| Bound Down for Newfoundland |
| Missy had told me how much fun volunteering was at the Folk Festival and I emailed Stan to see if they still needed volunteers. He was happy to give me a job on Saturday and Sunday selling beverage tickets in the beer tent. I hadn’t volunteered for Friday because Jim Fidler was singing on Friday and I wanted to be able to enjoy the show. He told me to come by on Thursday evening and meet with him and another volunteer. So Vic and I ambled over to the car after saying our “See you laters” to Ken and Diane. We looked in the window with a sinking feeling at the car keys, still in the ignition. No one around had anything in their car to help us out so Vic called Ken on the Ham radio and asked him to help. They hadn’t reached home yet and came right back to assist us. Diane took me right up to Bannerman while Vic and Ken tried to figure out how to break into the car. Eventually they successfully used a really long antenna that Ken had in the back of his van. In the meantime, I watched Stan and a few of the people who would be performing on the weekend, put up the two ticket booths at the front gate. I guess 25 + years of doing this had made it a science. They put these pieces together like a kindergarten puzzle and Stan topped off the pieces with his electric drill. Amazing – of course they were good-naturedly chiding each other the whole time. While they were finishing, I sat down with the other volunteer, Matt, and we chatted. He asked where I was from when my accent told him I wasn't a Newfoundlander. I explained that I came up from Philadelphia and asked if he lived in St. John’s. He was definitely a Newfoundlander from his accent. He told me he loved being home and he’d never leave again. And then he proceeded to tell me a story that would haunt me for a while. |
| At 18 years of age, he’d left Newfoundland with the notion that he’d never come back. There was nothing for him in Newfoundland and he swore he’d never set foot on the soil again. He applied to University in Alberta and went there to begin a new life. Funny thing, though. He kept getting lost. Couldn’t get his bearings in Calgary with no ocean to tell direction from. He found out the ocean defined who he was. He couldn’t live without the salt air, the sounds of the waves, the sight of the blue water. He said a phrase that just stuck in my mind - "I couldn’t live there because there’s no ocean in Alberta.” He had moved back - lock, stock and barrel and was now quite happy with the thought of Newfoundland as “home.” He was ready to enjoy the people, the music and especially the ocean – what better place to start than as a volunteer at the Folk Festival? This conversation would stay with me for days until I wrote a poem about him. |
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| After touring the Northern Avalon, we met up with Ken and Diane, some old friends from Ham Radio. Ken and DIane are so generous with their time and even sharing their own space. We couldn't ask for a better set of friends in St. John's. We all had dinner at the KFC with the best view in the world. A big picture window overlooking St. John’s Harbour was our backdrop for supper. Good conversation and some catching up made the dinner hour go way too fast and soon it was time for me to meet up with Stan Pickett at Bannerman Park. |
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| While talking to Stan about my responsibilities in the beer tent on Saturday and Sunday, Vic arrived. Stan was very personable and funny and explained things well. The most exciting fact I learned about my volunteer job was that it would give me access to the backstage area. Job perks are good. Vic and I went back to the hotel after and arranged to meet up with Jim Fidler, his wife Lillian and his bandmate Thierry at Erin’s for a late night drink or two or three… Mike Hanrahan was the entertainment for the evening. As I sat there enjoying his voice It kept bothering me – where had I heard it before? Turns out he was one of the musician friends on stage with Jim for the CBC thing we listened to last May or June. Mike was playing an unusual guitar – it had room and pegs for 12 strings but only had 6 of them! Didn’t stop him any though – he was great. Between sets he came over and had a beer with us. Jim told him we were from Philadelphia and the beginning of his next set became “Sailing To Philadelphia” which happens to be one of Vic’s favorite songs. |
