When I Come To It

I thought I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. And now I had. It didn’t look so rickety up close. Even had a certain look of strength about it. And it wasn’t exactly crossing a ravine. Somehow, having approached it leisurely, in my own time, I was ready to cross it. I didn’t break stride and put to the back of my mind what lay ahead on the other side. For all I knew, the path might open to the valley of the dolls. Or perhaps another bridge. But I’d cross that one when I came to it.

I like to take my challenges when the time seems right. This flash fiction challenge appeared in my inbox today and appealed to me on a number of accounts.

I’m on holiday from school for a week, which also means so are my kids. You know how weans can nip your brain with, ‘what are we doing?’ Well, that doesn’t work too well with me. I’m not a big planner, having learned years ago, to go more with the flow. As a result, we’ve done something different each day, more on the spur of the moment than through any planned itinerary. I like it that way. Crossing my bridges when I come to them.

The challenge asks us to include a little about our week, a song to sum it up and to include, within the body of exactly 100 words, a favourite childhood toy.

Tick. Tick. Ticking more below.

Looking out from Largs. The sun does shine in Scotland sometimes. October’s good with me. 🙂 I headed off for the day with three of my daughters as everyone else was working. Poor buggers.

My eldest, Claire. She’ll kill me!

My youngest, Anna. She’s too wee to. 😉

Louise and I were camera shy. Which is surprising for her but not for me. I’d had three hours sleep the night before – it having been the first day of the holiday and sitting up Twittering politics and drinking whiskey and coke. Somebody’s got to do it. Occasionally. I just kept my sunspecs on and nobody was any the wiser. Except maybe the girl who took our lunch order and wondered why I was wearing them indoors. She never said though.

Inverkip Marina. No, I don’t have a boat. But I like looking at them. 🙂

Last night was a quiz night with all of my crew and a few and a pile of fajitas. My team came second but I had the two youngest which I thought was a bit unfair considering the game was for over 16’s and they’re 8 and 14. And I was up against umpteen universities and an auld guy called Frank. Love him to pieces but he doesn’t half know shit what with all that age on his side. His team won. Sods. Do you know from which film the following statement comes? ‘There is no spoon.’ Well, I didn’t. Till after I heard the answer and then I was fuming. I don’t watch all that many movies so I was rubbish at those questions. But I love this movie. I blame the noise and everybody telling everybody else to wheesht. My excuse. Sticking to it.

Yes, so, going with the flow. Today I’m a lady of leisure which is brill. Everyone has something on. So have I right enough. I got up and put clothes on. Had a coffee. Ate some grapes. Had another coffee. It’s hectic.

Tomorrow we’re thinking – not planning – on the East Coast. I love St. Andrew’s and the area all round. Beach, sea. Loads of craft shops and book shops. Coffee shops. City with a country town feel. I always try to get a wander around it every year. Kinda late this year. But I’ve had a lot of bridges to cross.

Oh! Song!

This one. Because ‘I’m On Top Of The World’. Yass!

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May Music, Day 25 – Slainte To The Music.

When I love a song, or a whole album for that matter, I quite often listen to it on repeat. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone has requested, for the love of god, that I change the music. And they’re not talking about me having a moan. Although that happens too.

I kind of sicken myself to songs after I’ve done that and then might not play them again for some time. Twindaddy’s 25^th and final question for this music challenge is asking which song I could listen to all day and not tire of. Well, even among my favourites and those that are in recovery from over-exposure, none would fit the category of ‘all day without tiring’.

There is always a limit to how long I can listen to any one piece of music or album. My family might disagree but it’s true.

One such album was ‘Sunny Side Up’ by Paolo Nutini, another Scots singer/songwriter. So Scottish, in fact, that some people from outwith these parts often find it difficult to make out what he’s singing. Obviously, I had no such problem and sang along to this whole album for several weeks – but not all day – and now haven’t listened to it in some time.

Today though, may very well be the day, on unearthing this CD, that I enjoy it all over again.

The video below was captured at an annual charity event, ‘Cash For Kids’, run by Glasgow’s local radio station. The kids involved in this event will no doubt remember it forever – one in particular who got to play acoustic to Paolo’s impromptu performance.

‘Candy’ was the song that made me buy the CD.

Here’s the professional version. In case you can’t make out what he’s singing.

As a parting farewell to this music challenge I want to thank Twindaddy for running it and for inviting participation. It’s been fun to reflect on music that has meant much to me although it’s also been quite emotional – something I didn’t expect at all when I signed up for it. Music does indeed permeate every part of our lives. I’ve never really explored why I favour some songs and choose not to listen to others. Musical preference and tastes obviously play a large part in that but so too do the memories and associations we have with it. One thing it is, though, is universal. It crosses all divides and can touch even where words are not always understood. And it makes us want to dance -sometimes. Some people have even made a lifelong career out of it. Lucky buggers. To music and dancing, Slainte. And cheers to Twindaddy and all the lovely blogging participants I got to meet on the journey.