This past summer, we passed on the ballgame because I couldn't make the drive down to Comerica Park or sit through the game with all the problems with my neck and all... and Kev and the kids didn't want to go without me. It was yet another bummer that was much of the bummer that was last year... And I can't remember exactly why, but we missed the game in 2007, too... I hope we can get plans together for this summer, coz the 2006 game was a blast.
Though we couldn't make the game, we did make it to John and Canice's house for the pre-game cookout and margarita fest!
It was a gorgeous June evening. Beautiful. Everyone brought their kids, and all the younger kids, and some of the older ones, spent quite a bit of time in the pool and on the trampoline in the backyard.
This year, Jay and Sue had a special surprise for John and Canice. Jay had arranged for Brian Vander Ark to come on over to John and Canice's and play his guitar and sing for us all. When Brian arrived, it took a second or two for John and Canice to realize who he was... and then when they did, it was pretty awesome!
The last time I saw Brian Vander Ark, he was with The Verve Pipe. I went with a group of friends, including Jay, Sue, John & Canice, but without Kev (he was working, I believe) to a concert they did over at CMU. This was way back when their song, "The Freshmen," was a #1 hit, or shortly thereafter... 1996 or 1997 or so...
Jay found out about Brian's "Lawn Chairs and Living Rooms Tour '07" and how he was doing it again in 2008, and once the Tiger/Cardinals game plans were made, Jay booked Brian for a backyard concert at John & Canice's. How awesome is that!
Brian Vander Ark has been doing a heck of a lot since 1996. Check out his web site.
So Brian showed up, met everyone, and then settled on the deck, very casual, while we all got comfortable in our lawn chairs, and he played & sang for us and talked with us for over an hour. The kids and dogs were running around playing, swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and hollering and laughing. The grown-ups and older kids were all relaxed and comfortable, taking care of the kids, getting drink refills and the like. All the while listening to Brian sing and play song after song... we all enjoyed it so very much. It was easily the highlight of 2008 for me.
Brian welcomed photos, and recordings. He signed CD's and stuff for us afterwards, and posed for photos. I asked him if I could post a recording of him singing on YouTube and he said something like, "Oh, heck yeah, please do!" A very talented man and a very likable man.
Now for the photos, and I took so many that evening, it was difficult to narrow them down to these few... here is Brian getting settled for the backyard concert...
Most of our crowd... couldn't fit everyone into the photo...
Jay and Sue and their kids, Kelsey, Drew and Brooke...
Canice and John...
Notice Kev in the background, on the deck, getting a margarita refill... I was D.D. since I couldn't drink much back last summer with all I had going on, including the lovely pain pills that don't mix well with liquor...
Kevin and Sammy enjoying the concert...
Joycie and Mike, too... Joycie especially enjoyed watching Brian play that guitar...
John and Canice's son, Noah, by their pool...
Afterwards, I tried to take a photo of Brian, Jay, Sue, John & Canice, but the photos I took all came out rather out of focus, this is the best one...
But another friend, Tami, got a good pic of the 5 of them....
Here is one of the recordings I made that evening... Brian singing "The Freshmen"...
And last, but not least, John and Canice's dog, Abe...
Abe is a Labradoodle and one of the smartest, sweetest dogs ever. Abe had a blast with all the little kids running around, and I think they tired him right out....
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