2013-11-30
My favorite Powell River thing? Seawalk - the ped path along the ocean. It's about 3 kms and while we've tried a couple of other hiking paths - this one remains the fav. Prairie kids can't get enough of the ocean. We've become regulars and say hi to alot of the same locals every day. Along the walk we can see Vancouver Island, Texada Island, sailboats, ferries, fishermen, birds - including a Blue Heron, and harbour seals!
2013-11-27
The cat, the kitties, the rat and everything....
So the baby kitties are almost a month old. The other day, Mama B came in through her kitty door with a bundle in her mouth and I thought OMG, she had one of the babies outside! I followed her into the bedroom where the kitties are and got there in time to see her throw a live rat into the kitty box. The kitties freaked, I freaked, Bob flew in the room to see what was happening, the rat hid under one of the babies and Mama B just sat there calmly to see what would happen. Even though she's a house cat, the instinct to teach the kitties to hunt and kill is obviously still there in a big way! Bob put plastic bags over his gloves and attempted to catch the thing while it was running from baby to baby and hiding under them! When Bob finally caught it, my extremely important and pivotal role was to open the outside door. Given that cats play with their food, the rat was in rough shape so Bob made the decision to destroy it to prevent a repeat of this event. Long story short = the rat had flying lessons. Good news: We are thankful we were home. The rat was bigger than the babies. Babies were traumatized but all are fine. Not so good news: I have this powerful need to run into the kitchen and check Mama B's mouth every time she comes in her kitty door!
2013-11-24
Last November, David j Taylor - my friend, my producer & mentor & fellow singer/songwriter, left Milestone SK behind and moved to Sechelt, BC. Dave's first show in Sechelt was yesterday at the Sunshine Coast Art Centre and given that we were only one ferry ride away, Bob and I had to be there. Before the show we had a lovely dinner at The Lighthouse Pub with my cousin Doug Besse and his wife Dawn who live at Gibsons, just down the road. Simon Paradis and Joe Stanton (Stanton Paradis - buy their album) opened for Dave and it was a couple hours of amazing original music. Good news: The show was awesome. Not so good news: Factoring in the ferry ride and drive to the ferry - it took 3 hours to get home! Ferry life is a different world for prairie kids.
2013-11-22
The Patricia Theatre in Powell River celebrated its 100th Anniversary. It is Canada's oldest operating movie theatre and what an awesome place it is! There's a stage, a piano and even a balcony (only one exit so fire code says they can't use it anymore - too bad). Admission is $9, $5.50 for seniors and, my Mama will love this, super senior rate for those over 78 is free! When Arlene was here, the three of us went to see the new Tom Hanks movie and and wait for it - they had intermission. How civilized! So I went to the little girls room and on my way back I asked the lovely grey haired attendant how long the intermission was. Her reply "until everyone has a chance to use the washroom dear!".
2013-11-20
Great show on Nov 15th at The Boardwalk Restaurant in Lund, BC. Owner and Chef Roy Blackwell provided a beautiful venue and great food! And Brenda the waitress took great care of us. The restaurant is at mile 0 of Highway 101 and at the end of the pier. I'll never eat fish and chips in the prairies again. It's quieter in Lund this time of year. In summer the population expands from 270 to 12,000!
Good news: First tour date in BC! Not so good news: A few days after the show, the manager at the Visitor Centre told me that Micheal Buble (can't find the accent on this laptop) has a house in Lund, just down the road from The Boardwalk. Too bad he didn't make it to my show. Now there's a man I would have loved to pitch a song or seven to! Drat!
2013-11-14
Ain't nothing like old friends! Arlene, Alison and I have been friends for over 40 years. This month Arlene and I were guests of Alison & Bob at the Long Beach Lodge in Tofino, BC for a weekend of storm watching. Arlene came from Calgary, Alison & Bob came from Victoria and, instead of a flight from Saskatoon - I took a ferry to Comox & rented a car. Our abode was a beautiful two bedroom-two bath cabin just down the way from the lodge that served brekkie and amazing dinners! Bob was our pool boy and delivered drinks to the wild women in the private hot tub. Bob referred to us as "his women". Bet we got some tongues wagging!
Incredible time. We laughed, we cried, we talked, we drank wine, we ate amazing meals, we hiked, Alison & I jumped on Arlene's bed (with her in it) & we all watched the crazy canucks surfing. Really! People surf in Canada in November. Not just a few polar bear types - lots and lots of surfers. Who knew?
On Monday Arlene came back to Powell River & spent a few days with me, Bob, Mama B (the cat) and her 6 kittens! I put her on a bus (van actually) Thursday morning and 6 hours and 2 ferries later, she was at the Vancouver airport!
Good news: Time with old friends = priceless. Not so good news: In this past year Alison lost her Mom, Dad and her ex (who remained part of the family). She remains a grounded, incredible woman. (I think it's the grandkids - nothing like baby love - the circle of life).
2013-11-04
Every now and then I apparently have to shake things up to know that I'm alive! So....Bob and I sold our lovely wee house in City Park in Saskatoon and took up house sitting. Right now we're in Powell River B.C. - a breathtakingly beautiful part of Canada - looking after the house and house cat of Terry, a wonderful lady who is in Costa Rica learning Spanish! Briar the house cat had 6 kittens the week before we arrived! Big surprise for Terry but the lovely thing about kitties is that Mama looks after them so well. Nothing to do but keep an eye on them and wait till they're big enough to snuggle!
This part of Canada is called the Sunshine Coast. It's on the mainland of Canada, but it feels very much like an island and I can see Vancouver Island from the deck. Two ferry rides gets you from Vancouver to Powell River. After the first ferry we spent a night in Sechelt, got together with my good friend, producer and fellow singer/songwriter David j Taylor at his home - The Purple House. That night we all went to The Old Boot Restaurant to see Simon Paradis and Joe Stanton play. Awesome local singer/songwriters.
Every day I have my morning coffee gazing with wonder at the Pacific Ocean. Big stuff for a blue sky prairie girl! With my new album NEXT TIME AROUND in hand, my goal is to play everywhere we go. I booked my first BC gig for Nov 15 at The Boardwalk Restaurant in Lund, B.C. - mile 0 of Highway 101!
Good news: Had a half hour phone conversation with 3 year old granddaughter Ruby who had lots and lots to say and talked really loud coz she knows we're far away! Not so good news: Sad I missed 11 year old grandson Ty's first band concert. But I know he rocked it!
Let the adventure begin!