My "Diamond" Day

On Tuesday, I drove up to Wisconsin to pick up my mom and sister and head to Green Bay to see the Neil Diamond concert. I was a bit cranky...long week at work, hard work outs, PMS so I guess my mood sucked from the moment I woke up. In fact that morning I ran with JJ to meet Chief and some friends. I over dressed for the run which made me hot and not happy which I am sure was a great impression. I took a ride home with Chief and felt guilty for not running longer. I changed into dry clothes and went back out for another 5K. On my second run I was thinking that I probably could get Chief a Green Bay Packers umbrella for his birthday. I knew he needed a new umbrella and he is also a Packers fan. So, when I got home I made a phone call to Dick's Sporting Goods in Green Bay. With my great mood I loved our conversation.

Me: Do you have GB Packers Golf umbrellas.
That guy: Yep, we have two.
Me: Could you hold one for me and I will pick it up tonight.
That guy: I really don't think we are going to sell 2 umbrellas on November 4th.
Me: Please, just put it aside. I don't want to drive 4 hours from Chicago and one not be there when I get to the store.
That guy: If you live in Chicago, why do you want a Packers Umbrella.
Me: It's a long story. We relocated and he is a Packers Fan.
That guy: You would never get me to relocate there.
Me: So, could you leave one for me? I will be up around 4pm. I should be able to swing by before we go to the Neil Diamond concert.
That guy: Neil Diamond eh.
Me: Yes. Do you need my name.
That guy: Nope, don't think we are going to sell 2 umbrellas today.

I was now late to get on the road. I quickly showered and packed. I headed to the tollway. The ride was uneventful. I was thrilled when I got to Milwaukee and I found a 24 hour Christmas music station. I totally love Christmas so this was helping me feel better. I got to Chief's parents house to pick up my tickets which I had left when the first concert got cancelled. Poor Chief's mom. I told her about my bad mood and just listened. She is such a sweet lady. I am lucky to love my in-laws. I then got to my mom's house. She was so excited. We had about an hour to spare before leaving to pick up my sister. There isn't much to do up there. I suggested we go to the local grocery stores. My mom thought this to be strange but I like to see what they have that I can't get here. I bought Chief some cookies and salted nut rolls. And off we went to Green Bay.

My sister, mom and me had a nice time catching up in the car. My sister is so funny. We made it to Dick's and my umbrella was waiting for me. We then found the Resch Center, got an awesome parking spot, and enjoyed the "Diamond Dinner". Because of my diet I only ate the roasted chicken and some carrots. There was also beef tips with mushrooms and gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, and lemon torte. Oh, I did taste the torte. It was really good. My mom and sister said everything else was really good too. We thought we could walk around the venue until the concert started but we were wrong. They don't let you find your seats until one hour before the show starts. Since it was only 6pm we had some time to wait. I really wanted a beverage and when it was 7 pm my sister and I found the booze cart. We both enjoyed a cold one. Time to find our seats. Our tickets said section 219, ZA, seats 19-21. Okay, I knew they were not the best seats but I didn't think they would be the worst ones. This is not a lie. We were in the highest row. There was nothing behind us but the concrete wall. To make things worse, my mom is deathly afraid of heights. I had no clue that she was so scared of heights. We go to sit down and I could see how uneasy she was. She was a trooper but I could see she wasn't right. Later she tells us that she was dizzy just looking down and really thought she would die.

Now the good part. Now my mood gets better. We are waiting for the concert to begin when some guy named Jim comes up to us to ask if we would like to upgrade our tickets. Me being ready for a scam said that I liked these seats. My sister asked where the new seat would be and he said "that section down there". We are so high up that we can't tell what the heck section he is talking about. I asked how much it would cost and he said it was free. I wanted to know if we moved and I didn't like the new seats could we come back up here. He said we would not be disappointed. My sister asks to clarify which section and Jim tell us the section is where there is no one sitting now right next to the stage. Okay, say what? Right next to the stage. My sister then says to the guy "you can have our crap seats" and we gave him our old ticket and off we went to the good seats.

Oh my God, we got to sit at stage level row 1 for the cost of the crap seats Chief bought. We were so excited. My mom wasn't going to die now. I was so happy I had tears of joy. The concert was awesome. We sang and danced. I just wanted this to be special for my mom and I could tell she was happy. Neil was incredible. It was so cool seeing him up close. He even walked to our section and sang. I never thought I would be a crazy fan but I couldn't help myself. With my sparking Neil Diamond t-shirt I shouted "I love you Neil" and by God I know when he put his hand on his heart and mouthed "Thank You" it was meant for me. My day was complete. Great concert, awesome parking spot, spent time with mom and my sister.

I woke up the next day in the best mood ever. I went for a long walk in town. I hadn't done that in years. I walked to Jerry's Bakery and ordered some treats for work and for Chief. I also got Chief's dad a treat and dropped that off on my way out of town. I got back home in record time. I took out the boys, unpacked and headed to work. If I ever figure out how to get my pictures off my cell phone I will post them.

So, if you are in a bad mood maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be your best day ever.