We are in St Jacob's tonight. Picked appliances today in Kitchener. Then on to Waterloo to pick two fireplaces. Carol was disappointed with the selection. We think that we have the fireboxes picked, but the surrounds did not appeal. Tomorrow we meet Melissa the "upgrade" lady. My fear is that she will be a highway robber - crap is included in the purchase price but the good things cost real money. I keep telling myself that we will be OK. We can handle her. She is just the "Upgarde" lady. Then I remember that this is her game, and that we are the yokels and my heart goes cold.
I am listening to a bunch of Ron Hynes tunes tonight. Started with "From Dublin with Love" then on to "Dark River" and "Brown Eyes", finishing with favourites "The Ghost of Dana Bradley" and "Cape Spear". We saw Ron perform live twice. Once as part of a program about mental health and addiction. Katie went with me. He sat on stage with one of his doctors to talk about his addictions. Then he performed. I have never seen a performer give more of himself. The evening was capped with a showing of The Man of a Thousand Songs - his auto-documentary.
Years ago, I listened to Shelagh Rogers do an on-air telephone interview with Ron from the hall telephone at Bellwood Addiction Centre in Toronto. He seemed so sane, yet there he was in addiction rehab. He told how in a long-previous phone call to his mother he got the core of one of his great songs - "The Mother Who Bore You In Pain". It was a phrase she used as she expressed her anguish about his addictions. It was a song that Carol could barely listen to. He could not fix the problem but he could acknowledge his failures through the song. It was a brilliant interview. I have contacted Shelagh to find a copy of the interview. (Shelagh got back to me , she did not do the interview)
"Cape Spear" is such a friendly song with a good melody, some tricks in the lyrics, and wonderful images. When we were in Newfoundland in 2012 we went to the south shore and Cape Spear just because of this song.
"The Ghost of Dana Bradley" breaks my heart. After writing the song he visited her parents to get their permission to perform the song.
I do love sad songs. I have a big Ron Hynes collection. "Dry" . . "My Name is Nobody" . . "Carry this Cross" . . "Judgement"