One of the soundtracks of my life.

I almost hate to jinx my week by writing about Blue Rodeo, but I am so excited about going to see them on Thursday here in Fort McMurray that I had to share my feelings.

The very first time I was suppose to go see Blue Rodeo they were coming to Antigonish, and I was going with some of my best friends from high school and college.  It was going to be my first "real" concert, one that I had to pay for a ticket, and I didn't know, or was not related to anyone on stage.  People from Cape Breton will know what I mean with that joke...I had gone to lots of "concerts" where fiddles were involved over the years.  But this was Blue Rodeo.  They were the big time, they were going to be my "first".

And then I landed in the hospital, and within days found out that I needed a bone marrow transplant.  I would not be attending my first concert, and I would not be going to Blue Rodeo.  But unknowingly, they helped me through the months in the hospital.  I was so sick that I could not watch TV, when it was on, the best way I can describe it was that I would get car sick.  Having a TV on was just too much for me, so it remained off most days.  But I loved my music, and the first thing I would ask of the nurses in the morning was to turn on my radio.  "Lost Together" was their big song that summer of 1992, and I can literally remember laying there, bald, scarred, throwing up, and feeling so scared every morning....the late nights and early mornings were the worst.  And "Lost Together" would come on, and I would become totally calm. It was the way I started the day, and while the words mean might have a romantic meaning for others...I always thought how I shouldn't feel sorry for myself because although I was "lost", I wasn't alone, and as strange as it may sound, when I heard that song each morning it was my reminder that I was still lucky to be here.

The first time I actually got to see Blue Rodeo was another great story.  We really couldn't afford it, but Tim saved up and got us the tickets to go see them at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.  It was our first official date after Mitchell was born, and our Valentine's Day date. It was 1998, almost 9 months after Mitchell was born, and the first time I left him for more than an hour.  I have to be honest and tell you that I spent a good chunk of the concert in the bathroom calling the babysitter finding out that Mitchell was still asleep.  We were so broke that we did not even go for supper, lol...and Tim couldn't get my home fast enough at the end of the concert.  But I sat there and cried when they sang, "Lost Together", and enjoyed ever moment I was sitting in my seat.

The next time I saw them in Antigonish, Tim was working long hours, and fell asleep at the concert.  The next time I saw them, I went with two of my best friends ever, Tammy and Shirley, and Tammy's sister Kelly came too.  We did supper and then the concert, and it still is one of the best memories of one of the things that I got to do with my friends.

Due to lots of bad luck, drunk drivers and shitty timing, I have not been able to see them again since I moved to Alberta almost 7 years ago.  But this Thursday, I will get to drive down the hill and see them live at MacDonald Island, with many other die hard Blue Rodeo fans.  They were with me through make out sessions in high school, drinking nights with the girls at college, almost dying during the transplant, my wedding night, the days my boys were born, and almost every day in between as been touched by at least one or two Blue Rodeo songs.  Music is so powerful, and Blue Rodeo has been such a force in my life.  I can't wait to share the evening with everyone there, so we can all be "Lost Together".