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Music and places and times

Post 1

Teuchter

There's a thread in Ask Hootoo at the moment about music and how it makes you feel. And it got me thinking.
Music gives us landmarks in our lives. Certain tunes always remind me of places and people - and stages in my life.

I just have to hear the name Fats Waller and it takes me back to fairly early childhood. He was a favourite of my parents. At the time, they couldn't afford to buy many records but they did have 'Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter'. When I hear that song, even just in my own head, it takes me back to the early sixties and our newly built house which smelt of fresh wood and paint. I can feel the sun coming in the large windows of the lounge and I think of dancing on my Dad's feet when he came home from work.

'One Wheel On My Wagon' and 'Right Said Fred' remind me of getting up early on a Saturday morning to listen to Ed Stewpot and Family Favourites. My Mum always had a lie in on a Saturday so there were the four of us in the lounge - and complete mayhem, albeit slightly muted. We used to play 'High Tig' - and I would work my way around the room on top of the furniture, window sills and mantlepiece. If she still hadn't appeared at the end of the programme, we put LPs on the radiogram and danced frantically to 'The Hall of The Mountain King' by Peer Gynt.smiley - silly

The Archers theme still has a flavour of Heinz Tomato soup and chocolate pudding - a reminder of coming home from primary school for lunch. I'm sure we didn't have the same menu every day but those are the strongest flavours.smiley - tomatosmiley - choc

James Taylor's 'Sweet Baby James' and David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' recall the hours spent with friends discussing boys, make-up, spots, exams etc. Loon pants, cheesecloth shirts and clogs - and making up letters for the problem pages in Jackie and Romeo.smiley - laugh

Freda Payne's 'Band of Gold' - which we didn't really understand at the time - and 'Tears of a Clown' take me back to the Saturday night discos in the church hall. And the loneliness of being the only one left at the end of the night without a snog. Or so it seemed. Does that feeling of being on the outside looking in ever leave us entirely?smiley - blue

Knights in White Satin' reminds me of my first serious boyfriend and underage drinking in the Students' Union and discovering sex.

'Schools Out' and 'Silver Machine' are Braemar music. We worked hard and played hard - drank too much, smoked too much and did a few other things too much as well. The time of my life!smiley - boing

Supertramp's 'Crime of the Century' is Edinburgh - and being bloody freezing in a variety of inadequately heated flats while I was a student.

'Come Up and See Me - Make Me Smile' I suppose if Mr T and I have a 'tune', this is it. We met in Aberdeen when his hockey club was up playing in a festival - and this was one of the drinking songs. Our romance then developed to, amongst other things, the sound of Abba and Stevie Wonder. 'You are the Sunshine of My Life' reminds me of being head-over-heels in love. And Chicago? Well that reminds me of stuff I'm not going into here apart from to say - warm and fuzzy.smiley - loveblush

'Baker Street' and 'Up-town, Top-ranking' - a smell of paint there as well. Our first flat - no central-heating but some great times with friends. Managing to flood our downstairs neighbours - Spiky Norman and his pursed-up, over-permed little wife.smiley - weird

And that takes me up to the late seventies - 1970s - not my age!smiley - yikes

I may bring this up to date in a later journal - but enough already.smiley - online2long


Music and places and times

Post 2

Boots

Lovely Teuchter! Songs are such great memory stirrers. I enjoyed the wander down your memory lane and all the songs mentioned brought back different memories...except, extraodinarily, the Peer Gynt...I too remember dancing frantically round a kitchen to that one...how odd smiley - laugh.
You write a first rate journal it is an absolute joy to read.
take care
boots (on first fag break and in a perfectly foul mood...duck!)


Music and places and times

Post 3

Teuchter

*ducking

Oh Boots - sorry to hear you're in a foul mood. Have a smiley - hug and some smiley - choc. Would send you some smiley - rose - but that might be 'coals to Newcastle'? The sentiment's there anyway!

I came across something in one of your postings about being interested in the history of ordinary people - and that struck a resounding chord with me. Like you, when I see a pyramid I'm interested in the guys who lugged the stones + their families + their homes etc - rather than Rameses the Forty-fifth. Maybe if they'd had Hootoo in their day we'd know more about them. Come to think of it, I wonder how much of our Hootoo stuff'll be around in 2000yrs time? And if it is available, will it be as technically 'quaint' as the Rosetta Stone and scraps of papyrus or parchments. Hmmmm?

I hope your day improved. As we say in Teuchterland, 'Keep your chin up Quinie'.


Music and places and times

Post 4

Boots

Day improved vastly. Pin says I am ungrateful old cow who should be enjoying her social whirl not carping on about it...Oh no sorry those weren't actually your words Pin, rather a RL friend who agreed with your sentiments. He (Pin not the RL friend...life is so confusing) said I should enjoy my socialising or say no to invitations. I did (say no that is) It doesn't work.
'Would you like a late sups tonight?'
'That's really sweet but no thankyou, I really want to be in bed by ten.'
'We'll come round at eight then.'

DERRRRR!!!!!

So now I have to be somewhere for drinks five minutes ago...Someone came into shop, apologised for not seeing me for a whole month and 'couldn't I just pop in on my way home?'...as this was after the first attempted 'NO' I just surrendered instantly realising it is easier. Have sups arriving at eight and another friend (who insists I agreed to have dinner with him) coming along as well.

