John Mark Nelson and the Goonies

Brad emailed me from work and asked if I could find a babysitter so he and I could go on a spontaneous date to see young, local musician John Mark Nelson play at the Lake Harriet bandshell. And afterwards they showed the movie Goonies. It was a perfect, wonderful evening. It took me through most of the concert to shake the stress of the day off, but I enjoyed cuddling with Brad in a park bench, quiet, no one needing me, with my best friend next to me. And weirdly, I met a 70ish year old man in the long! line for the bathroom who had grown up in the little Illinois town of Rochelle, IL (where my mom grew up and where both of my folks and I had gone to high school). Not only that but this guys knew my grandpa, Homer Trout, when he was a soda jerk at the drugstore. And he knew my dad folks. AND he used to have cookies and milk on my mom's aunt's front porch after school (near Central). And to make the story all the curious-er, this man had lived and raised his family here in the Twin Cities and then retired and moved to Virginia. He was only here visiting his kids and grandkids and had on a whim decided to drive in from the suburbs where they all lived to take in the concert and movie night near where he used to live. And he and I ended up chatting in line next to each between shows. Funny. I love things like that.

The concert was great -- JMN is not too showy but a good performer with a simple, kind, cheerful, tiny-bit-shy demeanor. He had quite a cadre of college-aged fans who danced and cheered and were a bit silly in a jolly way in the front rows. He seemed to be surprised by their ardency and energy but enjoyed it, as any performer would.

Our series of band photos..."selfies"? -- Are they still called that when it's you as a couple? I'm not that hip.

 

In which my husband looks ruggedly handsome and I magically, tragically age 20 years.