But oh those lonely nights .........

[Scarlett123]

The singing and uke playing went down so well. The residents were given things like triangles and maracas, and joined in all the songs. I even had to play some again, and I reckon I sang over 50.

 

[LadyA]

Mind your voice! But congratulations. Glad it went well. it's such a worthwhile thing to do.

 

[Scarlett123]

Mind your voice! But congratulations. Glad it went well. it's such a worthwhile thing to do.

I can't put into words how great it made me feel.

 

[Kjn]

Well done Scarlett , my parents go to a singing club and love it... I'm so grateful for people like you giving your time xx

 

[Scarlett123]

Well done Scarlett , my parents go to a singing club and love it... I'm so grateful for people like you giving your time xx

Thank you, but including my travelling time, it was 2 hours out of my life. Not much to give really, and so glad it gave so much pleasure. Am now researching popular songs in the USA, from 1930 - 1955, so I can do my International Transatlantic Concert!!!

 

[truth24]

Well done, Scarlett. Wish I had a talent that could do a similar thing. Mine is just feeding them!

 

[Kjn]

Thank you, but including my travelling time, it was 2 hours out of my life. Not much to give really, and so glad it gave so much pleasure. Am now researching popular songs in the USA, from 1930 - 1955, so I can do my International Transatlantic Concert!!!

Oh wonderful , when do you go on tour ?
Xx

 

[Scarlett123]

Oh wonderful , when do you go on tour ?
Xx

I'll let you know, or perhaps you'd like a job as my Manager? Singing with Choir 2 on Friday, at Liverpool Street Station, in aid of Marie Curie. One of the songs is "Halfway to Paradise"!

I used to have a real thing about Billy Fury, and saw him somewhere in Tottenham, in the early 1960s, and he looked my way, well he might have been looking straight at me (), and I melted.

John used to call the area of thigh, between the tops of ones stocking, and Forbidden Territory, "Halfway to Paradise"!!!

 

[Kjn]

OH wow , manager , I hope I'd get a good seat on the tour bus
Sounds great , what fun .
Halfway to paradise , il have to google the song..love the John connection
X

 

[truth24]

Love John's humour, Scarlett. We started 'Sailing' tonight and are also adding Moon River to our repertoire. We have a concert coming up on 16 April and learning some new and rehashing others. Still haven't got my tongue around the Fijian one properly yet. It's so fast.

 

[Scarlett123]

Love John's humour, Scarlett. We started 'Sailing' tonight and are also adding Moon River to our repertoire. We have a concert coming up on 16 April and learning some new and rehashing others. Still haven't got my tongue around the Fijian one properly yet. It's so fast.

Sailing and Moon River are lovely. We also have a "Fijian-type" one, with Choir 2. Can't remember the exact spelling but it's something like "Ariadadamuslatay". I saw it on youtube and it sounded great, but I find it very difficult to get my tongue round the phonetic words, and so does everyone else!

I try to remember it as "Harry Had a damn hot latte", with my East End accent, dropping all the aitches! Talking about "Halfway to Paradise", there were 2 lovely sixth formers, who arrived at the Care Home on Monday, to pass round coffee and things like that.

Before I sang the following song I said to them that I expected that if they went out with a boyfriend, they'd come home by car, or taxi, and they both nodded furiously. So I then explained that the following method of transport was what we all used in the Olden Days, and sang "Walking my baby back home"!

They must have been listening intently, because one of them asked me later, when she brought me my coffee, why the boyfriend had to straighten his tie? Why was he wearing a tie? Her boyfriend only wore a tie as part of his school uniform!!!

And the girlfriend had got powder over his VEST!!! I explained it was an American song, and a vest was a waistcoat. The vision of a boyfriend wearing a tie and a waistcoat, or an ordinary vest, was just beyond her. How lovely to be young.

 

[Aisling]

The singing and uke playing went down so well. The residents were given things like triangles and maracas, and joined in all the songs. I even had to play some again, and I reckon I sang over 50.

Well done Scarlett. I hope you have some Irish songs in your list!!

Aisling

 

[Scarlett123]

Well done Scarlett. I hope you have some Irish songs in your list!!

Aisling

Indeed I do. I sang "Too ra loo ra loo ra", followed by "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling". They are actually the same tune, and only need 4 chords!

 

[Scarlett123]

I have (almost) stopped feeling guilty about anything I did, or should have done, regarding John. Occasionally I think of something and get a little shiver of regret, but it is quite rare now.

So why do I feel guilty-ish, reckless, and not-very-sensible, when I spend money on something? Probably because every large purchase I've made, for 50 years, has been discussed with John, even though he used to say "I'm easy love" or "whatever you think is fine by me" which saved him having to think.

My ancient video recorder/dvd player started developing symptoms last year, and the DVD part packed up completely, so I bought a dvd player. Then last week, the video packed up. I tried removing each lead, cleaning it with a paint brush in case it was just a dust problem, and replacing each lead, but still it refused all my TLC.

