Obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Dec.1/08

It's Sunday evening as I write this post. The snow has been falling for several hours and very soon December will be upon us. We had our first Advent reading at church this morning. Prior to that, I heard the song for this week on the radio today as I waited for my family to come to the car to go to church. I'm feeling a bit sad and maudlin this evening, It's my Mom's birthday, she passed away in 1991 and I miss her terribly. Christmas always brings great joy and that joy is tempered by the losses experienced over the years.

It is no coincidence that I have chosen this song to start the month of December. This weeks song is not a typical Christmas song. It has a wonderful story and somewhat sad for many reasons. I'll explain most of the reasons in the big reveal later this week. The song was released in 1980 approximately 8 months before the album was released.

the beer was empty and our tongues were tired

and running out of things to say

she gave a kiss to me as I got out

and I watched her drive away

I would like to know:

the singer:

the song:

the album it came from:

who played the soprano sax solo:

Have a great week. Be careful in all the snow (if it actually comes). Christmas will be here soon and the celebrations of His birth will hopefully not be lost in the tinsel and wrapping.

"Merry Christmas one and all"

The big reveal for the week of Nov.24, 2008

Good morning music fans. It has been a crazy week, sorry no hints this week. I had one partial guess and that person was correct. This is an old song by a great Canadian band. I hope you enjoy the versions in the video bar.

Steve B got the name of the band.

Here are your answers:

The name of the band: Lighthouse
The name of the lead singer: Bob McBride
The name of the song (and album): One fine morning
Who created the art work for the album cover: Roger Dean(who did a lot of work for the albums of Yes)
The instrument played by the writer (Howard Shore) of the LOTR music: Horn section

I was unable to embed this particular song, so check out the video bar for some versions of the song. Have an awesome weekend. Take some time to slow down before the crazy part of Christmas begins to hit. I imagine that the malls will get very busy soon. I'll be loading the Christmas music on the ipod this weekend as well as trying to get some rest.

I am planning on doing Christmas songs for the month of December and have some new things in mind for the new year. Enjoy family and friends this weekend.

All deep things are song. It seems somehow the very central essence of us, song; as if all the rest were but wrappages and hulls!

Tuesday Musings (#12)

Happy Tuesday everyone.

In one month it will be Christmas day. I can't wait. Well I can wait, I just am so excited for Christmas this year. Oh yes, I say Christmas, I don't say happy holidays or even seasons greetings. I celebrate Christmas. if you celebrate Hanukkah, then have a happy Hanukkah, if you celebrate Kwanzaa, then have a happy Kwanzaa.

I am so ticked at the homogenization of everything. You can't say this cause it might offend someone, oh please, how can saying Happy or Merry Christmas offend anyone. For those of us who celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is that, a celebration of a faith. If I offend you by saying Merry Christmas, I'll say it now, I am sorry that I offend you, but (I need to put that little word in there at this time) I will continue to say Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas (to honour my Mom or Charles Dickens or Clement Moore).

OK now back to why I am excited for Christmas this year. It is the plan to have all of us (4) at home for Christmas. We will not have been together since Josh left for school and we're looking forward to being together. We'll do all the traditions that make it Christmas for us including a new one where all of us go to Casa Rugantino for a nice dinner just before Christmas. My in-laws will hopefully join us for a few days and we'll all hang out and enjoy the love that is our family. I'm really looking forward to having some time off and just enjoying my family time.

Happy Tuesday everyone and of course, Merry Christmas ;)

Obscure musical Lyric for the week of November 24, 2008

Good morning music fans. What a beautiful day it is out there, at least it was earlier this morning. I trust you had a good weekend. Mine was busy with many different opportunities. I attended the funeral for the brother of my best friend yesterday. His brother died too young and left a family that dearly loved him. Their faith assures them of where he is and at the same time they miss him greatly. Funerals usually bring me to a place of review, where I think about all that is important in my life and what is unnecessary.

