cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Pappa John, on being a Gardiner, going home again and playing the blues........

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Pappa John wth Isaac Levi Davis.

 That's new mother, Becca Davis, with Isaac. Becca, Isaac and Ryan Davis – the day after!

Well, it's been quite a week in the Gardiner-McPhail household. Seems I'm a grandpa these days – my daughter having given birth to a bouncing baby boy – my first grandchild and the first great grandchild for my parents, Chuck and Doreen. Wow! Many thoughts were flowing through my mind as I drove to Chatham very early Monday morning. I was remembering my own little girl's birth and that seemed only a short time ago. I remembered seeing her off to school for the first time, watching hockey games together in my big easy chair, the trials and tribulations of those growing up years and how I wondered if we'd survive. I tried to watch over her as best I could through thick and thin, through good times and bad, through the laughter and the tears. Through it all, she has remained my little princess – a child born and raised with love and care. I had a few tears during that drive, but I also found myself quietly smiling. And so life goes on. And I greeted little Isaac Levi Davis about 2:20 a.m. on Monday – about one hour after he was born a full five weeks early. Wow! Caught us by surprise or what! And he looked like a little, old man the way all babies do, but he was beautiful just the same and I loved all five pounds fifteen ounces of him. I congratulated his very tired mother and very proud father. I hugged my daughter and told her she'd done good and I was so very proud of her. Only a couple of short weeks ago, she was telling me how nervous she was about becoming a mother – and now the time is at hand and I know she'll do great as long as she passes out lots of the love she's got inside of her. Love you, Becca – my little princess.

You know, I was going to write in this week's space about my adventures trying to find my way around the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance – but I don't want this to be a rainy day column – I'll get back to that some other time.

The weather has certainly been vastly improved over the last week or so and it's about time. We're ready for some of the good stuff. Good Friday and Saturday were fabulous days and I revelled in the sunshine and broke out the barbeque a couple of times. I even got my back lawn cut over the weekend, deciding the front could use a little more growing time before the first cut of the season. Actually, I got quite a bit of work done over the weekend – I really enjoy getting out and mucking about in the springtime......And I better enjoy it to some degree because my wife's likely got plans for us this summer. I know I'm not as enthusiastic as she is – but I've been getting into the spirit with Terri Dent in Gardening with Terri since it became such a wonderful part of cktimes.ca. And you might say that being a Gardiner is sort of in my blood – part of my genes, so to speak. Happy gardening, indeed. Let's get rockin'.

Was off up to Hanover again over the weekend for a whirlwind trip. Good to see the old hometown again and, of course, the family. Dad and mom seem to be getting along fine and are aging gracefully. There's a wonderful warm feeling in the house at 436 6th Avenue as soon as I walk through the door. My parents have lived at that address for about 45 years – I moved there when I was nine. I've been away from home for over 30 years these days, but I'l l tell you something. I still sleep better at 436 6th Avenue than I do anywhere else in the world. I sleep like the proverbial baby and actually can sleep in. It's something about the security I feel being in the house – or maybe it's the other people who live in the house. Whatever, I still thnk there's no place like home, even though I know you can never go home. And every time I drive out of Hanover, I feel a little melancholy – like I leave a little part of me behind. It's just the way I get feeling. And I feel a little envy for people who have gotten to live their whole lives in their hometown. It must be a special feeling. Don't take it for granted.

I've had a few excellent blues jams lately down Blenheim way, either at BY Studios or across the road at Aug's place. Fellow musicians have included Tony Meriano, Rob Watson, Alex Polovick and Greg Ryan and we have really been rockin'. We have had some real fun and jammin' in the truest sense of the word. And that's what I really enjoy about playing the guitar – free form improvisation from beginning to end – the spirit of rock 'n' roll music. Thanks to the guys for putting up with an old hippie out to have some fun.

Out of time for another week. Have a good one, folks. Take care and remember...."Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may."



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.