Adventures of Mandogrl!

There is a new link in my sidebar to more pictures of Burgeo. These are from Brian Porter's online photo album that he has created. It has some great old and new shots. The link is called Burgeo Pics.

Well, it's one week later but the excitement is still in the air. It was hockey day in Stephenville last weekend and even for those who don't play hockey (like us) it was still quite exciting. It started for us on Thurday afternoon when Marigold, James and I saw Ron McLean in the flesh at Shopper's Drug Mart. Then on Friday morning we all went to the elementary school for an assembly with Dick Irvin and Wendell Clarke, it was quite exciting. We went to the stadium on Saturday where we watched some ball hockey and two periods of a game inside. We even saw the stanley cup.
Here are some pics.

Just wanted to let everyone know that Craig Young has his CD out, just before Christmas. It has some great songs on it!!!! In case you don't know Craig plays guitar for Terri Clark and has won the Canadian Country Guitarist of the year four years in a row. He also hails from the South coast of Newfoundland, Francois and Burgeo. Here is a link to his site: http://www.craigyoung.ca/
and another link

http://www.atlanticseabreeze.com/ItemOne.asp?ID=2301

...note the cover of his Cd is of a picture taken in Burgeo a very long time ago as you can tell...

I have added two great radio stations to my links sidebar. They are liveireland.com and folkalley, they are great easy listening with some interesting podcasts as well. Enjoy!

This was seen posted to my brother's house the next day. I guess this is what happens when you play too much 'ugly stick'!!!

As the night went on the drinks got bigger, the ice cubes got weirder and of course we had to end the night with 'Johnny Be Goode'....

The accordian, the ugly stick, the band...

Stacey Pink on Bouzouki

Tom, Derrick, Jill, Mike

The Good ole hockey game was a hit at the party!

We stay in Burgeo just for this one, Derrick's kitchen party, and boy wasn't it a party (as they say). Derrick and Michelle invited us over for supper that evening (a feed of spaghetti, salad and cheesecake). Stacey and Dawn also joined us as did Mom and Dad. Of course, no one could get their food down the right way for Dad's foolishness had us splitting with laughter.....

Derrick had his PA set up for optimum entertainment...Mike (guitar, bass, bodh'ran, Tom Cutler (Bass, Guitar, tin whistle), Derrick (guitar, tin whistle, djimbe, bodh'ran), Stacey Pink (Bouzouki, guitar, bass, accordian), Jill (Mandolin, guitar, tin whistle), Corey Skinner (bass, accordian) AND Darrell (Ugly stick).....
The house was packed and as it got further into the night so did everything else. I'll post the pics with their individual comments. My brother also has some interesting pics on his flickr site.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmer/

We had supper at Kay's and Joe's this evening (t-bone roast...mmmm..) It was delicious. After supper we had another Jam. Mike on guitar, Joe on his Martin and Kay and I on Mandolin. It was really nice... we played a lot of Newfoundland folksongs and folk songs...no pics....
only eating....

Went to my brother's house for a little jam on boxing day night. Mike was not feeling the best so he went home and boy was it raining.... so Derrick and I just jammed a little playing some old, obscure newfoundland songs and country as well. It was nice. The black ducks headed for shelter that night because the easterly winds were wicked, the rain and freezing rain kept me awake the whole night....

Our kids were so excited this year, the most excited I have seen them. They got up the earliest time ever (7:30). Usually, they sleep until 8:30 or so but this year was different. Santa was exceedingly good to everyone in the harbour this year. Marigold and James received some very exciting presents....skis, skates, headlamps and binoculars (for those camping adventures). James got his Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader color changing light saber that he wished for plus numerous other things and Marigold got her Hair Stylin' Baby Bratz and her nice pair of earring that she wished for. My favorite gift that they got was CD walkmans!!!! Can you guess why? Santa was also good to Mike and I as he brought us a mantle for our dining room and brought it before we left for Burgeo. It looks beautiful on our wall. Mike received a leatherman tool and a 'backwards' capo while I received some beautiful pottery created by the 'hermit' in Codroy Valley. We spent most of the day lazing around the house until Brunch (and it was quite the brunch)...fish cakes, beans, ham, hash brown patties, eggs, tea/coffee....wine...? We were awarded with the company of Frank, Doreen, Glen, Teresa and Angie....We ate until about 2:00... My brother and his family came for supper for the infamous turkey that we ate around 5:30. It was exhausting...all that eating. It was a wonderful Christmas Day.

This year on Christmas Eve we were invited to my cousins house (not in the harbour but up on Inspiration Road) for some partying, jammin', etc.....
It was a blast!!!! I brought my mandolin and tin Whistle, Mike his guitar and bodh'ran, my brother his guitar and PA system and Dad brought his spoons. There was a lot of laughter and dancin' to be had that afternoon. We were greeted there by Frank and Doreen with lots of drinkin' and snackin'.
We left The Skinners and went to The Benoit's (Ken's and Doreen's) for the famous Chinese Food supper. All of Mike's family were there for the feast, it was delicious. Everything from Chinese tea and chopstick and noodles (sent down from Chinatown by Erin in Toronto) to Jimmy's homemade eggrolls. After supper we had a jam there as well but it was a little more upbeat with some rock and roll since Barry was there to play the drums. However, the evening ended about ten o'clock after checking the Norad Tracker and finding out Santa was in Newfoundland.

Well, it's all over..... Christmas that is!!! But it was a really great one. It was a time of relaxation and fun with friends and family in Burgeo. We headed down South on the 23rd of December, leaving in what to me was quite the blizzard but we knew as we drove south that it could only get better. We had snow most of the way until we got just outside of Burgeo and the weather turned milder. We were greeted with a wonderful pot of "Moose" soup, (the best bowl of soup I ever did taste) and homemade buns. Mom can sure cook it up. With our bellies full and after a long snooze......we were all ready for a Christmas in the harbour. That night we found out that the black ducks were back in the harbour and you could see them paddling about in the moonlight. My father shows the excitement of a five year old over stuff like that. I tried to get pictures of these elusive ducks but to no avail. I could never catch them in their nighttime frolicking. Where they go to in the daylight, I haven't the foggiest....