So I have just bought today a dvd recorder and player, and rashly paid extra for one that can record 2 programmes at the same time (!!!). It apparently does this on the hard drive. I was thrilled, because there always seems to be 3 things on Freeview at 9, that I want to watch. I nodded, but didn't understand a thing!

I'm using a local independent store and the delivery is free but the lad, James, will set it up and give me a tutorial for £20 cash, to which I immediately agreed. He could have said £50 and I'd have said yes!

I said I'd have coffee and biscuits for him as well, and he said I bet you can't get my favourites. They turned out to be bourbon, and the place where they were made has been flooded out. BUT ..... Oca*o sell gluten free ones, so I'm having a packet of those delivered with my order tomorrow, just for James!!

And I feel quite light headed about spending all this money (plus my new bedroom curtains, plus my new settee and recliner chair), without asking anyone else if they think it's a good idea. Daft, aren't I.

 

[LadyA]

Not daft at all. We miss having someone to discuss our best options with.

 

[Aisling]

I have (almost) stopped feeling guilty about anything I did, or should have done, regarding John. Occasionally I think of something and get a little shiver of regret, but it is quite rare now.

So why do I feel guilty-ish, reckless, and not-very-sensible, when I spend money on something? Probably because every large purchase I've made, for 50 years, has been discussed with John, even though he used to say "I'm easy love" or "whatever you think is fine by me" which saved him having to think.

My ancient video recorder/dvd player started developing symptoms last year, and the DVD part packed up completely, so I bought a dvd player. Then last week, the video packed up. I tried removing each lead, cleaning it with a paint brush in case it was just a dust problem, and replacing each lead, but still it refused all my TLC.

So I have just bought today a dvd recorder and player, and rashly paid extra for one that can record 2 programmes at the same time (!!!). It apparently does this on the hard drive. I was thrilled, because there always seems to be 3 things on Freeview at 9, that I want to watch. I nodded, but didn't understand a thing!

I'm using a local independent store and the delivery is free but the lad, James, will set it up and give me a tutorial for £20 cash, to which I immediately agreed. He could have said £50 and I'd have said yes!

I said I'd have coffee and biscuits for him as well, and he said I bet you can't get my favourites. They turned out to be bourbon, and the place where they were made has been flooded out. BUT ..... Oca*o sell gluten free ones, so I'm having a packet of those delivered with my order tomorrow, just for James!!

And I feel quite light headed about spending all this money (plus my new bedroom curtains, plus my new settee and recliner chair), without asking anyone else if they think it's a good idea. Daft, aren't I.

Good for you Scarlett.

Aisling

 

[Kjn]

Well if you mean mcvitties in Carlisle , yes it was drowned
Drive by it all the time , gingernuts and water biscuits quite a problem too.

Liking your attitude Scarlett, you are turning a corner and it's lovely to see(read) xx

 

[truth24]

A lovely post Scarlett. As you say, it's quite strange when young people haven't heard of various things! I was going through a book with Fred yesterday about things as they were from the end of the war years onwards and the carers, even the older ones, were fascinated as I was pointing out things like rationing, etc. Can't believe myself that we were only allowed 1 oz cheese pp pw and 1 shilling's worth of meat, BUT 8 oz sugar. Yet we had good teeth and were skinny! and, did you know or remember, that only Utility wedding rings were permitted - 9 carat gold! Nothing higher. It seems the norm for 9 carats in this country now. Think we are the only country in the world selling such a thing. Think a minimum of 14 carat is sold elsewhere. They were quite taken with my 22 carat wedding ring which I think was normal in the 60s.

Know too what you mean about financial decisions. Slightly different but am in a state of shock at moment being faced with a dental bill of about £250, car having to go to garage to have volume control fixed, holiday payment in about 10 days, printer packed up, then to cap it all, my lovely neighbour popped around yesterday to tell me she had to have pest controllers in yesterday because of rats and he had told her that they were overflowing from the bottom of my garden where there is a shrubbery and where I feed the birds. So, I don't know which is worse, well I do really, the additional expense or the thought of having 20 plus rats in my garden which must be dealt with before the breedIng season starts. HELP!!!!!

 

[Saffie]

That's what I need to buy too as I only have Freeview - it's not worth paying for anything else as I watch so little but when I do, the programmes I want to watch seem to be on at the same time.

Biscuits! I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that I can't get manage to find my favourite shortie biscuits anywhere. The are own brand but the same from Sainsburys and Asda so could be made by anyone.

 

[Scarlett123]

That's what I need to buy too as I only have Freeview - it's not worth paying for anything else as I watch so little but when I do, the programmes I want to watch seem to be on at the same time.

Biscuits! I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that I can't get manage to find my favourite shortie biscuits anywhere. The are own brand but the same from Sainsburys and Asda so could be made by anyone.

I find there's quite enough of the things I like, on Freeview, but annoyingly, so many clash. It's OK for the ITV channels, because they have a plus one facility, but the others don't.

I read somewhere that the Carrs factory (of water biscuits fame) was flooded, but I don't know what has affected bourbon biscuits! The ones I bought are gluten free, but I have phoned the shop to tell the lad that I have them. He was very pleased.