Making time for passion by 'Bringing Winston Home'

A day or so after New Years, I read a story on Facebook about a lady in Winnipeg who, as a fiddle player, had made a video every single day of 2015 and posted it up on her youtube page.  By the time I read that post, she had 365 videos uploaded and available.  Wow, I thought to myself!  There’s something to aspire to…start getting more of my own music out into the world, while I’m healthy and able to.  But I know my commitments and my ability to organize myself to sit and do that, and decided instead…I’ll try and do one song a week.


I don’t know why I chose Winston, but he called to me as I grabbed the guitar that first day of 2016.  I guess he was wanting his story to be shared.   I've learned that people love the stories behind the songs often as much as...and sometimes maybe even more...that the songs themselves.  "Bringing Winston Home' really tells the story for itself, just as the day played out for all of us.  We had been getting ready to go to spend Father’s day with my Dad, and just about the time we were getting ready to head out the door, the vehicles pulled into our yard. 

At first nothing made any sense,  the name Winston Merry meant nothing to either of us, and about the time they were ready to give up and leave, one person mentioned the name Cryderman.  This yard had been where the old Cryderman yard had been in times gone by, and things began to fall into place. 

It was my father in law, Delmer Dobbin, that I called and asked after all was settled, the ashes were spread and the family had departed.  He told me the story of Winston, of the swimming lessons and of their friendship throughout their school years.  He then told me that my own Grandfather, Allan Dickson, who had been the teacher at the Ladysmith School in those days, had taught Winston as well.  

Years later, when going through Grandpa's picture album, I found this photo.  It was him with his student Winston Merry, back in the 1930s.  The world suddenly appeared to be very, very small as I realized how interconnected we can all be. 

I hope you enjoy.