| ************************ There’s No Ocean in Alberta By Anne Tenaglia (August 2003) There’s no ocean in Alberta. I traveled there to see What I could learn about the world in University. I trekked West, so far away. There was nothing for me here. Didn’t take that one last look, Didn’t even shed a tear. The great big world was beckoning, It was mine to take. I was smart, resourceful - This would be a piece of cake. But six months into study Home began to call. So insistent was the message I was not prepared at all. There’s no ocean in Alberta But it would not leave my mind. I smelled the salt and felt the wind I searched but could not find... Windswept land and crashing waves The sights and smells of home. I missed the folks of Newfoundland I felt quite all alone. There’s no ocean in Alberta So I could not find my way Now with the sea, the wind, the folks. I’m in Newfoundland to stay. ********************************* |
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| While we sat there, Jim told Thierry about my class’ conversations with him and I gave a copy of our CD to Jim to listen to. Lillian offered to do our next CD cover – LOL! I love sitting at Erin’s because they play great music both live and recorded. You can actually carry on a conversation with someone and you don’t have to yell. They play GBS a lot and it was cool watching Lillian groovin’ away to “Clearest Indication.” That is one of my favorite Great Big Sea songs. We heard Wave Over Wave, Ordinary Day, Sea of No Cares, Rant and Roar, Clearest Indication and others while we sat there. Thierry turned out to be shy at first because of trhe language barrier, but we had him talking by the end of the evening. While we were sitting there, Graham Wells walked in – he was also one of the musicians who was on the CBC special we heard. I would run into Graham every day for the next 4-5 days. I think he must have thought I was stalking him! LOL. We found out that Jim was playing Bridie Molloy’s later on the next week and that he was going to work on another CD this fall with Mike and Graham and Colin Carrigan. They are going to do trad stuff I think and already have a name for the group and the CD. For the third time in my life, I closed a bar in the company of Newfoundlanders - twice now with Jim, once with Great Big Sea. Wow! My kids’ll never believe this! |
| Friday August 1st. 9:30 AM comes ways too soon after a night out with Jim and Lillian. I was glad I made it to breakfast though – a woman was talking about the Naked Accordion Players Calendar that Bob Hallett is in. Tonight I get to buy one or maybe I should just say SOME. The day will not be fun. I woke up with what I am pretty sure is a Urinary Tract Infection. I called Lillian to get her to refer me to somewhere. She suggested I go to the Health Sciences Center next to the Janeway. So off I went to the ER there. Fortunately, they didn’t have a problem taking me – I was the 5th American who had been through the ER that day. Unfortunately, my insurance is not good up here and I had to pay for it myself. Fortunately, the price was about one fifth of what I’d have had to pay in the States. Unfortunately, I waited an eternity to see a doctor. Fortunately, I had brought a word puzzle book with me and my journal. I was able to sit and write about last night and make a wish list of places I’d like to go and people I’d like to meet while I’m here - Signal Hill, Ferryland, Carbonear, Cape Race, Cape Spear, Bay Bulls, Bowring Park, meet Christina and Futon, see Jane. Unfortunately, I was correct in my assessment and I did have a Urinary Tract Infection. Fortunately, they were able to prescribe something that I picked up right away at the Sobey’s. I have no complaints about the medical service I got as everyone was friendly, understanding and patient. |
| We ate a quick dinner at Ches’ and went off to the Folk Festival at Bannerman Park. I went thru the back as directed by Stan to get my volunteer bracelet, even though I wasn’t volunteering that night. I went right over to the stage – we had once again missed the Ode to Newfoundland – I haven’t seen/heard the opening of the Festival yet! It was too late to get seats right in front but Vic and I settled in right next to Jenny and Fran. Lo and behold! Jane and her family were right there too. We had sat there about 15 minutes when a woman walked up to us, looked and me and queried, “Anne?” OK I’m thinking to myself, who the heck is THIS I am supposed to know? Turns out it was Ellen (carpoolmom from GBS' Online Kitchen Party) who had seen Vic in his Moose tie-dyed t-shirt from Bar Harbor and assumed correctly it was BJMoose. Where he is, Anne can’t be far behind, right? We hugged and introduced each other all around – here they were sitting right next to us all the time! LOL! We met Christina from the OKP who lives in St. John's, too. It’s like we had planned the whole thing from 4 different states and a province! I didn’t even know Jenny and Fran were going to be there. A George Bush look-a-like was also there that evening. I stole a photo of him watching the bands. |
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| Fran and Jenny |
| Ellen and Christina |
| The California Contingent plus a Newfoundlander |
| Dubya? |