We bought tickets to the Summer Sessions in Stirling ages ago, to see Shania Twain, without giving much thought to where we would be based at the time of the concert. We turned out to be in Ullapool so we commuted from here, with an overnight stay in a Travelodge in Perth. Something strange happened before we set off. Tom went outside, as is his wont, but did not return for ages. He clearly suspected that something was going on, and was concerned that it would involve him in a four hour car journey. But why did he think that? We were careful to follow our normal morning routine; James went out for his walk, we didn’t pack anything, we didn’t go near the car. Finally Tom returned and we locked the doors, and only then did we pack our overnight bags. We also loaded up the cats’ bowls with a prodigious amount of food so that they wouldn’t starve during our absence. By the time we set off Flora was hiding under the bed and Tom was hiding behind the couch. I presume that they emerged after we left, but I still can’t understand how Tom suspected that something was up so very early.
Our journey went well until the last part when we approached Stirling. It was very busy with concert traffic and by the time we arrived at the car park beside City Park we were running behind time. We had to walk up to Stirling Castle and over the hill to Brea in Baker Street, where Davie and Chanel were waiting for us. We actually walked separately because, as the slower walker, I got out of the car before James parked it so as to get started on my walk. James walked a slightly different route than me which meant that we approached the restaurant from different directions a few minutes apart, which Davie and Chanel found to be quite amusing!
It was lovely to see them and we had a tasty meal before heading back up and over the hill to see Shania Twain. I saw her last September at the Hydro, but it was the first time for the others. She didn’t disappoint, although the sound system wasn’t as good as at the Hydro. The backdrop of Stirling Castle on the hill was stunning. She was also very personable and friendly; she was wearing a mini kilt made by a Scottish designer, and at one point she told us that she had never enjoyed herself on stage so much, which I suspected was a triumph of diplomacy over truth! Shania sang us an excellent two hour set including all the old favourites, which went down very well with the enthusiastic, stetson-wearing crowd, many of whom seemed to be extremely drunk. I heard someone shout “Gaun yersel Shania!” which I loved! We were even lucky with the weather; it was cloudy but fairly warm, and the threatened rain never came to anything more than a wee smirr. Much respect to Chanel, who was exhausted after being at her school sports day in Aberdeen all day, but still came along to the concert. At the end of the concert James and I sprinted to the car park intending to make a quick getaway, but at first couldn’t find the car! After locating it we made good speed to Perth, and by midnight we were tucked up in our Travelodge.
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