The song this week is an old song, released in 1970 and apparently re-released in 2008 on itunes. The song is the title song from the album. The band is Canadian and delivered a mixed bag of instruments, but no bag pipes. One of the former (although some of them still tour and play together) band members wrote the music for the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) movies.

and everywhere we go we'll laugh and sing

I'll kiss you morning, noon and night

and all the universe will smile on us

cause they know that our love is finally right

I want to know the following:

The name of the band:
The name of the lead singer:
The name of the song (and album):
Who created the art work for the album cover:
The instrument played by the writer of the LOTR music:

Have a great week. In one month it will be Christmas eve. Next week I will begin my Christmas music trivia and will continue up to the week before Christmas, oh what fun it is to ride....................

Angry Dad

This might be the safest place to spew my anger at some of my daughters so called "friends". None of them read this and I doubt their parents do, however they shall still remain anonymous.

I have spent much time listening to my daughter speak and cry late saturday night about her "friends" who treated her with indignation most of the weekend while they were away at a Drama festival with her school drama class. She told me of them lying to her, so they would not have to drive her to the classes and giving rides to others. What hurt me the most was the fact that they kicked her while they thought she was asleep. One of them kicked her when they left the room and the other when they returned and then joked about kicking her while she could still hear them. 

Never mind that they carelessly spoke inaccuracies about her while in the bathroom and she just happened to be in one of the stalls crying. What amazes me most about this is the depth of my anger. To make matters worse, the parents of one of the girls are friends of ours and we all attend the same church. 

So what do I do? Do I speak with the girls? Do I speak with the parents? Do I treat them the way they treated my daughter?

I have more recently written about being a Christian. I have learned that you can't be just a little bit Christian. Kinda like being a "little bit pregnant". I need to either believe what I believe and be sold out, or not believe at all. I can't just take the parts I like and apply them and leave out the parts that don't fit right now. I can't accept that "God is Love" and not accept that God requires me to forgive. I also have to accept that He will judge the living and the dead. It's all in, or fold. I can't fold I have to be all in.

That means that I have to turn the other cheek, I have to forgive these girls and I have to be an example for my daughter. So to B. and S. I forgive you. I will hold no grudge against you. I trust the loving, forgiving and judging God to assess your behaviour and to deal with you as He would deal with me if I did not forgive you.

I will sleep well tonight.

The big reveal for the week of Nov.17/08

It's Friday and it's cold out there. It was cold in the car this morning and I park it in the garage. Oh well, I can't change the weather, so might as well revel in the fact that it's not permanent, global cooling would certainly rock some self appointed experts, wouldn't it? I am also going to Cuba in less than two months, so I think lovingly and often of those white sandy beaches and the warm sunshine and that keeps me warm and toasty.

Quite a few of you got the "clues" from the original post this week. I'll measure my "words with an eyedropper" (that's for burger boy) next week. The more I listened to the music, the more I enjoyed it. I might even buy the album. The nice thing is you can listen to it from the album's website, a nice touch I say.

Here are your answers for this week:

The song: Killing the Blues.

The album: Raising Sand.

The singers: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant.

The writer: Rowland Salley

I hope you enjoyed this weeks venture into some mixed music. I continue to really appreciate some different styles of music and the skills of the professionals who write, play, sing and perform these tunes. The winners this week were Lori S. and Gary D. who both had most of the correct info.

Have an awesome weekend, find a way to stay warm, cosy up somewhere with a book, a fire and something warm or cool to sip. Don't forget to play some wonderful music that will take you away to places unknown except to you and make a pilgrimage to that special place that only you go to.

"Music has charms to soothe the savage beast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak"

Sleepless in Elmira

No Meg Ryan and no Tom Hanks here. "I'll have what she's having", I know it's a different movie, but what a great line. 

The last two nights have had me waking up at around 1:00 a.m. only to fall back asleep between 3:30 and 4:00. I then get up at 5:30 a.m. to start my day, so the last two nights have been a little rough. I have been laying there thinking, singing(to myself), praying and doing who knows what to try and determine why I am awake and have no idea. There's a lot going on these days, but I'm not worried about anything. 

