Good Mother

My 9 year old daughter and I shared a great time together Monday evening.

Jann Arden was coming to Ottawa. I wanted so badly to see her, have wanted to for a very long time. I have every CD she has made. I can still hear my oldest son singing along, as a 2 year old, in the back seat to the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" verse of "I would die for you". The day I bought the CD we were shopping in Ottawa and we had to play that song over and over and over again just so he could sing along. It was priceless. He was joyful.

So, Jann's coming to Ottawa and I'm not going...circumstances, I asked a friend but she was busy, then I thought it was too frivolous to spend the money, not that it was alot but finances are tight right now so I just let the idea drop, again. Then along came a contest in our local paper for the chance to win 2 Jann Arden tickets...why not, I thought. Why not indeed, I WON!

Same friend still busy so I thought it was a great chance to spend some quality time with my daughter. Besides, when she found out I had won the tickets she asked if she could go with me...by this time I had already asked my friend so daughter was disappointed.

Sarah's favorite song is "Good Mother". So I, being a good Mother, won brownie points Monday night. Straight after school we cleaned up and headed to the city. We shopped for an upcoming birthday party, girly stuff, then had supper at Kelsey's. We got to Scotiabank Place early, always fun to soak up the before performance atmosphere.

When we went to get our tickets punched the girl looked at our tickets, checked the seat area then called on another lady. Always the pessimist, I wondered OK, what's going on. This older more authoratative looking woman, approached us. I could feel Sarah tense up beside me. She said, you have seats in the 224 level, would you like to upgrade to the 101 level...I tapped Sarah on the back, she grinned, not aware of what good luck we were having...we gratefully excepted the tickets, said Thank you and went on our merry way. Once we were in our seats I explained to Sarah our good fortune by showing her where we would have been sitting, which was alright considering the tickets were free and after all, it was Jann Arden - would there be a bad seat.

Sarah recognized most of the songs before I did. She was singing along and having a great time. When the music started for Jann's last song (before she came back out for her encore in a Sens jersey), Sarah looked at me, smiled and said, "it's my favorite song!" I felt like a "good mother".

Sarah fell asleep in the van almost as soon as she hit the seat. I had a great 1 hour and 10 min. ride home, listening to Jann Arden tunes on the CD player. It was a good day.

If you get the chance to see Jann Arden in concert run, don't walk to the nearest ticket booth. OK, in this day and age it's more like - run, don't walk to your computer and click for tickets.

Upcoming events

How about some links to upcoming events in and around the Pontiac Valley...

First of all, I'd like to say that I am walking in the Relay for Life, a 12 hour walk to help raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society, on June 2 and I am looking for pledges...you can following this link to pledge me online... https://secureccs.ca/?inv=ca5603d3-d643-405a-b962-f2076667f943

Come visit:
Pontiac School of the Arts is into it's third year of summer courses, running from July 7 to 15, always the first Saturday to the third Sunday of the month, in the village of Portage-du-Fort, Quebec

How about a little pottery at Atelier du Druide in Campbell's Bay, Quebec

The Pontiac Artist's Studio Tour is a wonderful adventure and a great way to visit Fourteen professional artists in 12 studios as you tour through the Pontiac region of Quebec (on the north shore of the Ottawa River, west of Ottawa). The Pontiac Artists' Studio Tour is an annual juried art exhibition. Admission is absolutely free. Everyone is welcome. Artworks are on exhibit and for sale.

The Coulonge Chutes are not to be missed...you can even rent a cabin, or two, for a weekend getaway. Don't forget your camera!

Art in the Park - September 30 at Portage-du-Fort
1 pm to 5 pm...there will be a wide range of art activities for all ages by the Pontiac Artists' Association

Open House: Pontiac Churches
September 29 to September 30
"Discover the Pontiac's unique and diverse religious heritage"
819-648-5217
www.culture.mrcpontiac.qc.ca
bkuhn.cld@mrcpontiac.qc.ca

And not to be missed is the Shawville Agricultural Fair
August 30 - September 3 (Labour Day weekend)

Come visit, you won't be sorry you did!
You'll just wonder why it took you so long!