February 21, 2011
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Kaboom.

We had just taken the dogs for a quick romp at the park down the street and were walking home, when an oncoming car swerved across the road and crashed into a tree on our side of the road, just past our street. We were perhaps 50 feet east of our street and the accident happened just west of it. The car hit a very large tree with a resounding crash.The dogs, particularly Memphis, were shaken up by the noise. The driver, the only person in the car, hit the tree with a good deal of force, scrunching the whole front end of his car in. Although his door was affected by the accident, he managed to get out of the car. I stayed down there with him, while Tuffy P took the dogs home and called 911. The fellow was walking around, but he might have been in shock. The police arrived in just a few minutes. By that time, Tuffy P had rejoined me. The officers sent us home, but said they might have to drop by to ask some questions.

February 20, 2011
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Gaby Haas and his Barndance Gang

From the Canadian Encyclopedia: Haas, who was given the appellation ‘Canada’s Mr. Polka’ (and latterly shared it with Walter Ostanek), began recording in 1950 with his band, The Barndance Gang and made over 50 albums and 60 singles, mostly of polkas and waltzes, many his own pieces, for the Apex, Point, London, Quality, and Royalty companies.

February 17, 2011
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Playing for the Kids

I had the pleasure this morning to play for a group of kids at an early learning centre. First I did a short set for a group of “toddlers”. They were very quiet and seemed amazed at the sounds coming from my button accordion.

Next I played a long set for an older group. I’ve met a bunch of these kids before.  I brought along an assortment of shakers and scrub-boards and tamborines and guiros, and I got all the kids playing along. By the end, all the kids were up on their feet, dancing around. We made plenty of noise, believe me. It seems that in a group like this I usually notice a couple kids who are effortlessly right on the rhythm, or who are particularly attentive to the music. One boy was playing a little drum and I found myself playing right behind him because amid the chaos of twenty kids young kids playing percussion instruments he was holding down the rhythm.

I’ve been playing for this group every few months and I have tremendous fun each time. Each time I try to add some new songs or do some things differently. I found myself exhausted by the end of the session. The kids all want to participate and they want to move around and they get very excited. Playing for the group, it’s easy to see when I’m reaching the end of their attention span!  Great fun.