Perhaps I should just lock the door of the shop and overnight here!
I said I liked ordinary people eh? My friends sit in that category methinks...let me tell you ordinary people are exhausting! But I love them.
take care and thanks for the hug. It was a bit of a leaky face day
boots


Music and places and times

Post 5

Pwilpers2

All I'd add is to say that, in a late 70's stylee, God Save the Queen, by the Sex Pistols, reminds me of a certain train journey to Glasgow where my elder sister (who was waiting to collect me at the station)was trying to outboast a wifie she was standing next to. This meant discussing schools, qualifications, attitudes etc. Thing is, when the train came in the other wifies son was a uniformed opublic schoolboy with, apparently, excellent credentials whilst I was a spiky haired, punk clothed little oik. My big sis (or The Teuchter as she is known) was not quite so happy and impressed about his. Me? Once I sussed what had happened I thought it was funny as heck!

Other than that Sparkys magic Piano brings back a wholeload of early childhood memories, Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) brings back ironic knockback memories and anything by The Cure brings back all sorts of nearly adult, growing up, rebelling, going out, party type memories.


Music and places and times

Post 6

Teuchter

Wee brothers manage to embarrass you at every stage in life!smiley - blush

And unfortunately, this one's a bit too large for a skelp round the lug - which is what he'd have got from me circa 1970 something!


Music and places and times

Post 7

Boots

It's not where you start it's where you finish that counts. (A bizzare concept of the Hans Christian Anderson 'sexed up' by Hollywood variety..you actually come into this world with pretty much nothing an leave pretty much the same way). Think the public school and perfectly blazored travel companion probably, and secretly, admired the punk strands and no doubt emulated them with alacrity once mothers were gone. Think you perhaps cemented known truisms and good things taught by the one known a Teuchter. Take them forward with you on your journey through this strange planet known as 'life'...aliens abound as do misconceptions and misplaced beliefs. If you are lucky enough to have a sis as centred as yours...you don't need to win the lottery, you are already rich! Learn to share it with those who need to understand.


Music and places and times

Post 8

Teuchter

The best part of the story - which he's left out, Boots - is that he was also at a public school, as a boarder.smiley - laugh

How he managed to sneak out of the 'Bug Hut' in his bondage trousers was always a bit of a mystery to me.

He's actually quite a sensible lad these days - just can't resist the occasional opportunity to avenge the juvenile atrocities I committed against him at an early age. Scarred for life - he tells me!


Music and places and times

Post 9

Boots

smiley - laugh
boots


Music and places and times

Post 10

Teuchter

Hope today's going better for you Boots - and not too many 'leaky' moments at awkward times.
Anyone else reading this will probably be thinking 'incontinence' at this point - given our age and everything. smiley - laugh (Did anyone actually do those post-natal exercises?)

You're really doing rather well you know! To have come on that mission the other night and spent so much effort drawing us all out of our shells - you're a proper wee catalyst you are - or very experienced with escargots.smiley - biggrin

And how wonderful to have such devoted and caring friends - even if the weight of their wellmeaningness is occasionally onerous smiley - winkeye.

Take care smiley - hug


Music and places and times

Post 11

Boots

Thanks Teuchter. Day so far has been lovely. Long lie in. Phone call from friend who I haven't seen in years but who we were most close to in another world. She is coming to stay in a few weeks. Washing, cleaning, mowing lawn tidying garden a perfect Sunday. Rabager pup has gome to the Church..not the ones with pews in it... the all day club one in Islington where much alcohol is consumed...so he will no doubt over night in a noxious state...Didn't bother to clean that room smiley - laugh. Hope your day has been equally splendid. Catalyst? Moi? Just nosey!
Take care
boots (off to bathe before Sunday luncheon beckons!)


Music and places and times

Post 12

Boots

PS also have photo of Ben and I at first meet!


Music and places and times

Post 13

Teuchter

Hi Boots

Glad your Sunday went well. Sounds like you were extremely busy. I liked your reference to the 'other' church smiley - laugh. Mr T tends to go to the one with 18 holes and some sand pits! Think there's alcohol involved there too.

I should have spent yesterday cleaning but didn't - there always seems to be something more interesting to do like gardening or reading or Hootoo or sewing.
I'm regretting my lack of will-power now though - my ultra clean and tidy Munich hausfrau friend is coming to visit at the weekend and I'm going to be a tad embarrassed. smiley - blush Think I'll be doing a superficial cleanround on Friday and keeping my fingers crossed for fine weather so I can wheech her out to sit in the garden, reducing the chance of her noticing the squalor. Who am I kidding - she knows I'm a slutty housekeeper!
smiley - hugs and stuff


Music and places and times

Post 14

Boots

I always admire 'sluttish housekeeping', 'not doing the laundry' and 'chilling out at weekends'. Alas I am terminally anal and when forced to cook a meal for company, I still spend the entire time they are eating, cleaning the kitchen and 'clearing the canvass'. Years ago I was cast as 'Martha' in the raising of Lazareth story. At the time I resented the casting hugely and put it down to my physical attributes rather than my mental ones which, I thought, were far closer to Mary's. Time and its accompanying wisdom has made me realise the casting was almost accurate. I may have looked like Mary but my mind set was and, although improving, probably still is, Marthas...Oh Ravager I still have a long way to go!
take care
boots
PS don't worry about the visitor senacot or a good man will put her on the right road!


Music and places and times

Post 15

Teuchter

There's probably a bit of 'Martha' and a bit of 'Mary' in all of us - we just get different proportions of each I reckon.

In my family,my sister and I are almost diametrically opposed. She has an extremely tidy house and never leaves a messy kitchen. Her drawers and cupboards though are a total nightmare.

I, on the other hand, have very well organised cupboards, wardrobes and drawers but you could stir my house with a stick! I've got this really anal thing about folding towels and sheets etc. And as for hanging out a washing smiley - yikes, I've been known to unpeg and rehang if Mr T's made an ar*e of it - I just can't help myself.

Hope your week's going well. Mine has been pants so far but I'm off until Saturday now. Planning a 'cleanfest' tomorrow. smiley - run to find Marigolds, duster and squirty stuff.

Take care.


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