A couple of years ago we had to give a brief introduction of ourselves in a playwriting group. I had a little time to think about it and realised that I consider myself a northerner through and through: born in northern England, moved to North Vancouver and now live in Northern Ontario. This morning I drove halfway across town with my mixed music cd playing. When "Life in a Northern Town" by Dream Academy came on, I cranked it up and sang loud. It's one of my all time favourite songs, partly of course because of the great energy and beat of the song itself but also because the words resonate with me and immediately transport me back to my hometown in the mid to late 60s. The first line is : "Salvation Army band played..." We lived out back of the Sally Ann. They often played their band on our street corner or marched up and down the street or practised with the hall doors open. Once they played right outside our house. Unfortunately Dad was on nights at the time and certainly didn't appreciate them playing outside his bedroom window. He called down to Mam a few times to tell them to move on. But she didn't. Finally Dad opened the window and yelled at them himself. Lots of choice words. They moved on quickly and we ended up with a humourous family story. The third line of the song is "...And the morning lasted all day...all day..." The way it does when you're a kid. The way it still can when the sun is high, the sky is blue, trees are blossoming and you're going about your everyday life in a northern town.
5 Comments
maggie p
6/6/2018 04:33:35 pm
oh that Sally Army band every Sunday morning first around the front of the street and then just as you nodded off again, they would be around the back in the next street. That's where I learned how to play the tambourine because as we Northerners say "if you can't beat them, join them"
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Sue Blott
6/6/2018 06:29:12 pm
Why didn't I learn with you? I'd have loved a tambourine! Good memories though. My heart sings a little when i see a Salvation Army band these days.
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maggie p
6/7/2018 03:57:59 pm
Even now if I come across one I can't resist doing a thumb roll and abit of twirling. Were you a Young Soldier?
Sue Blott
6/7/2018 06:38:43 pm
No. I went to Sunday school there...or at the haunted church...no Sally Ann I guess... but was never a young Soldier. Do you remember the haunted church on Jubilee Road? xx
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maggie p
6/8/2018 06:47:48 pm
the big Methodist church? over the road from the cafe, i started there till it was closed thats how i ended up at the Sally Ann, don't remember it being haunted though.
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AuthorWelcome! I'm Sue Blott: a writer of all things, a poet at heart, mom, wife, daughter, step-mom, grandma, tea drinker, tai chi-er, mystic, artist, dreamer...and now a blogger! This is my world. Categories |