Summer Stock Sunday - 3

What better part of summer can there be than a visit from a faraway friend?













This is my wonderful friend Lisa and me when we worked together in the Simpson's Children's Shoe Department in Toronto, back in the late 1980's.














She came for a visit last summer, and we had a ball together. It's her second visit here to see me since my husband and I moved to Nova Scotia ten years ago. A return home for me, a new adventure for him.














What is summer in Halifax but having a beer or a glass of wine at the quintessential gathering place - the pub? Here we sat outside at the Lower Deck to enjoy a gorgeous day.














Later in the week we went to The Old Triangle, where we had dinner as well as a few drinks. Absolutely delicious pub food.


















Upstairs there was east coast fiddler Dave MacIsaac and a mandolin & guitar player who had the place whooping, stomping and clapping.

Here's a little taste of what a night out at a Halifax pub might bring you, if you happen to go while Dave MacIsaac is playing.
















Back in our days fetching shoes for little customers, Lisa started a joke on crazy, hectic days where she would tip her glasses sideways as if she'd gotten knocked in the head. It always made us laugh and got us through the next stretch of insanity. So we felt the old wonky glasses routine was in order on our night out on the town.














Old friends, old jokes, great food, great drinks, great music - the best things about summer are these.














For more Summer Stock Sunday, visit Robin at Around the Island.

Thomma Lyn says What fabulous music!

Robin says Good pubs and live tunes, you don't need much more than that, do you?

Louise says After all those pics w/ beer and wine in hand comes those tipped glasses photos and I thought, WOW, they really had a hard night out ;o)

And What a Time it Was

I drove up to the house this morning after my appointment at the allergy clinic and saw some uncharacteristic movement through the front window. As soon as I got out of the car, I heard the music through the walls of the house.

Then I pushed open the door, and there they were. Gram was at the piano, Uncle Charlie following the action closely through his videocamera viewfinder and two musicians doing their thing in the living room. On guitar was Scott MacMillan, on fiddle Dave MacIsaac.

Yes, that's right, East Coast Music Award-winning guitarist, composer of "The Celtic Mass For The Sea", Host Conductor of Symphony Nova Scotia, film composer, jazz ensemble leader and celtic tune-playing Scott MacMillan.

And yes, that's ECMA-winning guitarist and fiddler Dave MacIsaac, specializing in Celtic style, an accomplished soloist and sideman, on recordings with Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster to name a few.

There they were jamming in the living room with my Gram. They had great smiles on their faces as Dave stomped his foot in time with the jigs, reels and strathspeys. Gram chorded away, taking a rest for a bit in her rocker while they continued playing, then insisting she wanted to get back to the keyboard. "Drive 'er!" Dave said as they launched into another one.

What generous souls. What delight they took in watching Gram play. Dave said, "I know where you live, now," and Scott said they'd be back. Mom sent them on their way with containers of Cape Breton pork pies. Gram told them on their way out, "Whatever you have planned, I'm for it!"

You can check out Scott at:

http://www.scottmacmillan.ca/

You can check out Dave at:

http://www.atlanticartists.com/buddy/davemacisaac.html