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 Music Ornament
One of my favourite things about Christmas time is decorating the tree. As a little girl, this always meant having a cup of tea and eating Shortbread Cookies with my Mom, while we listened to Bing Crosby singing Christmas Carols in the background. We would spend hours carefully decorating, making sure everything looked just right. Afterwards, we would sit by the fire, and watch the twinkling lights on the tree, and the way the tinsel sparkled.
 Guitar Ornament 2009 Not much has changed when it comes to decorating my own tree. I always have a cup of tea in my hand, have a few Shortbread Cookies while I do so, and I still listen to good old Bing. I’ve added some Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. to the mix now, just so I never grow tired of hearing the same thing over and over again for hours while I decorate. 
 Nefertiti
 Fabulous Las Vegas!
I get quite a few ornaments from family members, who obviously know me very well - I like gold, sparkly things best, I am fascinated by Ancient Egypt, I love Las Vegas, and above all else, I love Music !!! All of these things are well - represented on my tree.
I would love to hear your good memories about putting up your Christmas Tree …
I recorded ” I Want To Know What Love Is ” over a year ago, and have been patiently waiting for things to fall into place so that we could finally get it up on iTunes. It has been a long road, but we have achieved partial success. The reason I say partial, is that due to licensing issues ( long story ) we were able to get it up pretty much everywhere, except in the U.S.A. This is disappointing, but hopefully, that will change one day, with any luck.
So for now, many of you can find the song here.
Thankyou all for your patience, and for all the great feedback. I really love hearing from you !
 Hoodoos  Banff Springs Hotel From Sulphur Mountain It’s been just over 3 weeks since we got back from our trip, and this is the first weekend I’ve had some free time to finish up going through all the photos. I had one week left of holidays near the end of August, and we decided that we wanted to try something different in terms of a vacation. ( Normally, for me, a vacation must include 3 things - hot sun, palm trees, and relaxing. ) We discussed the fact that we live in a beautiful Country, and that maybe it was time to explore more of it, rather than hopping on a plane, and going elsewhere, like we usually do.
So, we took a chance, picked somewhere neither of us at had ever been before - Banff, Alberta - booked a hotel there for a week, and headed out on the road. This was all very out-of-character for me, as I like to pre-plan things well in advance, and prefer to go places I already know I like. I guess this living up here on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast really has mellowed me out a bit …
 Gondola at Sulphur Mountain I have seen the Rocky Mountains from the air many times, ( which is very cool ) but seeing them from the ground is simply astounding. They are utterly magnificent to behold - their sheer size is mind-blowing. It always amazes me on road trips how the terrain changes from place to place - it is one of the things I enjoy the most. I literally take hundreds of pictures while on the highway, to document this transformation of the land.
 Rocky Mountains The night we arrived in Banff, we were tired, so basically just checked into our Hotel, went for Dinner, then headed to bed early. The next morning, we headed up Sulphur Mountain via the Gondola, which afforded us incredible views of the town of Banff, the famous Banff Springs Hotel, and surrounding Lakes and Rivers. We spent several hours climbing as high as we could go, taking many photos at the various stops along the way. I have seen some beautiful things in my life, but the natural beauty visible from atop the mountain truly took my breath away. We felt as though we were on top of the world.
 View From Sulphur Mountain The next day, we started at the Bow River Bridge, hiked along the Bow River, down to the Falls, then up a steep climb to the Banff Springs Hotel. Later in the day, we drove to Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka ( both a beautiful shade of blue/green ) then on the way back, stopped for a hike to see the Hoodoos. We saw our first Caribou there, and on our way back to the hotel, saw a deer close up.
 - Falls at Bow River
The following morning, we took a bus tour with Brewster Tours, as we wanted to see a few places, and not waste time trying to find them. It was a half day tour, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. One of the stops was a hike in to Johnston Canyon, where we saw a gorgeous waterfall. Our next stop is one I will never forget - by far, the highlight of our trip - Moraine Lake. Many of us have seen pictures of this lake, and most think that photoshop was involved, because of the surreal look of it - more precisely, the colour of the water, but I can assure you, it is real. Our tour guide giggled when I finally reached the top of the viewing platform, and all I could say was ” WOW !!! “. I had never seen water that colour before, anywhere, in any country, ever. My husband and I agreed that if we ever go back there, we will take more time, and make sure we rent a kayak, and spend a day on that lake. After that, we headed to Lake Louise, walked through the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel, and took some pictures of the lake itself, as well. That was the first bus tour we’d ever taken, and it was well worth it - we saw everything we’d wanted to, and our guide was wonderful - he kept us all laughing the whole time - just a great guy. Interestingly, his Mom used to live up here on the Sunshine Coast of B.C., and he has a cousin that runs a business here.
