| Newfoundland 2005 |
| Sean, Dave and Geoff Panting were very good! There were a lot of people there at midnight when we arrived. Emma and Melissa had been there earlier but had gone to see a friend at the Fat Cat. Ang was still there, though. And we saw Graham Dilabaugh, too. I enjoyed listening to the Panting Brothers' sets. I was amazed to notice how different they all were. Dave did most of the singing with Geoff and Sean taking turns for a couple songs each. Geoff played both accordion and keyboards. Sean played guitar and Dave had all three of his instruments there and traded off according to songs. Geoff's accordion is so big, he can't sit up straight and play it; he has to lean back! |
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| Sean Dave Geoff |
| As the night got later, Larry Foley arrived and Mike Hanrahan. Greg Walsh and Mike Walsh sauntered in also. We were still chuckling about the photo shoot for the calendar when Graham Wells walked in. Sheilagh, the photgrapher for the naked calendar, had said she hadn't been able to get in touch with Graham for a photo shoot and had asked Lillian to tell him if she saw him first. Well, the way Lillian told him the story, I think I would have run, runaway if I were him. She called him over and said, "Hey Graham! We had a fun afternoon at our house! Sheilagh did Jim in the tub this afternoon and she wants to do you too! She said to call her, that she was interested in doing you." Well, Jim and I just about fell off our bar stools laughing! Poor Lillian hadn't realized how that sounded and by the look on his face, Graham wasn't quite sure how to take this announcement that Sheilagh wanted to "do" him. I think it took a few minutes for everyone to stop laughing when we finally got it all explained. It was a moment for someone's memoirs, that's for sure. We left at closing time for home and all were lucky to have the day end. At least it ended on a high note! Saturday, July 9th Yummies in the AM - a good Newfoundland breakfast, and then listening to Johnny Cash's last album. I had never heard it and found it quite touching and very telling about his last days. His version of Bridge Over Troubled Waters especially got to me. I was missing Vic more than I had realized and that song holds special memories with us. For my 18th birthday, Vic camped out in line before it was fashionable and got two front row center tickets to see Simon and Garfunkel. That was thrilling enough. But the most defining moment of that evening was Art Garfunkel, sitting on a stool, right in front of me, singing Bridge Over Troubled Waters. It was the first time any of us in the Civic Center had heard the song. Just a piano accompaniment and Art in the spotlight on a pitch-dark stage. His clear tenor voice floated out over the 15,000 assembled people and held us all spellbound. When the last vestiges of the song had floated over their heads, the multitude sat stunned. Imagine a huge auditorium packed to the gills, in complete and utter silence. Then, everyone on their feet, cheering, crying, hugging each other, in celebration for the gift of song he had just bestowed upon us. What a night! I can close my eyes and still be right there, holding Vic's hand. Shortly after Johnny's version had ended and I had explained all of the above to Jim, Vic called on the phone. It was the perfect time for me to hear his voice! Nice to know we still have a connection 2500 miles apart. We finalized plans for my return trip and just enjoyed talking to each other. I was sad to be leaving Newfoundland in a couple days, but oh so happy to be going home to Vic. Next time, he's gotta come, I miss him too much! After that, Jim and I went to pick up some stuff at the Arts and Culture Centre. When we got back, I sat outside at the patio table and worked on my puzzle book. Rose and Steve came over and we chatted. It's Steve's birthday tomorrow and he was getting ready to go out on the town. It's so refreshing to be able to enjoy a conversation with a 21-year-old! Rose brought photos of her home town over to show me. She grew up in Harbour Mille and goes back once or twice a year to be with the family. The photos were beautiful and I heard some family stories to go with them. Harbour Mille is on the Burin Peninsula. It's about a two-three hour drive from here. She ended up giving me a bunch of photos so I could take them back and remember her. How could I forget her? She's a fixture to me now, a friend in St. John's! Rose went in to have supper and I was trying to enjoy the day in the back yard. The invasion of the span worms would prevent this, however, and I finally gave up and decided to visit Cape Spear before our supper. I hadn't been there this trip and I was leaving in a few days. I saw the fog offshore, creeping towards the Cape but decided to go anyway. As I passed Blackhead, the fog patches began to grow more frequent and it got decidedly cooler. I had to roll up the windows to keep warm! When I arrived, there were people coming down from the lighthouses in droves, leaving before the fog rolled in. I like fog, so it didn't bother me any. I stopped at the gift shop and bought some little things and talked to Stephanie behind the counter. This was her fifth year here and she was loving it. She had also been to Ireland working at a bookstore in the winter, earning money. But she said her place was at Cape Spear from May to October. It was Stephanie that helped me decide it was either a mink or pine marten that I had seen yesterday at Blackhead. The tour guide had just headed up to get her all weather gear when I exited the gift shop. I decided not to climb the many steps to the top of the lighthouse, but instead to go around the back side and photograph the lighthouse from the sea side. Flat Stanley got photographed trying to climb them though he thought better of it and joined me down by the actual Cape. |
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