"THE TENORS!" in Regina

The Tenors posing on stage at Conexus Art Centre in Regina
with devoted fans in the audience
Tuesday, February 19

My collection of theTenors cd's

Yes, the highlight of this week was attending The Tenor's concert on Tuesday evening at Conexus Art Centre in Regina with my friend from high school days, Marilyn (Anderson) Scheske and her husband Ray.  I drove to Weyburn on Sunday afternoon, just before the snow started falling.  I was not about to miss the concert because of the weather or roads!!  I enjoyed an overnight with Clare, Jodi and Abbey, then took the bus to Milestone on Monday afternoon.  The bus was late getting to Weyburn because of icy roads and slow drivers but we were at the Diekrager farm by five thirty.  Greg and Dawson had already left for a hockey game in Balgonie.

After supper Laurel did some more packing and I watched a movie with Ashley while Eric was playing games on the iPad.  Soon the guys were back from hockey (no win for Milestone that night) and it was bedtime.  Morning came early as Greg wanted to get an early start on the drive to Edmonton.  They dropped me off in Regina at 8:30 and were in Edmonton by six so did well in spite of some icy roads.

I had breakfast with Marilyn and Ray and we spent a leisurely day looking forward to our evening together.  The concert was a birthday celebration as all three of us were born in February.  My birthday was the 10th, Marilyn's the 16 and Ray's the 20th.  Marilyn and I went out for a Chai Tea Latte at "Magpie's Kitchen", but not before browsing through the adjoining store, "Crocus and Ivy", on Albert St.  I couldn't resist buying a Scrabble mug with an E on it.  On the back it lists how many of each letter there are in a Scrabble game.  There are 12 E's, the most of any letter!  I'll use it as a pen holder beside the computer. Then we went to Earl's for a delicious pasta supper and were joined by Ray and Marilyn's daughter, Lynda.

Scrabble mug and birthday glass heart

We decided to leave early for the concert to get a good parking spot on this cold, windy night.  Doors didn't open until seven so we enjoyed people watching from a bench in the lobby.  We found our seats in row FF, 28, 29 and 30.  It was the sixth row from the stage and middle seats in the row so was a great place to get a close up look at these four very talented tenors.

Howard and I enjoyed them in Estevan six years ago on their first tour.  I didn't realize that they had started that tour in SK until it was announced that evening.  That was quite fitting as they just found out on Tuesday that they have been nominated for a Juno award.  When they were in Estevan, they didn't even have a CD out yet!  I paid for one and waited quite awhile for it to come.  It was in a cardboard sleeve and marked "Special Limited Edition".  It was just labelled "The Canadian Tenors".  Maybe they thought it would be their only one!  Time has proved them to be very popular, with one change out of the four in the original group. I wonder if Jamie McKnight wishes he had stuck with them.  His leaving opened the door for Clifton Murray to join them. Now their latest CD, "Lead With Your Heart" has been nominated for album of the year.  The Junos are in Regina on April 21 so good luck Tenors.  They no longer label themselves as Canadian Tenors as they travel world wide and appeal to all nationalities. In their latest album they sing in four languages - French, Spanish, Italian and English.  They have been called a "National Treasure" by some, great ambassadors for our country.

I was planning to come home on Wednesday, but couldn't refuse an invitation to stay for the birthday supper planned for that evening!  Marilyn and I went shopping in the afternoon and I ended up with a blazer and pants from "Jones New York" a factory store on Gordon Road near Wal Mart.

After the birthday supper that evening, grandson Jacob had a scavenger hunt for his grandma and grandpa.  It was fun to see them scurrying around the living-room looking for bars and bags of their favourite chocolate treats.  I think they will stay "Forever Young" as the Tenors sang.  It was Marilyn and my favourite song of the evening.  I think of it as a blessing that Howard might have left me with.  Oh yes, I got a present too - the beautiful blown glass heart in the above picture.  It was made and signed by its designer, Jacqueline Berting from Cupar.  You may have seen the glass wheat heads that she also creates.  (Google "Berting Glass" to read about how she started this unique art work.)

I left on the 11:15 bus from Regina this morning.  Clare had left the Escape just in front of Trifons near the bus stop.  It was a good place to grab a quick bite before driving to the farm.  I filled up with gas at the Weyburn Co-op and was off, slow and steady because of icy roads.  I went south of Oungre, Clare's favourite road to the farm, and took the gravel road two miles north of the border that takes us just half a mile south of our farm.  Clare had been here most of the day moving grain along with Jason .  So I had company for our supper of chili and Johnny cake, a family favourite.

Now I have caught up on my blog posting so will check the clothes in the dryer and soon head for bed. My plans are to stay home for the rest of this week!  Laurel's and Kirk's will be heading home tomorrow so my thoughts and prayers are with the travellers.