 Waterfall at Johnston Canyon After several days of hiking, we decided to have a bit of a quieter day after that. We spent the next day at one of the Museums in Banff, followed by a stroll through Cascade Gardens, which reminded us a little of our favourite place to relax in Vancouver - VanDusen Gardens.
We were very lucky during our week in Banff - the weather was hot and sunny the whole time, the hotel was nice, all our meals delicious, and we saw and did everything we had wanted to, and more. It was a very different kind of vacation for us, since we spent most of it hiking and taking pictures, but we are so glad we went. We would definitely go again.
 Banff Alberta Canada on the main street  Gorgeous Waters Of Moraine Lake
 Heather with Brandon Isaak at the Garden Bay Pub Sept. 6th 2009
 Harpdog Brown and Brandon Isaak Playin' and Singin' The Blues
It’s been almost 20 years now since I spent a Summer up in Watson Lake, Yukon. I went up there with 3 friends ( who had been there before ) that told me it was a great way to spend a Summer, get a couple of jobs, and make a lot of money. They said it was called ” Isolation Pay ” because it was such a long distance away. They were right - it certainly was a lucrative few months for us all. We all took on more than one job - my main one was as a ” Barmaid ” in the lounge of a hotel, and I also did some waitressing for them in the restaurant, and worked for the Yukon Tourism Dept. helping to welcome guests, and make sure they had everything they needed. I have to say it was one of the best Summers of my life.
The people in Watson Lake were some of the most down-to-earth, kind and generous people that I have ever met. Our original intention had been to head to Whitehorse, but looking back, I’m glad one of our vehicles broke down on the way up ( and it would’ve been 2 weeks’ wait for a part ). We decided to settle in Watson Lake, and because it was the car dying that decided this for us, we had no place to stay, or any jobs lined up there. We had nothing to worry about - we had complete strangers open up their homes to us until we could find jobs and a place to rent. We all crashed in their Living Rooms, and they wouldn’t even take any money for groceries. It was truly amazing to see how welcoming these people were.
We all had jobs within a few days, and were offered a large trailer to rent for a really reasonable rate from my new Boss. Things just seemed to fall into place right away. We all settled in at our jobs quickly, started to meet people, and felt comfortable there almost instantly. It was one of the hottest Summers on record there, so we were able to enjoy the nearby lake, often taking out a canoe with a guitar or two after our shifts were done, since it didn’t get dark there.
The house band that was playing at the hotel I worked at consisted of a great group of guys, and they became like family to me. I was introduced to the sons of one of the players, and became good buddies with them. Brandon and Chris Isaak became really good friends of mine that Summer, and I spent much of my free time with them, or hangin’ out with them, and their parents. They sort of ” took me under their wings ” and watched over me like a daughter, always making sure I was safe, and had enough to eat etc. I always enjoyed my time spent with the Isaak family. I will never forget their kindness, making me feel more comfortable in a new town, and having me over for many meals etc.
I met a lot of great people that Summer, and , thanks to Facebook, have recently re-connected with a few of them. ( Brandon and his Mom are two of them. ) A couple of Summers ago, Brandon told me that he and his band, the Twisters, were going to be playing a gig at The Fairview Pub in Vancouver. We lived not too far from there, and I was really happy to have an opportunity to see my buddy again after so many years, so my husband and I went down to see the show. It was awesome to see Brandon again, and the band played some smokin’ Blues !!! There was another friend of his from the Yukon there ( who now lives in the Vancouver area ) so she and I burned up the dancefloor to their sweet tunes. Brandon and I vowed that night not to let so many years slip by again before our next visit. Well, after leaving Vancouver to move up to The Sunshine Coast last Summer, it’s been a lot harder to keep in touch with people, due to distance, limited ferry schedules etc. Brandon and I have kept in better touch over the past couple of years, and I kept bugging him about when he’d be playing up here on The Coast. A couple of weeks ago, he sent me a poster advertising a gig up in Garden Bay, and I was very excited at the possibility of maybe seeing my buddy, and hearing him play again.
