James Taylor ... a quick memory

 I want to get this down before I forget it; it might disappear forever.

Final year at Chelsea College of Technology ... a girl on my course, not wishing anything else, wondered whether I would like to hear an LP she had of James Taylor. I think she lived in a bedsit in Earls Court. (Addition 06/06/25 - I can now picture the street, Warwick Road). So it was that I first heard 'Sweet Baby James' and was immediately, and forever, taken by his music. Some time later I visited her and her boyfriend ... she was going to quit college. For the first time in my life I gave someone else advice. I said to her that she would pass the final exam units, that it was just a few months away (I think no more than three) and once she had the degree she could do what she liked but nobody could take that award away from her. I can't remember her name, I hope she lived the life she wanted despite those last few months ... she did get her degree.

This all came back tonight as BBC2 had a Carole King (with) James Taylor night and memories from so many years ago were awakened. 

February add-on: my memory has always had a mind of its own!!! As I guess with most people, memories spring themselves upon us at their own whim and now I think it important to note them down, if possible, as they provide 'nodes' in life which I can then fit other experiences to. (Curiously, just responding to Sue's piece in her blog 'Sue's news and views' mentioning wild boar sauce brought back the whole experience of a fortnight in Zivaco in '98, our second trip to Corsica - the first was to Lama). Corsican chestnut beer; ancient chestnut pollards in the woods; a helicopter ambulance recovering a woman who horse had thrown her while riding through the village; the house we stayed at, English owned by the widow of a ex-pat farmer who had emigrated in the 60's. Modern Corsican polyphony - our first hearing of I Muvrini, who we later saw twice in Lille and once in London ... more side roads of memory there! Going to a restaurant in a neighbouring village for a pizza and being told by the owner that we should have boar instead as it had just been prepared that day, but was not on the menu. He said it in a friendly but 'forcible' manner such that we knew we were in for a treat, and it was. When we wanted dessert, he wasn't letting go ... he had some cheese which he was sure we would like. We had it (all through our lives it's been very rare for us not to try new things) and it was good. The owner then came over with coffee and asked us about the cheese .We told him it was really nice. "Good" he said, "the man who made it is sitting there" ... at the next table!

2025 ... Another New Year, But Last Year and Christmas First

 Pauline and I had fallen into an enjoyable if short-lived habit of visiting Pamela and Mary in Ireland for Christmas. Pauline's decline in health was such that Christmas 2023 had to be cancelled. Pamela insisted that this year, 2024, I visit for two weeks.

I knew when Pauline died that I needed to be able to focus on things for me. Before then, however, there were other things that had to be done.

Sorting out Pauline's Estate would take a toll, even with assistance and so it has turned out. The clearing of the hoarding in the flat is now almost complete and I was able to get a clearance company to remove full boxes and bags of papers. I also found a plumber who fixed a pipework problem and is coming back in January to refurbish the bathroom. He has also indicated that he can direct me to other local tradespeople who can get to work on the kitchen etc. I hope that by Spring the flat will be in a condition that I can then decide what to do with it. At some time I shall also have to go to Germany to resolve part of Pauline's Estate that is over there!

An early job for 'me' was to employ a tree surgeon to carry out work at the cottage - a first as I always used to do garden and tree work myself but I can't risk accidents now - old bones don't bounce. A tree  needed to come down and then there were the hedges, uncut for two years, they were about 16 foot high.

With that underway, I was able to book myself a week on the Lizard in Cornwall, primarily for walking, but also for visiting some megalithic sites. The week was good despite managing to get a double puncture one day that cost me the next day in getting new tyres (thank heavens for Green Flag). One of the best pictures was taken at the end of twilight and a very long walk.

I did manage a bit of dressing while there:

  

Apart from this old ruin (me) there were plenty of  megaliths, such as Chûn Quoit, to be visited. I have decided to return to the Lizard in 2025 and hope to meet with Deeanna when I do.

 

 

 

 The trip to the Lizard was what I needed: somewhere new, to ease me into a new life.

 I still had little inclination to dress, however, and I was having problems with my left eyelid - swelling and psoriasis.

Roll on to December and I was packing for Ireland. I did buy two new dresses as we hoped to have a couple of nights at a hotel near Athlone. Just before leaving for Ireland there was news from Holyhead - the ferry berth had been damaged by Storm Darragh. At first it seemed slight, but the news just got worse. In the end I transferred to Cairnryan-Belfast. I was able to cancel everything without cost and actually saved money, but it was a long haul up to Scotland and I arrived in Belfast for the dawn rush hour. I arrived at Pamela and Mary's in time for breakfast and to hear further ferry news: Holyhead would be shut until 15 January! I immediately worked out that Dublin-Fishguard would be best for me, so transferred my ticket for that route. Once Stena had got over the shock of losing its most popular route, it was very efficient at re-ticketing. Pamela had bad news - the cortisone injection for her knee had done nothing and she was in a great deal of pain. Despite that, the fortnight with Pamela and Mary was wonderful: I didn't really want to leave and I don't think they wanted me to. We had a chat with Gia on Christmas day. Pamela and Gia have been so supportive through this saddest of all years.

Of course we did get out while I was in Ireland, sometimes dressed, sometimes not. I even managed to use make up again, for the first time in two years, although after the first attempt the eyelid problem returned, so from then on I only used make up to my cheek bones and avoided eye make up. 

On my last day Pamela and Mary treated me to Afternoon Tea at Tankardstown House which rounded off a great Christmas and New Year.

I came home with one new dress still to be worn, but we intend going to Athlone later this year. The journey home was uneventful ... just 17 hours of it!

Back at home, the house was very cold and damp and I spent the first hours warming it up. I found I had but one message of the answerphone, but what a message ... it was from Barbara's old neighbour, Doris!!! I honestly thought she had passed away. I made phoning her the very first thing I did the following day and we've arranged that I'll see her in a couple of weeks. She is still all with it at 95!

I'm taking this as a good omen for 2025.