I unfortunately have also woken up my beloved on both occasions and that doesn't help her accomplish much during the day. Oh she gets everything done., she's just as done in at 5:oo p.m. as I am. I'll have to do some serious analyzing to figure out what is going on here. Rest is a weapon in the battle that we are participating in and I need some extra weapons these days. 

Tuesday Musings (#11)

It's Tuesday, time for a dose of what is keeping me awake and won't leave my mind. I was literally kept awake last night from 12:55 a.m. until about 4:00 or so and I am really struggling with some things.

One of them is death. I made a glib comment last Friday night(Date Night) to my beloved about a song that was playing on the ipod as one of the songs that I want played at my funeral. I watched as tears flowed down her cheeks at my lack of sensitivity to what would be a great loss for her. We are currently watching and waiting as the brother of our closest friends (the carpenter and the bonnet babe) moves closer to eternity. It really upset my beloved that I was talking about my own eventual promotion. Death really sucks. It is usually associated with some tragic accident happening or the eventual loss of ones parents who we have been with us all our life. From a corporeal perspective, death is the end. It means goodbye, or maybe even no chance for goodbye as was the circumstance 7 1/2 months ago. It leaves us with a bad taste, tears and gut wrenching loss. It leaves us many questions, rarely answered.

Death from a Christian perspective leaves us with some joy. Paul writes in his letter to the Thessalonians, "we sorrow not like those who have no hope". That is the lot of the Christian, we have hope. And the hope referred to here is not like hoping for a particular birthday gift that may or may not come, hope here refers to the knowledge that something will happen and an assurance that it will occur.

Death sucks that's for sure, it separates us from those we love. The cause and/or reason for death also sucks, but, there is hope. The hope that we will be reunited one day in a far better place where there will be no dying, no death, no tears and no pain. If that's what kept me up last night, then I will enjoy the waking hours today because it really is a happy Tuesday, no matter what.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Nov.17/08

Good Monday morning music fans (talk about 3M). Well the snow came and I don't think it's leaving for a while. It sure was pretty on Saturday night just watching the flakes fall. On Sunday morning, my beloved made breakfast before church and used the Christmas dishes, just for fun. Ya gotta have fun, I say.

The song I have chosen this week was one of the top one hundred (100) songs from 2007 as chosen by Rolling Stone. Yep, this is a relatively current song. It is sung by quite a contrasting pair of individuals, one of whom is considerably older than the other. I have rarely listened to one of them and have listened to the other one much more back in the day.

Now I'm guilty of something

I hope you never do

because there is nothing

any sadder than losing yourself in love

The hints are pretty tough this week. They are a "new duo" and have been touring and singing together for the last year. They came from significantly different musical roots, are from different places and have a large age gap.

I would like to know the following:

The name of the song:
The name of the album:
The singers:
The writer of the song:

Have an awesome week, I have a very busy week but will try to get some additional hints to you on Wednesday. Enjoy the snow, at least it looks pretty and most people who suffer from allergies, don't have to suffer right now. There's a silver lining to every snow cloud.

Community

I have the privilege to participate in multiple communities. I like to think of my grouping of activities as communities. Most of us have them and maybe we don't call them different communities,  but from my side of the keyboard, that's what I call them.

One of the communities that I really enjoy is the small group that I meet with every Thursday evening. It is a faith based community and was created by several returning members and some new members. It's a great mix of young (early 20's all the way up to me, early 50's) and not so young. I think I am the oldest. Some of us have children and there are some who have not yet had the pleasure of children in their lives. We come from diverse backgrounds, most are Canadian born, although two of us are imports. We are in different stages of life based on age, occupation and age of children(or none).

We are working through a study aptly entitled; "Community: your path to progress". We have one more week to go on the study and then we'll celebrate our "progress" on American Thanksgiving. Why do we do all this? The assumption is that we all wish to make spiritual progress, that's why we chose to participate in this type of community. The book proposes that in order to do that we need other people in our lives walking beside us.

