Selkirk 2

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This is what Johnnie & the others got to listen to at the Beatles Week convention: The Beatles Remastered Stereo and Mono Sets will be released on 09.09.09. On Monday, September 7th, Paul, Ringo, Yoko and Olivia are going to be on the CBS Evening News talking about the 09.09.09 releases. On Tuesday, Sept 8th. CBS Evening News is scheduled to run a piece on the releases themselves. It was great to be some of the first people to hear them. When Ernie & Johnnie talked about it she got hugs for saying it was a good day to release it because of John's focus on the number 9. He wrote reflections on it, did drawings and wrote songs about 9..

Some of you asked about Johnnie's last day in Liverpool. After Church she went on the guided tours of the childhood home of John & Paul. They are now heirtage sights operated by The National Trust. The security is very tight. When you go in they ask for your purse, jacket & camera, and they lock them in a chest. At Paul's he welcomes you on a recording & goes on & on about the songs he wrote with John in that house. His brother Michael is very involved too and our guide said he sometimes just pops by to check things out or drop off something else to display. Michael is a gifted prize winning photographer and the house is full of photos that he took. They all have a copyright on them. They are so personal and one of a kind many of us were in awe. There are also some photos of his over in John's house. Some of Paul's original instruments were there and paper with lyrics on them of various songs in his or John's handwriting. And then we went to John's on Menlove Avenue by Strawberry Fields where he lived with his Auntie Mimi. Turns out our guide actually went to school with John & she told us personal stories about him singing all the time, being a gifted artist & poet. We chuckled when she told us he was often in trouble with the Head Master for using so much foul language. Yoko Ono is very involved with this house. She has donated many personal items. It is so special to see the lyrics in their own handwriting. We all chuckled when we walked into John's bedroom and the walls were covered with posters of Elvis ! We even saw some of John & Paul's old report cards. Our guide talked about John walking down the hill to St.Peter's Church. Vern & Johnnie did that walk once. There is lots more to share as the tour was one of the longest. It is a new tour. Ernie saw it for the first time in June. The guide told us that Yoko is so involved that she has often treated them all to tea. When it was over Johnnie and another fan decided they wanted to take public transit back to the Cavern Quarter. We ran across the street to catch bus 79 and when we got to the bus stop we both said: We just ran across where John's mom Julia was killed on July 15, 1958. She was run over by an off duty police officer. She was visiting John & Mimi. After supper that night Vern & Johnnie took a taxi to see the Casbah Club. John & the boys played there before the Cavern Club. It was built by Pete Best's mom & they were the opening act. Pete still plays there once in awhile

Yesterday we went to Edinburgh for the day. The International Festival is on. We walked the streets of downtown Edinburgh first and it was funny that Eleanor & Johnnie went into the HMV music store. Johnnie found a Beatles recording that was new to her. It was Beatles' tunes played on Pine Pipes. It was a boxed set of 5 CD's. Eleanor found a Walker Brothers CD she wanted. After that we walked the Royal Mile, saw Edinbugh castle and then went for supper. We will be seeing some great fireworks in Edinburgh on Sunday night, the wrap up of the festival.

Today after Church Johnnie & Eleanor when shopping in Halwick and Selkirk. Eleanor got her new book on The Walker Brothers & she will take it to the concert on September 26 & get it autographed. Johnnie got a new book by Ringo.

For lunch today Eleanor made Johnnie some haggis...

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Photos

Elly and Johnnie
this was shot about a minute afterr the 2 of them saw each other at the train station. they have not seen each of in person for 28 years. they are like sisters

Edinburg Castle 1
Johnnie and Vern entering castle. its finally photo proof that vern is along on the trip!

Edinburg Castle 2
Elly and Johnnie at the entrance

Castle Capel
this is a tiny little capel in the castle and has wonderful history. people still book this and other parts of the castle for weddings. when we were walking up towards the capel, a wedding party were just leaving.

Royal Mile
Johnnie and Elly walking along up the royal mile.

piper
the street musicians look at bit different than at home. Elly was happy that Johnnie finally saw a piper as she was really wanting to hear one.