Due to the weekend and an unfortunate bout of laziness I have only just finished painting the window frames I began last week. Today, in spite of the howling wind coming through the gap in the window, I managed to get the job done while listening to an old tape from Radio 4, Siegfried Sassoon's 'Memories of an Infantry Officer,' a fictionalised account of his war. I realised when this had stopped and all I had to listen to was the voices in my head, thoughts from here and there, good and bad, going nowhere, which explained builders who turn on 'Radio 1' loudly, even though they are far from that age group, just to have something lively in the background. I'm reminded by this of a cartoon on a building site from long ago where one young man with a perplexed expression is looking for his transistor radio. Smirking brickies carrying on regardless in the foreground appear to have mistaken this radio for a brick, it now takes its place in the wall.
I can understand his mates also!
The main problem with finishing the window frames is that it leaves the need to now finish the other rooms also. This is more difficult. This means moving things, hoovering behind items unmoved since yon time, dusting, washing, then preparing. Somehow the enthusiasm appears to have disappeared. Enthusiasm is not encouraged when looking at the other jobs undone, half done or just waiting to be done.
I er, think I need to listen to the wireless and cogitate to work up enthusiasm again...
A short time ago I suddenly realised a favourite radio programme was about to start on Radio 4. This is the type of programme I usually wish to keep so off I run to the tape cassette recorder (ask mum kids) and search for a free tape.
For many years I used to have a double tape deck and was able to make tapes according to my own desire, those days sadly have passed and few have any sort of cassette player with which to listen. Now it appears we much insert disc into deck and record from the TV (which also has radio) and keep a disc. However two problems arise here, one is the inability to play around mixing and matching with these and the other my discs fail to work. Yet another of the hundred and one things that need attention in this house.
However if it works I will be able to improve my collection of tapes and this is a must as I am sick of hearing those I made 20 years ago! They themselves are now historical! For many years I have had to do without this tape machine and when I hear them now it takes me back sometimes more than 20 years. Tapes from the Open University, BBC anniversaries of D-Day, war programmes, historical recordings, various UK towns, all sorts of things lie there. However I find so few programmes to record today and this machine does not do the 'DAB' system so many more channels are lost to me which is sad.
I particularly like short 15 min programmes on a variety of subjects but being there to record them, no timer on this either, does make things irksome. of course I could mention the buzzing on the reception that will not desist no matter where we go but I will leave that aside as I can ignore that, usually. Too many drama's, book for women, boring or irrelevant stuff on radio these days. Hopefully things will improve.