I have grown to really appreciate each and every member of our community. I appreciate that every member makes the community a priority and we all share in the hosting and of course the snacks.  Next week is our last "study" and then the celebration. I am planning on something different for next week to encourage the community.

We have suggested that we would like to lead another group in the new year and are looking at a book entitled "Love and Respect" as the basis for the study. We'll see who wants to stay with us come January 2009. 

The big reveal for the week of Nov.10/08

Friday is here. Enjoy this last day of work before the weekend arrives. Of course, then enjoy the weekend. I'm looking forward to Friday evening. I'm hoping to cook something special for "my beloved" and myself and enjoy a glass or two of some fruit of the vine. It's been quite an interesting week for me. We have had multiple birthday celebrations as well as some "accidental" moments. Not much more than some spasms to show for it, I'll get through it.

I had only one reply to this weeks song and that person got some of the information correct. I even stumped all of the regular guessers. I suppose that this was tough, maybe the mixing of the verses together helped, or maybe you are bored. Anyway, the trivia will continue, I'll bring it into the '90's or closer for the next few weeks and then wait 'til you see what's planned for the Christmas season.

Here are the answers(Lori S. got #2 and #3):

1. who released the song in 1972? The Chi Lites.
2. who released the song in 1990? Paul Young.
3. the name of the song? Oh Girl.
4. the writer of the song? Eugene Record.
5. the name of the 1972 album? A Lonely Man.



Have a great weekend, enjoy whatever weather arrives. Spend some time with family and friends. Take some time to thank someone for just being themselves. Perform an act of random kindness and if someone is kind to you, pass it on.

" As long as we live, there is never enough singing"

Trying to learn patience

I asked for the gift of patience, it is a gift right? I would dare not say it is a curse, so it must be a gift. As noted previously, we are having some renovations completed in our house. Almost all are cosmetic and almost all require the room or rooms to be unavailable for some time.

What this means to me as I try to exist here and never mind try to work is that there is very little space to do stuff and the space that is available is full of stuff from other rooms that are unavailable. This is not a complaint, I am not being negative, I just have a hard time seeing into the future(my crystal ball broke yesterday). I think I can imagine what it's all going to look like at the end, at this time it's the journey to that point that I'm having some trouble with.

And that's where the patience comes in. The lack of privacy and the inability to use the little room that I have is teaching me patience. How many times have I used the analogy (it is an analogy right?) of the journey being more important that the destination? I suppose that the request that God gives me patience really does give Him the opportunity to teach me patience, doesn't it? Thanks Alan for that kernel of wisdom.

Oh well, I've just had a sermon from the carpenter (not That one, the one named Steve) about looking to the finished product and not the pieces of the journey. I think I get it, I just hate it when the words I use so glibly to placate the concerns of others come back to bite me in the end. That'll learn me, won't it?

Thanks for reading and listening and more importantly for praying, I need all of them right now.

 

I want to dream again

I like to listen to my ipod often (ok pretty much all the time). It's usually on at my desk and in the car and whenever I am on the computer at home something is playing. I love music and almost all kinds, but don't tell my kids, I have even begun to enjoy some contemporary country music.

I'm currently listening to "Once Chance" by Paul Potts. He won the "Britain's got Talent" competition a year or so ago. His life story was one of being bullied because he liked to sing and for other reasons. He's almost like a Mr. Tanner of sorts, except the critics liked him and he kept singing. What strikes me most is that he doesn't meet the pretty boy image that most people want and yet he won and he's good. Watch the following from one of his performances from "BGT". In the midst of all that is wrong with the world, someone like Paul comes out and blesses and encourages just by being himself.




Every time I watch this, I get tears in my eyes Even the normally caustic Simon Cowell is taken aback by the sheer joy of this man when he is singing.

This is not new, it is however a reminder that we need to dream and go for it. It is also the answer to bullies out there and there are lots: physical, emotional, verbal, spiritual and other kinds. The answer is this, you bullies will never win. Because inside the heart of a bully is a scared person afraid to show their own weaknesses for fear of being observed for your reality. Inside the heart of the one being bullied remains a tiny fire that when given enough oxygen will flame into brightness and expose the wrong for what it is.

