Aside from the seriousness of Coronavirus, we are recognising our Lockdown regime isn’t such a bad thing. I would almost go a step further and say I would be a little disappointed if it was lifted today. Why? There’s so much more to do! We still have some decluttering to do and also I am enjoying the different ‘blasts from the past’.
Firstly an old friend of mine, through having some furlough time and the space to rewind life a little, has tracked me down after more than 30 years; thank you Ian!
Perhaps it is intriguing how we can form all kinds of friendships and how we can drift in and out of those relationships. Maybe we do that more when we’re younger and still finding our way in life. Looking back, sure, I remember people but I always struggle to recall meeting someone for the first time, or when it was we last spoke. Perhaps that’s just me or maybe the effect of a few decades rolling on?
Nevertheless it’s lovely to have received the unexpected email from Ian, it was completely out of the blue. We have some serious catching up to do!
Those scratchy old records
Secondly, my old record deck has been sitting in the garden shed for a while now. Occasionally it gets used but even I recognise the limitations – only a handful of records have survived our move here and I’m not planning to replace them.
So I plonked my old Garrard turntable for sale on Facebook and someone is now coming to collect it on Monday. I did a ‘bundle’ deal with the less attractive amplifier, so it’s working out alright.
In some ways I’ll be sorry to see it go, I like the quaintness and the retro feel and I remember buying it from a fellow student in 1980. Actually the sound is pretty impressive, better than I remembered although I can’t say our neighbours nowadays would appreciate Ry Cooder or Tom Waits stirring them up.
My guess is there are thousands of people up and down the country in a similar Lockdown situation – shining a light on those older friendships and onto the possessions of yesteryear – am I right? I bet I am!