do a set together, and then Elton would finish out the evening. The lights went down, 13,000 people cheered, and the show started.
Now, I will preface this by saying that in my day, I went to a good number of rock concerts... loud concerts. I vividly remember seeing artists such as Ted Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush, Kansas, and even Def Leppard. My tender ears were even younger and stronger then. Having clarified that, I have to say that this concert was so loud it was almost painful. Once the music started, hubby put in some foam ear plugs he just threw in his pocket on a whim as he does not like really loud sounds, and boy was I envious. Even with the earplugs, it was still loud to him. The words and lyrics were distorted in many instances, and had I not just known the songs so well, I would not have had a clue what was being sung. People around me even had their hands over their ears, so it was not just me. WHY on earth did it need to be THAT loud?
And so, after Elton's first set, he and Leon regrouped to do songs from their new CD, The Union. Fine, I understand wanting to promote a new CD, but they did TWELVE out of fourteen songs from it. People politely applauded, but were antsy waiting for Sir Elton to start his last set of the well known classics people paid (really exorbitant prices) to hear. No one knew the new songs and did not pay to hear almost the entire CD. Seriously, by the time he came back out by himself to continue doing his classic hits, it was 10:30 and I was working up a really good headache. All I could then think about was how we'd get through the sea of people to get out of there and how we'd get down off that third level of the parking garage. I turned to husband, gave him a knowing look, and we were out of there. As we exited the door to the arena, walked down the steps to the outer sidewalk below, we could still hear, with perfect clarity, the show inside. I think I'd have rather sat on the sidewalk truly. And so.... this will serve as an ode to my concert going days. After such a disappointing time and spending $182 (which were not the priciest tickets) to see Sir Elton, I'll content myself with sitting in front of my computer with iTunes. Yes, I am officially an old fart.
And so... I borrowed a trap from my dad, and baited it with some cat food. This cat comes back to her post here each day, so I knew it would be a good spot to catch her. She simply ignored my bait and never went near the trap. Smart kitty.
This is how I find her most days... perched under this tree just below my four cup feeder, waiting for someone to slip up. Or, that's what I thought until I actually witnessed her literally jumping up to the feeder and grabbing unsuspecting victims. She has perfected her technique and comes to my feeders daily. She is very skittish, has no collar on, and flinches if you try to get anywhere near her with your hand, so I know she is not socialized at all. 
All I know is that I am not allowing her to feast on the "feeding station" I've provided for her by feeding my birds. And, I am tired of seeing piles of feathers on the ground around this feeder, so one way or another, she is going to leave my yard.
When she tires of the side bed feeders, she makes herself comfortable under my swing out by the feeder pole station. I know that she is a cat, just being a cat, and trying to survive out in the wild, but I will not allow her to find her meals here any longer. So, does anyone want a pretty white kitty?