Congratulations to Paul Potts for persevering. We are all called to persevere no matter what kind of pressure is placed upon us. Some day we will stand in triumph over the "bullies" of this world.

I will dream again.

Tuesday Musings (#10)

It's remembrance day. My Grannie Lee (my Moms, Mom) called it Armistice day and she could recall the first Armistice day.  Thank you to all the veterans who gave so much for our life and liberty.

I'm sitting here this morning (it's now afternoon) at home on remembrance day. I have rewritten this post too many times. Usually I just say what's on my mind without too much evaluation. Something is stopping me from saying what I think I want to say. Maybe that's the point: too many times I am concerned about the things I say and what others will have to say whether or not they dislike my words or even me.

Why should I care what you think of my writing or my thoughts? Why should I care if you like it or not? I don't write for you, I write for me. You may choose to read or not. Why do I give all this power away? 

Hmm, too many questions for a day off that just happens to be my birthday. Did the veterans ask what the "enemy" thought? I think they just went ahead and did the job that was assigned to them. I have mused too much, I'm going to enjoy my day off and be thankful for the blessings of living in a free country, for now. I'm going to enjoy the blessings of the love of my family and look forward to spending a wonderful dinner time with them.

Happy Tuesday everyone. 

Obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Nov.10/08

Good Monday morning music fans and Happy Birthday to my sister Margaret, one of my closest friends. Yesterday was my daughters birthday, so to honor her 18th birthday, I have chosen a song that was in the top 100 songs released in 1990. However, the song was originally released in 1972.

I guess I better go

I can save myself a lot of useless tears

pain will double if you leave me now

'cause I don't know where to look for love

I guessing that this one is tough. I have taken the lyrics from two different stanzas, so you really have to think about this one. I'll try to come up with some hints by Wednesday. By the way, when the song was released in 1972 and in 1990 it went to # 1 in the charts. I would like to know the following:

1. who released the song in 1972.

2. who released the song in 1990.

3. the name of the song.

4. the writer of the song.

5. the name of the 1972 album.

Have a great week, enjoy the crisp, cool days.

Tomorrow is Remembrance day. I choose to wear a poppy because it reminds me of the sacrifice by many. I appreciate that many young men and women the age of my children and younger have died for the freedoms that I enjoy. I try to thank a veteran when I see one. Soon, unfortunately, they may all be gone. Lest we Forget.

Birthday weekend

It's been a busy time this weekend. It's my baby's birthday today, she just turned 18. It's also my sister Margaret's birthday tomorrow. She is ten years and one day older than I. I will be one year older on Tuesday. My great nephew turned 2 on the 6th and Jdub had a birthday on the 8th.

It's great to celebrate these milestones. We like to make a big deal about birthdays and Alex had breakfast in bed with her presents. She got cards from my sister Margaret and from Oma and Opa too. Josh called and serenaded her with the traditional big brother happy birthday.

All in all, it's been a great family day.

Embarrassed by Riches

I heard someone (Marie W.) speak in our church today about the work being done with the folks who live in a squatter village in Bastion, Ecuador. I was shocked and embarrassed by the amount of "things" that I have amassed over these almost 51 years. These resilient people depend on "us" for so much and they appear to be so happy with so little. If you would like to see what some people are doing to assist them check out the link at 

http://lifechangeadventures.org/ecuador09/

Seeing scores of people(men, women and children) enjoying a simple craft that was made from things we will regularly throw away completely embarrasses me as I await the things that I will receive on my birthday in a few days. The question is what will I do with the riches I have? Jesus is quoted by Dr. Luke when He tells a parable and I paraphrase what He says: "to whom much is given, much is expected". I am having a very difficult time reconciling my possessions and dreams for a home renovation when I see photos of someone who lives on "nothing".

Even the opportunity to support a child or family seems too little. What in the world am I doing to assist those less fortunate? What are you doing to assist those less fortunate? If you would like more info, please chat with me, I will put you in touch with those people who are assisting the folks in bastion.  

