Thursday, May 14, 2009

Update from Donald on the Road

Ed's Mom, Dad and Aunt are on the road.  Here is a quick update we just got.
.
As all of you know Jo, Kathy and I are on a trip to San Francisco.  The trip is going well.  However, we have a star within our group.  Hang in there with me.  
.
Our first night in Salt Lake City is not filled with great night life, if you know what I mean.  Therefore, we went to Temple Square which is the home of the Mormon church  to visit the Mormon Tabernacle and other sights.  We took a 30 minute tour with a bunch of young girls "sister" leading the tour.  We were recruited the entire time.  We saw the Tabernacle which was great for I even have seen it and all the great music that has taken place on tv..  Long story short.  
.
On the way out to our car, a guy is getting out of his car and saw our Minn. plates and said "Oh Minn that is a great state" and I said it sure is, where are you from"?  (Editors comment here, What is it about you people from the Mid-west and "Oh where are you from?"  We don't do that in California.  Continue...)
.
He was from this area and as a true Minnesotan I said what do you do?  Oh! I am the guest organist at the Tabernacle.  Big Deal to me, so I said oh my wife plays the organ.  After introductions he invites Jo to join him  for his practice time at the Mormon Tabernacle.  Kathy and I are just going nuts because Jo's mouth has hit the cement and of course she says yes.  Off we go to the practice.  
.
Only then do we find out that our organist is the famous Dr. James Drake (that is big time for Labron James in the organ business).  These two get up there and act like long lost friends, pulling stops, peddling with both feet, changing manuals, and just acting like they been doing this all the time.  This guy is the guest organist at the Tabernacle and is on his way to London to play at St Pauls Catheral next week, so he played his stuff for us only after Jo had about 10 minutes of playing the Tabernacle organ in this great hall.  Visitors were coming through and clapping for Jo and Dr. Drake, not knowing who the hell they were.  
.
Kathy and I had a ball watching this and especial ly Jo who was like a kid in the candy shop.  We took alot of photos, however, the best was the look that Kathy and I had of Jo when Dr. Drake invited her to play with him.  She is such a ham and Kathy and I feel like chop liver and are waiting on her hand and foot.  I thought you would get a kick out of this.  We sure did.  The organn has been part of Jo's life since she was 8.  
.
ps - I gave the Church of Latter Day Saint all of your addresseds to receive the "message".