cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Canada Day, 1968, Grandchildren and the weather

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Well, what a Canada Day!!! Finally some nice weather here in Chatham-Kent and people across the region celebrating in style. This year, I attended the event in Tecumseh Park in Chatham because the band I'm in, the Southwest Blues Review, was part of the entertainment. Watched as the giant Canada Day cake came in from Maple City Bakery, and, in fact, enjoyed a piece. Was great to see so many people having a really good time. And thanks to Teresa Fysh and the Cultural Coalition of Chatham-Kent for all their hard work. I am, indeed, fiercely proud to be a Canadian and am not afraid to shout from the rooftops that this is simply the best country in the world. I am worried about the future of Canada, but it certainly has a proud past that has developed into a fairly wonderful present. And although our standrad of living is currently under major attack, I am hopeful we'll find a way to deal even with this Goliath. Everybody in this country spends a lot of time trying to figure out what makes a Canadian. Think tolerance and compassion and understanding and dialogue and all the things that people in so many parts of the world have so much difficulty with. No, this is an outstanding example of nationhood. Always room for improvement, but the best place in the world to call home.

It's hard for me to believe that 40 years has passed since 1968. And I remember back and think that was the year of my big garage band exposure in Strange Brew. And it was sort of the Summer of Love in small town Ontario, it having taken a couple extra years to get there from the Haight – if you know what I mean. And it was fun dreaming of being hippies back in that other time. And I know that I get accused of seeing that era through the proverbial rose-coloured glasses and perhaps it's true. I was really too young for most of the big political events of the day to sink in. And there were some really big ones. The Bay of Pigs, The Kennedy assasinations, Martin Luther King, Kent State, the Democratic National Convention – not to mention the whole Cold War thing, the Berlin Wall and all that sort of stuff. Actually, when you get right down to it, the world may be a calmer place today than it was back in the old days. But I was just too young to really get it. These days, I get it. Today, I look back on the period of the late 1960's as a period of great lost promise – we had a chance – we had a huge sector of the population mobilized and ready to change the system. But we walked away. Ultimately, we knew there would be a radically different society if we pushed forward and we were afraid of that – so we backed off – and here we are. Facing most of the same problems as 40 years ago, only magnified a few hundred times. And we've got a few new problems thrown in for good measure. If only there was a way in 2008 to mobilize people again, to make them feel like there was hope – if only we all started pulling together – still time to save Spaceship Earth – but the time is perhaps fading. This time, we'd better get serious.......and you likely didn't read that here first.

Had a chance to spend a little time with my grandchildren over the weekend and am truly in awe that there is now, somehow, a third generation of me and my genes. And I love all the grandchildren dearly and hope for the best for all of them. In fact, little Isaac came to see Pappa play his guitar in the band on Canada Day and that was really special. Every time he comes to our place to visit, I show him my Fender bass guitar and he seems to think it's pretty cool. So, he seemed to enjoy seeing me play it the other night. And he wanted up on that stage in the worst way. So, I walked him up the side of the stage and we stood and watched another band for a while. I watched the smile on his face and the twinkle in his eyes – it's a magic thing that kids have going – so delighted by life and not yet sour on the whole experience. Each new experience one of wonderment. Don't think I was the greatest parent – did my best, but had trouble with discipline and consistency and that sort of thing. But don't have to worry about that as a grandparent. Just have to be a nice guy and I'm fairly good at that. And you know where nice guys usually finish – but not with their grandchildren. Love them all to death.

Hope things are going well for you this summer. Weather has not been the best with all the rain, but maybe it's getting it out of its system and it'll be nice the rest of the way. Both bands will be in action at Tastefest in Chatham this weekend so will be making music. Hope you are doing the same in your own way. 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.