The U.S. election: part 2

The attached clip is from a blog entitled www.tundratabloid.blogspot.com  and details a documentary "from Clinton to Obama" by a Swedish television crew. I do not agree with all that I read on the Tundra Tabloid, but this video appalled me. This video is what I was/am most afraid of with the extreme polarization of some american people and politics with the most recent election. What I find most heinous is the reverse racism that is displayed by this teacher. 

I will pray that people will come together and work as one for the ideals that have been set out in their constitution. I will pray for our own country that we will learn from the foibles of others and never look down on anyone but build them up. I will pray for wisdom for the leaders as they govern.

Our responsibility is to pray for those in positions above us, like our political leaders.

The big reveal for the week of Nov.3/08

It's Friday morning and the rain or snow has yet to fall. I have enjoyed the last few days of warm weather and sunshine. The weekend is almost here which will give us to time to rest between out five day shifts. I can't believe that I stumped most of you this week, either that or you found it too easy that you chose not to reply. Oh well, the trivia will continue weekly as long as I can find songs to write about. The answers:

The name of the song: Hide in your Shell.
The name of the album: Crime of the Century.
The name of the writers: Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.
Who sang lead vocals: Roger Hodgson.
Who sang back up vocals: Christine Helliwell, Vicki Seibenberg and Scott Gorham.

The winner this week was Steve B. (again) who admitted that the band was a favourite of his when he was younger. For the record, I'm pretty sure that I am older than him and they were a favourite of mine when I was in high school(Lakeport High) so he must have been a fan when he was quite young.

I'll work on something that he might not know on the weekend for next week. Have a great weekend, enjoy family and friends "cause you know who your friends are by looking in their eyes". If you know what song that is from, let me know? I have a memory of a dj playing that at the end of his show back in the 70's. It's birthday weekend in our house, it is my daughters 18th (where did the time go), my sisters and mine too. Might be a bit of fun to be had this weekend.

"Brass bands are all very well in their place -- outdoors and miles away"

The U.S. election

I am one of those people who prefers not to discuss political stuff. I have my opinions and I, like my father, will "fight to allow you yours". But (there I said it again) you knew I couldn't leave this one alone, didn't you? Fortunately for most of you reading this, you do not reside in the U.S. A further boon is that most of you are not U.S. citizens, at least most of you have not admitted to that. Do not read this as being disparaging remarks against the U.S. or its citizens, it is not. I have many friends who are U.S. citizens and I love them dearly, this is not an anti U.S. tirade either. By the way, I have no interest in discussing the winner or loser, the future will determine the ability of the winner to lead the juggernaut that the U.S. is.

What troubled me most about this election was the polarization of people based on their choices. There appears to be no middle ground, the prevailing attitude in that political arena seems to be "either you are for me or against me". I do not see one iota of co-operation or collaboration. One side wins and they thumb their noses at the "losers". Rodney King said it best, "why can't we all just get along". If you don't know who he is just google him and see what happened to him.

I challenge you all to remember this day and see where the U.S. stands in less than two years and what affect it will have on our Canada. I am so thankful that I live here where differing yet plural opinions are allowed. Anyone caught speaking against this winner will be charged as a racist, or worse as a heretic. There is a new "opiate of the masses" I suggest. Or maybe it's the same, just in different clothing. Once again, be careful what you ask for, my friends.

Tuesday musings #9

When people hear that I have started blogging there has usually been an incredulous response something like this, "you're blogging, who wants to read what you have to say?" and those are the kind ones. Some are shocked, some surprised, some have thought that this is a waste of "my" time. Well, it's my time and I like doing it and I have something to say, beyond the puns and music jokes.

I don't write for other people (with the exception to the obscure lyric trivia group). I write for myself. What amazes me about some people is how they think they know me, and to be honest, even those of you who do read this thing regularly don't know me(by the way, thanks to G for calling me after last weeks musing, I appreciated that call more than you know). I can already hear the chorus from "simply red" as I type. If you didn't get that last reference, then go to last weeks trivia answer.

