Peter – Lois: The Anniversary and Her Celebration of Life

Today is a hard day for me to get through. 18 years ago, I met Lois Forbes for the first time. I miss her terribly, while admiring her courage as she battled cancer. We made each other try to be better people, and I think that’s a pretty good achievement. I know I would  have rather made her angry than disappoint her. I will always hold her in my heart and I miss her terribly.

Peter and Lois at Cherry Cola’s

There will be a Celebration of Her Life Friday, February 7th, at Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St, Toronto. Doors at 9:00. The bands, Mushy Callahan and Blackdog Ballroom are donating their services. I ask everybody to pay $10.00 at the door. All monies will be donated to the Palliative Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital, they are my newest heroes.

Palliative Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital

Unfortunately, due to injury and other commitments, two of the acts will not be able to appear. However, one of these bands, Mr! Mouray, is holding an online auction of one of their releases, which ends Friday morning. Jaimie Vernon will be at the Celebration of Life and will give me the proceeds to be donated. A lovely, kind act, and do check out Mr! Mouray’s page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/jaimievernon/videos/10157636357791355/

Speaking of Jaimie Vernon, he has returned to the fold, is back in the DBAWIS stable. Enjoy his and all the other great writers on this blog. To me, there is no shame in “bringing up the rear” in such august company.

Now I could in misery trying to cope with the loss of my Dear Lois. However, I prefer to walk upwards into sunny meadows. I have “made feelers” a) about dating again, so let’s see what happens. Fingers crossed, she’s got to be out there somewhere b).

So today, my random assortment of letters, images, numbers and punctuation marks will focus on creative people.

I have come into contact with many amazing people on my journey through the world of indie music. I am going to mention one who is currently finishing off a release. Drew Winters is yet another in a series of jaw droppingly talented musicians. (As a student of mythology, I keep thinking of Perseus and the dragon’s teeth, as every week, or so it seems, I hear a band whom I’ve never heard of and I just get blown away them.)

As mentioned, Drew is putting the finishing touches on a release which will be entitled “Last Call In Montreal”. That is a great song, well worth to. However, I am going to focus on another song off this release, “Nobody’s Valentine”. The first time I heard it, I jumped off my couch in awe ! Lovely fingerpopping beat, guitar skillfully woven in, but it’s the lyrics that caught my ear! He sings of a woman who doesn’t necessarily fit in, but frankly doesn’t give a fuck She is strong and adaptable and will make her place in the world, find love, find happiness on her own terms. You don’t understand her? She doesn’t care. Brilliant work, Drew! “Last Call In Montreal”, coming soon..

Yet another fine musician is Luke Roes, frontman for the London, Ontario band “Ivory Hours”. Talented composer, excellent guitarist and a damned nice guy to boot. Here’s my favourite “Ivory Hours” song, “War Paint”. Not only is it a great song, but I love the video! Enjoy it. I do.

Mushy Callahan will be plating at Lois’ Celebration Of Life as well. 4 brothers, good friends of mine, from a very musical family. Typical of the great music out there that you never hear, unless you go off the beaten track. (I’m sure that the heroine of “Nobody’s Valentine” could turn you on to a few groups. Here is the first song that I ever heard them play. One Canadian Music Week, at The Hideout c) they dedicated it to me, to my delight! Here’s “Weathered Eyes”.

Due to computer glitches, both on the laptop and the “smarterthanIphone”, I am going to wrap up, before the superintendent comes to discover what all the racket is in apartment 102.

The last creative people I discuss today are two American F-16 d) pilots. “Dos Gringos” has been singing irreverent songs for a number of years. Some of them are quite funny, some are NSFW. I have several of their CDs and often share their songs on my timeline. My favourites include “I wish I had a gun just like the A-10”, “Going in for guns” and “You’ve got to be in the Guard to say fuck”. Typical of the clever lyrics is this couplet from the latter tune “…they say we’ve got talent, that judgement’s what we lack…”. Again, brilliant! The song I’m going to discuss today is called “I’m A Pilot”.

A little background here. While a pilot has other duties, when they have to fly, it generally takes about 4 hours to plan, brief, fly and debrief. The ground crew work around the clock, in conditions that are sometimes terrible. For example, the crew chief often has to stand in the rain or the cold marshalling “his” aircraft in. ( The joke is that the crew chief “owns” the aircraft and only loans it to the pilot.) When an aircraft just needs to be “turned”,( refuelled, fluids and oxygen checked,) it is considered to be Code One. Codes Two and Three denote aircraft which require ascending levels of TLC before they can be re used.

This song is a beautiful parody of the egotistical, self absorbed self centred jerk whom we run into all the time, in all areas of life. Give it a listen, some of the words are rough. So is life. The video is great, too!

So, if you can make it out, please come to Lois’ Celebration Of Life tomorrow, February 7th, at Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St, Toronto. Doors at 9:00.

See you then

1. a) My doctor giggled when I said that to her.
2. b) It’s entirely possible that she is wistfully looking out her backdoor watching for me.
3. c) Why do I remember that and have to look to see if I am wearing a shirt?
4. d) Called “The Viper” by its pilots, “The Lawn Dart” by the rest of the community.

=PJM=

A confirmed Cat person, Peter dabbled with being a water boy, a paper boy and an altar boy before finally settling on a career with the Canadian federal government.  Once, in his youth, he ate a Dutch  oven full of mashed potatoes to win a 5 cent bet with his beloved sister Mary’s boyfriend. (Of course he was much younger and a nickel went a lot farther!) He has retired to palatial “Chez Montreuil”, which he shares with his diabetic little buddy Reg the Cat. He is blessed to have his dear Lois in his life. He is not only a plastic aircraft modeller, but a proud “rivet counter”. Military aviation and live music are among other interests of his, and he tries to get out to as many shows as he can. He will be here for your enlightenment whenever the stars align. Profile photo courtesy of Pat Blythe, caricature courtesy of Peter Mossman.