This time, Brandon was in a duo with harmonica player Harpdog Brown, and it was their first time working together as only a duo. They had 4 nights at the Garden Bay Pub, and when we walked in to see them last night, the place was packed with people enjoying their Blues. Brandon plays a mean Guitar, Harpdog plays his harmonica, and they both have excellent vocal skills. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy time after time with their rousing renditions of both cover tunes, and original music. People just couldn’t stay in their seats, and had to dance, despite the smaller venue. It was so wonderful to see Brandon again, and we had the chance to chat a little about my music, too. We’re thinking I should practice a couple of Blues tunes, and he’ll let me sit in some time at one of his gigs - that would be fabulous ! He has always been a good friend, and I really appreciate his support ( and words of wisdom ) when it comes to discussing making music. I look forward to the possibility of some day being able to sing a tune or two with my old buddy, Yukon Slim.
I just got home from a road trip earlier tonight, and am in the process of unpacking and catching up on laundry …. but wanted to let everyone know that I am home now, and will try and catch up on my e-mails, Facebook messages etc. over the next few days. I did have a laptop with me on the road, but since I was on holidays, kept the computer stuff to an absolute bare minimum. Thanks so much to those of you who kept in touch while I was away - it was awesome to hear from you !
I’ve been away for 8 days, and we had a great time, especially considering the trip was rather last - minute. I have a couple of thousand pictures to sort through, but I will pick some of the ones I like best, and post them with another blog post soon, talking about our trip, where we went, what we saw and did etc.
I think I’ll be heading to bed early tonight, but I’ll write more soon.
 Vintage Affair 1997 1997 was a very interesting year for me : it was the year I left Ontario for the last time, and moved back to B.C. to start a new life. I lived in White Rock for a while, and met some really great people there, both through work, and other activities.
I started taking Acting Classes at the Peace Arch Performing Arts Academy - led by Scott Wheeler, President of White Rock Players Club, at the time. ( years later, he would be M.C. at both my wedding, and my own CD Release Party ) He became a very good friend, and introduced me to many people in community theatre, and music.
One of those people was Alex Browne - Peace Arch News’ fabulous Arts and Entertainment reporter and writer, who also ended up becoming a good friend. He had a 1920’s - 30’s Band, and actually gave me my first opportunity to sing a couple of numbers at a real gig of his. I remember it well - ” Vintage Affair 1997 ” at Morgan Creek Golf Course. I sang ” Someone To Watch Over Me ” , and ” It Don’t Mean A Thing ( If It Ain’t Got That Swing) “. I was thrilled to be able to sing with such a talented band, and bandleader.
Another highlight from ‘97 was auditioning for, and landing a role in the White Rock Players Christmas Pantomime ( directed by Scott Wheeler ) We did 19 shows that December, and had a lot of fun ! What an amazing bunch of people I met and worked with, during that run ! You know who you are, and I love you all ! Gord and Marc were especially supportive ! ( I often needed hugs when nerves hit me before the curtain rose each night )
I started singing in a choir that year, and took ballroom dancing lessons for the first time. ( since I was single, my friend Alex was kind enough to accompany me - thanks, Alex ! )
1997 was also the year we all started going to Babalu, and met Michael Bublé and his family for the first time. We spent so many nights dancing to his wonderful voice ! It was so amazing to find a place to be able to dress up, and be around so many classy, elegant people, who were all there for the same reason - to appreciate Michael’s talent, and to hear really great music. It was never a problem finding a dancing partner.
Michael was performing in ” Red Rock Diner ” that year, so we saw him on Sept. 27th at the Arts Club Theatre, then again on Hallowe’en, at Surrey Arts Centre. As usual, a good time was had by all.
The year ended on a high note - Scott, Alex and I, as well as some of our other close friends, rented a limo, and went to Vancouver, to spend New Year’s Eve at Babalu, with Michael Bublé performing. That was a fantastic night !
1997 was definitely a good year for me - a fresh start, meeting new people, and being able to sing, dance and act all the time. What more could a girl ask for ?