I guess the questions that I need to answer are as follows:

1. Do I want you to know me?
2. Do you really want to know me anyway?
3. Why haven't I allowed myself to be more open?
4. Can I trust you with who I really am?
5. What happens when I become open and my trust is breached(it happens)?

There are few people who know me as well as "my beloved". I have not opened up as much as I should (or should I?)to my children, and certainly not to my few friends. Who made the rules about all this anyway?

We (you, I and everyone else) live in multiple communities and there are rules for each community and they are usually different for each community i.e. current home, home we grew up in, in-laws home, work, church(place of worship), volunteer agencies, vacation spots and the list is likely very long.

The rules dictate what and how we should act and what our level of "intimacy" and transparency should be in each different community. I wonder what would happen if we minimized the rules once in a while and became real with each other just for a moment? I think that we would develop real intimacy in relationships then maybe, just maybe we would eliminate the politics that come with all these relationships. If that could be accomplished we would in no way accomplish Nirvana (the state not the band), what we might arrive at is honesty and trust and be willing to "share" with each other and for each other.

I know some of you are thinking that we would all end up sitting around in a circle singing "kumbya". Go ahead, laugh if you will, your greatest fears may also be your greatest desires as in: to know and be known (to paraphrase Maslow).

Well, I've opened the door just a little bit again this time, I can hear the hinges creaking, just like a cottage screen door, I guess it's time for a little oil.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Nov.3/08

Good Monday morning music fans. What a wonderful weekend. It was gorgeous where I was in Niagara on the Lake. Please feel free to check out the blog about the weekend that shows some pictures from the beautiful bed and breakfast that we stayed at called Applewood Hollow. We had a great time with the ref and miss Jenny and had the most amazing breakfasts served by Jane (with a little help from Brian).

This weeks song is a golden oldie (at least for me). It was a favourite of mine and many others in the latter years of high school. The album it's from may have been the band's best, if you ask me. The album was released in 1974 (it was their third). I can see myself driving down Linwell road singing the first "hit" while listening to either CHUM FM or Q107 with Dave Marsden (Marsden on the radio). This one should not be too obscure.

But what you see is just illusion

you're surrounded by confusion

saying life's begun to cheat you

I would like to know the following(and since I think this one is easy, I want some obscure information, you may need to check the liner notes):

The name of the song:

The name of the album:

The name of the writers:

Who sang lead vocals:

Who sang back up vocals:

I'll do my best to get some hints in on Wednesday. Those of you who were around in the 70's should get this one. Have a great week, looks like we may still have some warmer weather before the real ugly stuff comes.

Applewood Hollow

We had an awesome time this weekend. We visited Applewood Hollow and saw Brian and Jane and their beautiful bed and breakfast again. I'll add lots of photos to allow you to see what a beautiful spot they have. After several wine tastings in the Beamsville area, we had dinner at Murphy's in Port. We visited lakeside Park and watched what appeared to be a Goth wedding, or was it just some adults playing on halloween? Oh my what a wonderful world (I love Sachmo).

We arrived late, but Brian and Jane were there waiting to welcome us with hugs all around and we quickly made ourselves feel like we were at home. A long night of "Apples to Apples" along with some fruit of the vine followed before we retired for the evening.

The next day we visited many wineries and discovered the pleasures of Red wine and dark (70%) chocolate. We discovered a lovely Irish Pub in Niagara on the Lake (The Irish Harp) and enjoyed what tasted like some great home cooked meals. Back to Brian and Janes for more "apples" and euchre and then it was time for us to leave.

What a great weekend of talk, visiting and as the Irish say "Craic". Craic is all that is fun, chatting, laughter and good fellowship and we had all of that and more this weekend. Thanks again Brian and Jane., we'll be back and whenever you need a break, feel free to visit us in Elmira.

I'll be sure to tell everyone I see that if they need a beautiful place to visit in a gorgeous home with fabulous food that all they need to do check out Brian and Jane at http://www.niagara.com/~jandres/

You will do well to spend a night or two at this most relaxing bed and Breakfast.