It’s hard to describe how moving it was to see Paul McCartney walk onto the stage at Allianz Stadium on Friday night and sing “Can’t buy me love”.
The Beatles made chart history in 1964 by holding the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously: “Please Please Me” at five, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” at four, “She Loves You” at three, “Twist and Shout” at 2 and “Can’t Buy Me Love” at 1.
Wow.
That was four years before I was even born.
I felt so awed and privileged to watch an actual Beatle perform the song live on stage at age 81.
But I think my favourite song of the night was “Let it be”, so beautiful and also glorious to see everyone light up their phones in the stadium. It looked like thousands of fireflies were dancing.
The fact an 81-year-old had the energy to play a three-hour set astounded me. I was also impressed by how he switched between guitars and piano and the ukulele and even a mandolin. And he sang like a man decades younger.
The gig went until 11pm and I was delirious with exhaustion when I got home after midnight … and all the next day.
But Sir Paul backed up for a second three-hour performance at Allianz on Saturday. What a legend!
I am so grateful I got to see him perform.
Somehow I tottered out of bed at 7am on Saturday and walked the dogs, then walked with my friend Fee, then had brunch with my sister, got my hair cut, then drove up to DD’s for dinner with friends at a delicious restaurant in Mona Vale called Paddock & Vine.
We shared entrees of grilled octopus with hummus, baked potato, paprika oil and pickles; and grilled haloumi with citrus honey, mint and dukkah.
They tasted every bit as good as they sound.
And my main of steak with frites and parmesan butter was soooo good.
But I outdid myself on the overdoing it front on Sunday by walking the whole 8.6km around Narrabeen Lake with my friend Kellie, then backing up and doing Sculpture by the Sea with DD’s friends from the US.
DD scored a rock star park right beside the beach at Tamarama and we walked to Bondi Icebergs for prawn tacos and lobster spring rolls with the most stunning view of the ocean. Along the way we saw whales frolicking in the sea and raising their fins to the sky. So beautiful.
I think my favourite part of the walk was seeing Mackenzies Beach, which is a bit like Brigadoon. The small inlet at Mackenzies Bay is normally just a rocky bay with no sand. Local myth has it that it only becomes Mackenzies Beach every seven years. Its appearance is not as regular as this, but its mystery lies in never knowing when it will appear and just how long the beach will last.
Being the youngest member of the group I got to see Mackenzies Beach twice because I offered to walk back and get the car and pick everyone up from Icebergs.
I was pretty la-la with exhaustion by the time I got home on Sunday night. I was hoping for a good night’s sleep but instead I got three teenagers slamming doors until after 11pm at night when I finally cracked it at them and then was too cranky to sleep.
I would like to say I am taking it easy today, but I am not. I am flat out all over again.
I really need to learn how to say no.
How was your weekend?
Song of the day: The Beatles “Let it be”
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