Sears Free Gift!

A couple of weeks ago, I needed new passport photos, and I knew the local SEARS had a photographic studio, so off I went.

Sears girl: Yes, of course we take passport photos. Please fill out this form with your name, phone number and email.

So I filled out my name and number, but I don't want them cluttering up my inbox with sales rubbish, so no email.

Sears girl, with an encouraging smile: Oh.... If you fill out your email, you'll get a Free Gift worth $45.00!

Me: Thanks, but I don't want a Free Gift.

Sears girl: Well, I'm going to give you a Free Gift anyway for being a good customer!

So after the photography session, (BTW the result didn't look anything like me, they must have swapped the photo with some sad old wrinkly with a saggy face and a baggy neck) the smiling Sears girl presented me with my Free Gift - a coupon for a set of Free 8x10 portraits, no sitting fee etc etc..... how generous......

.... Expiry date 31 December 2012. er....Thanks, Sears! Only almost 2 years out of date!

Beatles and Bruce

I saw a couple of really great concerts this week.


First, on Wednesday, "Twist and Shout : The British Invasion" at the Kings Wharf Theatre in Penetang. It's a nostalgic trip back to the Swingin' Sixties. Peace and Love, Baby! 

Laura Mae Nason (from left), Jennifer Kee, Valerie Stanois and Lindsay Croxall perform in “Twist and Shout.”

There's just one group of talented musicians and dancers who start the 2 hour show off as The Beatles belting out She Loves You, From Me To You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Then they morph into everyone from Petula Clark, The Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Dusty Springfield, The Kinks, Lulu, the wonderful Shirley Bassey, The Hollies and The Rolling Stones. 

Remember the Freddie dance... from Freddie and the Dreamers?  And the unforgettable Donovan, who seemed to be high on a little more than just music, man. They call me Mellow Yellow.....

The concert marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles first visit across the pond.... was it really that long ago? Lots of grey hair in the audience, but of course ..... this was our music, the music we grew up with, the music that shaped our generation. The final number that got everyone dancing in our seats: The Beatles Twist and Shout and Lulu's Shout! It was groovy, man.

I'd hardly recovered from Twist and Shout when, on Friday, a trip to the Markham Jazz Festival and a free concert by Canadian icon Bruce Cockburn at the outdoor band pavilion. Bruce had his trio... percussionist Gary Craig and violinist Jenny Scheinman with him. Jenny opened Bruce's concert with some of her own songs, accompanying herself on violin and mandolin.

Sorry, blurry photo, I was about 10 rows back from the stage. Bruce has been singing and performing for getting on for 50 years, and he's still great. My favourite Bruce Cockburn song? Lovers In A Dangerous Time. um.... no, I liked If I Had A Rocket Launcher.  And of course Wonder Where The Lions Are. Loved this concert, especially the price! 

3 + 3 = 6

Pictures are self-explanatory, I think?

Remembering

This is a repeat of a post from Remembrance Day 2010.... but with the 100 year anniversary of the start of the Great War, I thought it should be posted again.

In Memory of

Private JOHN TURNBULL CHANDLER

175142, 5th Coy., Canadian Machine Gun Corps who died age 20 on 03 July 1917.

Only son of John William and Agnes Chandler, of Gedney Dyke, Holbeach, Lincs.

Native of Southea, nr. Wisbech.

Remembered with honour

BULLY-GRENAY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, BRITISH EXTENSION,

BULLY-GRENAY, FRANCE

John Turnbull CHANDLER was my mother's cousin. He was born 31 August 1896 in Lincolnshire, England, and was known as Jack.

Jack left England to learn farming techniques in Canada and settled in Grimsby, Ontario. He joined the 86^th Machine Gun Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 13 August 1915 at Welland, Ontario, stating that his date of birth was 1894, not 1896. At that time he was already a member of the 44^th Regiment of the Canadian Militia. His enlistment papers show him to be “apparent age 21 years 8 months”, 5’4”, fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, a member of the Church of England, and fit to serve with the Forces.
His life ended in France on 3 July 1917, serving with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps.

His obituary:

GEDNEY DYKE SOLDIER FALLS We regret to report the death in action of Pte. John Turnbull Chandler, son of the late Mr. John W. Chandler, schoolmaster, Parson Drove, and of Mrs. Chandler, schoolmistress, Gedney Dyke. 

The deceased was educated at Barbourne College, Worcester (1908) and Framlingham College (1909-1912). He learned farming and went to Canada in April 1912. He enlisted in January 1916 in Grimsby, Ontario, came over to Shorncliffe June 1916, went to France October 1916, and was killed in action July 3rd. He was only 20 years of age. He leaves a mother and six sisters to mourn his loss.

I visited his grave in France with my two sons in 2005. Perhaps the only family members to do so.