January 14, 2012 Saturday

I hardly know where to begin the story of yesterday. Sit back and enjoy the tail, this might take a while.

We got up Friday morning at 5 AM. Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot. Got the dogs food ready for tonights feeding just in case we are not back from Chicago. Since it snowed all night, Tony went out to shovel the back sidewalk and drive and I shoveled the front sidewalks. We showered and left the house on schedule at 8:30 AM. Our friend came at 8 AM to be with the dogs. He felt more comfortable being here when we left rather than arriving after we left. Stopped off at McDonald's for some breakfast to eat on the drive down. The drive down was not so bad considering the weather. I did have to keep telling Tony to slow the hell down the entire drive down to Chicago since I think going over 80 miles an hour is too damn fast. Traffic was OK and we finally arrived and parked at 10:45 AM. It was hard to find the bar and parking because all the street name signs were covered in snow and you could not tell what street name you were on or looking for. As we walked up to the bar Tonja Walker pulled up in her limo and we saw her walk in the bar. Stood in line in the cold for a minute before they called for all the VIP people. Thats us! They took all 20 of us in through a side door, through the bar, and after coat check, to a special room. In this side room with an open bar were all the stars from One Life To Live there to talk to and meet. At first we just stood there in awe and then I grabbed Tony and said 'come on, lets meet them'. Of course the first person was my David Gregory who played Robert Ford. He was so handsome and I let him know it. I later in the day asked him if he wanted to go back to Milwaukee with us after the event. He smiled politely and said he couldn't. Of course I had to ask. Got some pictures with him and got him to sign a photo of him and my OLTL 30th Anniversary Book. Tony and I gushed as we talked with him for quite some time. Here are the pictures of Tony and I with David Gregory.

We then went around the room talking with each and every one of the soap stars that were at the event and had our picture taken with them and had them sign photos and my OLTL book. Here are more pictures of me with the soap stars.

After we made sure we got everyone's autograph we then took some random pictures as we continued to work the room. Here are two of my favorite pictures. One is of David Gregory signing my book, the other is David Gregory with his TV brother Lenny Platt.

From about 11:45 to 12:00 we sat next to the main stars giving a TV interview. Tony and I were 5 feet next to them and I am sure we got on the Channel 7 Chicago news. I recorded most of it in between taking pictures. Here is a picture of the four stars giving the interview.

Around 12:15 PM we were asked to go into the bar where reserved seats were waiting for us in front of a row of the stars on stage. For the next 45 minutes we drank and listened to stories as the stars spoke one by one about their characters and what it was like to be on the show. It was soon 1 PM and the final show began. We all watched it together on the numerous big screen TV's throughout the bar. Of course we got to watch the show less then 10 feet from the stars, the rest of the general admission people had to stay behind the ropes and bar.

During the commercials other stars from the show called in on cell phones to the stars and they were put on speaker as they talked. It was really cool. We teared up many times. The show soon ended at 2 PM.

After the show ended there was a raffle and auction of some items. Tony did go up to $100 on the Asa Buchanan hat, but it went for $350.00. It was then question and answer time with the stars again until a little after 3 PM. At about 3 PM the general admission people were asked to line up so they could now meet the stars and get autographs. We sat around for a bit and then decided to say our goodbyes and start the drive back to Milwaukee. We figured the stars were now too busy for us VIP people with the over 100 other people who now wanted to meet them. We drove home which was not fun in Chicago rush hour traffic. We got home around 5:15 PM with Wendy's food in hand. Spent the night downloading the photos and going to web sights about the event.

The dogs were very happy to see us. I called the friend on his cell on the way home. He had stayed at our house until about 3 PM and then went home, to return at 5 PM. I told him he did not need to return, thanked him and told him I would call him tomorrow after he gave me a brief low down on the day with the dogs. If I knew we were going to be home this early I would have just had him come around noon to just let them outside for a bit. Went to bed around 10 PM. I could not sleep last night since I was still so excited from the day. I took over 60 pictures and about 10 videos of the event so I will be looking back for a long time. I am so glad Tony talked me into the VIP tickets, it would not have been the same otherwise. Of course on the way home Tony did bring this up. I am so happy we went and would do it all over again. So sad now my show is all over, 35 years of watching OLTL.