As immersed in all things adoption as I generally am, I have mentioned that I sometimes have to force myself to take a rest from the subject. Last Friday night my husband and I set off for a concert at the local arboretum.

I was wavering about whether I wanted to go or not, but, finally decided that it would be a great way to relax and not think about anything heavy. Adoption is a heavy topic for me in case anyone has missed that! An outdoor concert in the park sounded pretty inviting.

Although my husband enjoys classical music, he does not like the stuffy concert hall routine. He likes to dress up even less. Therefore, these summer outdoor concerts are perfect for us. We pack a picnic dinner and a bottle of wine, round up lawn chairs, and off we go. The Los Angeles Arboretum is less than 10 minutes from our home, so, it is even more enjoyable because we do not have to drive so far to get there and back.

We packed our picnic dinner, loaded the car with nifty, new backpack/lawn chairs and jumped in the car for the quick ride over to the concert. We usually purchase what they call "lawn tickets. The other option is chairs and table which are situated immediately in front of the stage. The setting is spectacular. Right before the lawn seating begins, there is a large reflecting sparkling pond which shimmers as the sun goes down and adds to the beauty of the setting. The arboretum itself is a beautiful spot with colorful flowering trees and plants of all kinds.

We found a nice spot close to the pool in the shade and loved being outdoors, listening to the pre-concert jazz and beginning our picnic. Although the evening was a scorcher, a cooling breeze was most welcome. A nice glass of wine got the evening off to a mellow beginning.

One of the enjoyable parts of the event is noticing all the elaborate ways people make the concert a festive event. While some people bring a simple restaurant bought dinner, many concertgoers prepare elaborate feasts and include candles and flowers to adorn their tables. Seconds before we left for the concert, I clipped mint and lavender and popped it into a mini-vase to brighten up our tiny table. Nice gesture, but, I could not quite get the vase to stay level and standing. Finally, I popped it in the cup holder of my chair and enjoyed it from that angle.

To Be Continued......................................