Pat Blythe – It’s a miscellaneous day……and music…..

I’m sitting here staring at my screen trying to collect my thoughts. All that I was going to write…..gone. A stroll out the backyard shows me my plants are slightly parched and the racoons are shitting IN my grapes (and shitting out grape seeds). Pots are knocked over, plants flattened and the watering cans have been dumped yet again. Racoons……drunk again on fermented grappa.

Well today, when this posts, are two birthdays….mine AND my sister’s. She was my birthday gift the day I turned two. Not planned….trust me, I’m pretty sure my mom wasn’t impressed with our tardiness, waiting almost three weeks for each of us…..and my sister, she’s still never on time….but a girl couldn’t have received a better birthday gift. In fact, I have two wonderful sisters whom I love dearly and our birth dates are just over month apart (baby sister is an August child). Good planning mom.

One of our parents had the presence of mind to snap the following photo extremely early in the morning. I’m guessing they had rung in the new year at the Stork Club in Port Stanley. There will forever remain two unanswered (and unasked) questions, “what were they doing with a camera on the bedside table at 6am and how did we survive waking them with noisemakers at that ungodly hour and live to tell the tale?”

6am(ish) New Year’s Day – (l-r) Carrie (3), Chrissie (5), et moi (7)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISSIE!!!!

…..and on the subject of time….and birthdays…..

Birthdays (or Birth Dates) are a time to celebrate each other. We have “survived” another year. We “made it through”. “Time flies”. As I look back on the past 12 months it astounds me how rapidly things can change and how incredibly fast those twelve months flew by. The days just melt into each other. But time doesn’t really pick up speed…..we do. We race in and out of days, weeks, even months. We postpone, put off, delay…..procrastinate. We’re busy. We’ll get to it. We’re in a race against time rather than befriending it.

There are 365 days in a year, twenty-four hours in a day. Let’s break that down….that’s 315,360,000 seconds in a year, 84,600 seconds in a day, 3600 seconds in an hour and finally 60 seconds per minute. There’s actually a boatload of time in there to work, play, sleep and spend time with those we care about. It’s all about choice and what we choose to do with the time we have and how we control it. Yes, we are in control of it even though we seem to acquiesce and allow others to dictate how we spend those precious seconds. There should be no such thing as “spare” time. Also consider how you affect (and spend) the time of others.

Without getting too maudlin, chose how you spend your time wisely. Sure, we can be frivolous with our time once-in-a-while but for the most part, stop and think how you’re “spending” your time. It’s the most precious gift we’re given and the most valuable gift we can give. It’s also something we can never get back.

Ripples – Genesis

I had an amazing birthday celebration last night surrounded by some of the most wonderful people I know. All of you have enriched my life immensely, lifted me up, supported me, carried me…..my life would not be what it is today if not for all of you. I am completely overwhelmed by all the birthday messages and outpouring of love from so many of you. It is truly an honour and a privilege to know you. I am surrounded by such incredible human beings; I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Always choose to walk through that door. It will open a world of possibilities. I am a born optimist and can only move forward wherever it takes me. So far it’s been an unbelievable ride and I think the journey has only begun.

Merci, gracias, grazie, arigato, danke, obrigado, everyone, for being a part of it!

God Only Knows – Beach Boys

Oceans Blue – Tom Cochrane with Red Rider

All We Are – Kim Mitchell

Time – Pink Floyd

I Wish I Could – TOKiMONSTA

Life Is What You Make It – Talk Talk

Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush

The Colour of Spring – Mark Hollis (starts at the 20 second mark)

Cheers!

Photograph © 2015-2019 Pat Blythe, A Girl With A Camera

=PB=

Pat’s column appears every Wednesday.

Contact us at: dbawis@rogers.com

In “real” life Pat Blythe has spent the past 32 years as a consultant and design specialist in the telecommunications industry. After an extended absence Pat is now heading back to the GTA clubs, immersing herself in the local music scene, tasting what’s on offer, talking to people and writing once again — sharing her passions and her deep love of music. Together for 34 years, Pat also worked alongside her late husband Christopher Blythe, The PictureTaker©, who shot much  of the local talent (think Goddo, Frank Soda and the Imps, Plateau, Buzzsaw, Hellfield….) as well as national and international acts,  Currently making her way through 40 years of Chris’s archives, Pat is currently compiling a photographic history of the local GTA music scene from 1975 to 1985. It continues to be a work in progress. Oh…..and she LOVES  to dance!