The other day, my husband asked me to come and look at something - he had been playing around with a picture of me, and I think the results look pretty cool!
Pictures of me with my new Guitar are coming soon!
During recording of Fascination and the last time I was in the studio recording I Want To Know What Love Is, Geoff took some photos that I realized I never put up. (For those asking, I Want To Know What Love Is will be available soon on iTunes! Check back here for the release.)
Here they are, looking forward to the next session which will be for my first original song!
It’s been just over a year now since we left Vancouver, and moved up to B.C.’s Sunshine Coast. A lot of my friends who know how much I love to sing and dance etc. were pretty concerned when we announced that we were leaving the big city, and moving to a relatively quiet, laid-back little town. Some of them even asked me if I was going to be able to handle living somewhere that didn’t have nightclubs, as they knew that one of my favourite ways to relieve stress was on a dancefloor.
Well, there isn’t a whole lot of stress living somewhere like this. There is incredible scenery everywhere, you can walk to the beach, traffic is almost non-existent, it is pretty peaceful, and most of the people are very down-to-earth. There is a real sense of community here, and people actually say “hi” to you when you walk by, which is so nice. ( this took me a while to get used to, as you don’t always find that in big cities ) I grew up in small towns in Ontario, so feel very comfortable in this setting. I love how friendly the people are.
The area has a very artsy feeling - lots of musicians, painters, sculptors, singers, dancers etc. call the Coast their home. Everyone seems to support and encourage one another, which is great. People here love their vintage cars, and they love good music, mainly good old fashioned Rock n’ Roll - classic stuff. In the summer, if you’re not at a friend’s place having a BBQ, you’re out on the boat , hangin’ out at the beach, going for a hike or kayaking adventure … there is no shortage of things to do here.
Lately, we’ve been having a lot of fun going to Karaoke. Last night, I finally found someone to sing duets with, which was pretty cool. I like singing on my own, but have been wanting to sing some duets for a very long time. I can’t believe I had the nerve to ask a complete stranger to sing with me ( I would never have done that in the city ) but the best part was, we were able to find songs we both knew, and we totally “clicked” vocally - it went really well. It’s so much fun singing here - all your friends pack the dancefloor behind you, cheer you on, and make it a really good time. Karaoke night here isn’t just for singing - it’s a night to dance like crazy, too.
So, I have found many outlets here for relieving stress, in so many ways, even though I have far less stress than I used to. The people here have been really amazing at making us feel welcome , and inviting us to various activities and events. I guess this “City Girl” is finally learning how to relax a little bit, and for anyone who knows me well, that’s a good thing … I still have a long way to go, but living here is definitely good for my soul.
I was very fortunate to be brought up by parents that genuinely care about other people, and their feelings. We were taught that there are some things you should never ask people, such as: how much money they make, when they are going to have children, why they look a certain way … and similar things. Even as a child, I was acutely aware of how people reacted to certain questions, and decided that I would never want to be someone that would say something that would either ” put someone on the spot ” , make them feel uncomfortable, or just plain ask something that is none of my business.
Sadly, not everyone was taught to respect others’ privacy, or to use tact and courtesy when speaking with others. It is one thing to ask someone you know well something personal, but it is an entirely different matter when you ask people you barely know those same personal questions, in front of other people, seemingly without giving any thought to how they may feel.
I didn’t even develop much of a sense of humour until just a few years ago, because I was always afraid that someone might take me seriously if I joked around with them. The thought of offending someone, or possibly hurting their feelings, is one of the most horrible things I could imagine doing. My Mother always told us ” If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything. “ I’ve always tried my best to stick as close to that as possible, but being only human, I’m sure I’ve slipped up from time to time. One thing I can say for sure is that I would never intentionally say something ( or ask a question ) that might upset someone, and I would never discuss someone’s personal business within earshot of other people. I respect peoples’ privacy, whether I know them, or not.
Most people use some tact when dealing with others, and most people have a reasonable grasp of what is/isn’t appropriate to say/ask, especially to people they don’t know very well. “Political Correctness” may have gone a little too far in some areas ( people are afraid to joke about anything anymore ) but I do think that if more people seriously thought about what they were about to say or ask, before they did it, that would be a good thing. Even if you don’t intend on being rude, you may be perceived that way, and you may upset someone … and why would anyone want to do that ?
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