Well, there was a surprise after all! First off, thank you for your kind notes both on Facebook and to my email (which is erin@erindavis.com if you’re not on FB and wish to be in touch any time) wishing us a happy 30th anniversary yesterday. As promised, it was a low key one, but we did do something that I totally did not expect going into the day. 
 
Earlier this year, I was Googling Jeff Lynne of ELO (don’t ask me why) and saw that he and a version of the orchestra are touring this year. What?!?
 
I immediately got excited until I saw that the only Canadian city they were hitting is Toronto (August 18th) and that would be an awfully long way to go to see a band – even it if was one that I never, ever thought I would have a chance to see in person. Especially decades after their last hits and long since founder and lead vocalist Jeff Lynne – he of the blue sunglasses – had gone on to Traveling Wilburys and various other projects over the years, including co-producing later Beatles releases “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.” 
 
You see, in their heyday (as you may well recall), the Electric Light Orchestra was one that relied a lot on production, synthesizers and plenty of effects. Even as a teen I doubted that a band like this – plenty of smoke and mirrors – would be likely or able to replicate their performances in a live setting. Still, I loved them. Still do. 
 
I happened to be playing an ELO song on Ocean 98.5 last week and when it came on, I cranked it up. I said later to Rob, “We have got to see them. I don’t care where they are.” And yesterday we made it happen. 
 

 
In what turned out to be a double-barrelled shot of excitement, we booked seats in Oakland, California’s Oracle Arena (home to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors) to see ELO on August 2nd. But then…then we asked each other, “What if the Blue Jays are in town?”
 
We went online and could not believe our eyes: the Jays are playing a three-game stand in Oakland against the A’s in the three days leading up to the concert! So again, we went online and bought tickets to see the Jays in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Wednesday, August 1st, the third of a three-game stand in the city near San Francisco. 
 
We’ve been to the City by the Bay before, but haven’t driven there from home; we did a fly-drive trip about five years ago and about the only disappointment we had was not being able to get tickets to Alcatraz. So that’s the next thing we’re going to book as soon as they’ll let us. Right now you can only book through mid-May.
 
This is what “reWirement” was supposed to be about: having adventures and just hitting the road, when we want, for however long we want. I’m going to keep journalling the whole time – as long as you’re here – so you can come along and share the ride.
 
Have a great day and thanks again for your kind words.