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Issue #1141
Including:

Russ

Nova Scotia Sus

Doug

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From Russ

A-a-a Avril

She was a girlfriend of my cousin Gerry and the 'spoiled' daughter of a wealthy local manufacturer. We were about the same age (around 10 or 11 years). The very first time I saw her up close (as she lived across the street from my cousin) was on a windy, sunny day - she was wearing a long yellow dress which flowed behind her like a golden stream - I instantly fell in love with this angel (Puppy love of course!) Because she stammered a little, this only made her sweeter! I came from RR3 Kitchener, smelled like a cow (a Jersey cow) and my shabby clothes gave me away......I was "lower class" and she treated me as such. She was a snob and wanted nothing to do with me. "Forbidden fruit is always sweeter" She was a ripe peach - out of reach. I was a lowly potato - but that didn't stop me from secretly loving her for many years!

Fast forward some 80+ years: It was at cousin Gerry's Funeral that I again saw her. Someone had pointed her out to me. She was alone, lame, (walked with a cane) but still a very handsome woman. She walked my way - I felt a chill. Surely she doesn't remember me! I was right - she hung a left, and began walking toward the huge natural fireplace in this 'swanky' Funeral Home. Standing there in front of the fireplace, admiring a huge painting on the wall above the mantel, I was tempted to approach her - introduce myself - tell her I have loved her for a lifetime. But wait! Think! That would be completely out-of-line! All thanks be to God I refrained from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life! What she doesn't know wont hurt her - but it's killing me!

In my latest (and last) book, I have a Chapter called "All The Girls I've Loved" Do you think it would be OK to include Avril?

Avril is French for April, and such a pretty name it is. (I think it is Nova Scotia Sus middle name)

April 4th was my sister Evelyn's Birth Day. May she rest in peace.

April of 2024 is behaving like early March! Seems everybody is getting cold weather, lots of rain, and even heavy snow in some places! I haven't yet put away the snow shovel nor ice-melting salt from my deck. And my Lilly's are afraid to open their blooms!

The first of several tests ordered by my cancer surgeon is a C.T. scan tomorrow morning. Prepping for this is "A walk in the park" - all I have to do is 1.Fast forever. 2.drink 1.5 L of water (or is that 1.5 Gallons?) and "hold it, without peeing or fainting for hours! Wish me luck!

Uncle Russ.

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From Nova Scotia Sus

A storm is brewing and expected to hit us this afternoon sometime (thursday) and last for a couple of days. On the weather map it's huge covering all of the Maritimes with snow and wind. We are not looking forward to a big dumping of snow...yesterday we planted our potatoes! A bit early but why not? Our pond has thawed the earliest i can remember. We used to make bets on when the last ice would melt. My bet was April 15th and I always lost....the ice wouldn't leave until late April. So this year is quite different.

The maple sap season has ended now. We went to collect the other day and found very little sap and plenty of bugs floating around. Now the work is loading up all the buckets in the truck and then give them a good washing and store away for next year. We are very happy with our supply of syrup and nature tells us to quit.

I wish Carol and AL a good trip west. The train will be a nice restful way to travel and then visit. I've only done the train trip from Calgary to Vancouver and had a great time up in the dome car. I wish you well!

As I write this the storm has come!!! The snow is sideways and I have 3 more clients to do!!

Sus

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From Me

How’s it going…..eh?

As stated last week, I had a little music gig at the local retirement home last Sunday. (Nothing to do with Easter, just music). With the exception of that place, I don’t bother to play out in public anymore, haven't now for a few years. I find it just not worth the effort. However, I still play the retirement home because it is fun and more importantly, the inmates there really appreciate it and truly enjoy my music. When you play in a ‘public’ setting, you put up with noise, rude people, and all sorts of distractions. But, when playing in a ‘private’ setting, it’s almost like doing a concert in that they are there to watch and listen to you. They listen to the music, sing along, tap their feet, nod their heads, some even not off but thats ok too. So, bottom line is, I enjoyed the afternoon and so did they. I know that because so many of them came up afterwords and told me. I also knew that from watching them as they watched me. It’s probably fortuitous that they are a good audience because I am not by nature an entertainer. It does not come naturally for me, I have to keep reminding myself to engage with them. To ‘include’ them and not just sit there doing my songs. It seems to be working.

Visually, I fit right in. I look just as old as some of them and face it, once we are grey and wrinkled, we do all look the same. I could easily blend in to the crowd and not even be noticed.

I’m still using the same PA system that I had for playing up at the gondola years ago. It is a very basic yet quality system but has enough output to rattle the windows if I were so inclined. My mixer is just a box that you plug everything in to and is controlled by a software app on my iPad. So, my speakers sit on stands to get them up high enough to be heard, my mixer can sit anywhere, the speakers and mic and guitar all plug into the mixer and I mount my iPad onto my mic stand for easy access. As for music, I just hang a play list on the mic stand as well. I never use sheet music when playing ‘out’ as I prefer to have all the lyrics in my head. That way I don’t have the distraction of dealing with a pile of paper. I’ve watched other musician who needed sheet music and they spent more time thumbing through their books or sheets than playing. The funny thing is, they probably know the words to their songs but the sheets or books have become a crutch so they can’t play without them. One thing I do that I don’t like is I now sit on a stool instead of standing. My old body simply can’t stand for a whole set. So, as unprofessional as it might look, I sit while I’m playing, just like I do on those video’s I occasionally post.

And remember that audio version of the Mr. Tambourine Man song I posted last week. Well, I didn’t do it at my little retirement home gig because it is not part of my play list. However, I did get a chance to do a video version of it yesterday although it was rather rushed and without any prep because Sue stepped out for a few minutes and I had no way of knowing when she’d be back. That gave me a window of unknown duration. So, I quickly set up my stuff and shot the vid in 1 take. I left out part of the song on purpose because it is a fairly long song so I just sort of mushed the second and third verses together. And, as I always do now in my old age, I am sitting on that stool. Easier for the old back and joints. Bye.

Mr. Tambourine Man
(the video version)

Doug

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Have a Good One
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.