Tag Archives: a to z challenge

Davy, Diggin’ It, Dodger and Daydream Believing

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Lucky for me (not so much for him) Davy Jones died recently giving me an easy topic for my ‘d’ post in the a to z challenge. Okay that was disgustingly disrespectful. I apologize.

I found it sad to hear of Davy’s demise. I first developed a crush on the dapper young man when he did a guest shot on The Brady Bunch. Just to refresh your memory, Marcia, the eldest Brady daughter tried to book Davy to play at her school dance - just as she was phoning her teacher to say it hadn’t worked out Davy shows up at her door. DING-DONG!

I was dying of laughter at that clip. Marcia sure dug Davy. Kids today don’t use the expression “I dig it”. They just say “epic” or “sweet”. But I kind of miss that way of exclaiming delight. It’s almost on par with “groovy” which is a word that was also often used to describe Davy. Sorry, I’m digressing.

What makes Davy even more divine is that he played the part of Dodger in the stage production of Oliver Twist. I am a HUGE fan of theatre of ALL kinds but Oliver will always be my very favourite musical production. The dancing and the ditties are to die for. I love every darn one of them.

Here is a clip from the Ed Sullivan show. It is Davy as Dodger convincing Georgia Brown (as Nancy) that he’d do anything for her. Anything? Anything. Anything for you. Sorry. I can’t stop singing along when I hear a song from Oliver. (double points to anyone who recognises why Ed should have done a do-over in his introduction)

Coincidentally, that Ed Sullivan episode was the same one on which The Beatles made their first American appearance. Don’t even get me started on The Beatles. I’m also a HUGE and dedicated fan of them. So the story goes, Davy watched The Beatles from the side of the stage, and when he saw the girls going delirious he said to himself ”This is it. I want to get myself a dose of that” (or something to that effect).

So eventually The Monkees were born with Davy as lead singer. His desires were met in the “dame” department as he married four times in his life. Obviously, that also meant three divorces. (Sorry, just wanted to get in another ‘d’ word.)

And so Davy went on to a successful singing and acting career. He cheered up Sleepy Jean and defined what it meant to be a Daydream Believer - not to mention a Homecoming Queen. (What does it mean? Do you know? Because I sure don’t.)

For the record, if it were up to me to decide, I’d declare Davy was just as dapper (in fact more distinguished and debonair) looking at the end of his life as he was back in his Marcia Brady days. Rest in peace Davy Jones.

 

C is for Charity, Compassion and Caring

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For my ‘c’ post in the a to z challenge I am going to share a speech I wrote two summers ago when I spoke for a charity. My chief editor Babs assures me that this is not cheating. She says it is “recycling”. I figure even if it is cheating at least it starts with a ‘c’. :) So here it goes……

It is a pleasure to attend dinner with you all tonight and speak as a representative of a recipient of Hockey With Heart.

In February of this year, a fund-raiser took place, run by family and friends called Keep Sean Moving. Sean is our 10-year-old son who, at age 5, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Seeing the need for major home modifications, my brother began planning a fund-raiser. Hockey With Heart caught wind of the event and soon afterward, John Cabrelli came to our home for a visit to see how the charity could help Sean out. Our home was lacking a wheelchair accessible bathroom and a ramp outside to the back yard. Hockey With Heart began planning a very major renovation and while we were on vacation in July, they came into our home and completed the project. The result is simply beyond comprehension. It truly has to be seen to be believed. From the moment that Hockey With Heart had an architect draw up the plans to the moment the last piece of hardware was installed, they operated with efficiency, thoroughness and caring. Sean now has a fully accessible backyard, bathroom and bedroom. Hockey with Heart has certainly played a major part in helping to Keep Sean Moving.

It is an honour to be associated with a charity committed to helping others in their own community. In a world where it is easy at times to feel isolated, Hockey With Heart reminds us that there are people right in our own community who care, and who are willing to give of themselves in order to ease the burdens of others. A big thank-you to Peter Sands from the Unionville Men’s Hockey League who first brought our situation to the attention of Hockey With Heart. And to John Cabrelli who spearheaded the project and made sure everything proceeded with speed and efficiency, and to Bill Dawson who also dropped in consistently to see how things were coming along. I would also like to mention Larry Roma who was integral in gathering the various professionals to help in getting the job done.

I must also give a brief but special shout out to the Children’s Wish Foundation who are here tonight and who are beneficiaries of Hockey With Heart. Sean was a recipient of this great charity last December when they sent our family to Hawaii so that Sean could realize his dream of swimming with dolphins. It was an unforgettable trip in which we were witness to the fact that sometimes wishes really do come true.

It was on this trip that we heard of a Hawaiian saying that simply states “No rain, no rainbows”. On that day back in 2004, when Sean was diagnosed with such a debilitating disease, some rain certainly began to fall into our lives. But it is because of this tragic situation that we have had the honour of glimpsing rainbows that would otherwise have been hidden from us. To the hockey players who first formed this wonderful charity and all of the other friends and connections who willingly gave of their time to complete our renovation this summer and to all of you here tonight supporting such an amazing charity I must tell you that you are a very bright rainbow in the sometimes stormy life of a family who must cope with watching their child suffer. You represent all that is good in this world – a strong sense of community, kindness, selflessness, caring and compassion. It is people like you who bring some meaning to our suffering.

It is quite overwhelming to be the recipients of so much kindness. It is like being awed into silence.

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. A million times over we thank you.

 

Little Trip Down Memory Lane (aka the most ridiculous ‘B’ post in the A to Z challenge)

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Thank god for ‘B’ day. It gives me an opportunity to ask some questions about something.

Remember that childhood delicacy? Where did it go? When I was a kid everyone ate bologna. If my old friend, Robin, were reading this blog, he’d remember. He had a bologna and cheese sandwich in his lunch every day in grade 9. Every day. It makes sense to me now. Robin must have been a fussy eater. Aside from bologna, I bet he would not eat sandwiches.

There was bologna in our house at all times when I was a kid. And bologna wasn’t just delicious on the tastebuds, it was also a lot of fun to eat. My brothers and I used to bite a face into it and wear it as a mask for a while before we ate it. Never a dull moment in our house when our mother broke out the bologna.

I’ll leave you with this little ditty. Let me know if it conjures up any good bologna memories. :)