Our History Mate

The exhibition goes over the 60's 70's and 80's, three dramatic decades for those who lived through them all, not always enjoyably it must be said.  The 60's were the best musically, so much invention and wonderful stuff from the USA west coast in particular.  On top of that the attitudes were very different, at least at face value level, at heart human beings never change.  The Hippy days if peace and love were a delusion but an enjoyable one, however for most they were hidden behind a veil of drugs that brought many an early death.
The 60's brought the Vietnam war among other things and while the 'West' enjoyed material prosperity (I got £5/10/- a week in '66) some 50 million were being killed in the 'Cold War' in Africa, Central and South America, South Eats Asia and elsewhere.  We were protected by 'M.A.D (Mutually Assured Destruction) and several million men spread across western Europe. A few thousand nuclear bombs kept some awake but not all of us.

Fashions changed somewhat and it is noticeable how many women donated aged dresses for the exhibition and not one man!  I suspect some men are still wearing things bought in the eighties, I would be but they appear to have shrunk in the wash.  I doubt my flares would fit and I seem to lack the desire to wear such these days.  80's fashion, like its music, was vile!  Men with permed hair and rolled up sleeves singing puerile songs did not do anything for me especially as we were faced with the totalitarian Thatcher regime.  Today Thatchers daughter lack both her brain and her heart and few would have expected that to be possible.  The 70's began well and for me was the worst decade of all however this changed near the end when God began to really do things in my life.  The music died around 1974 and was replaced by 'Abba!'  Platitudes, empty ballads and glitter ruled the radio waves, not in my house. 

There was of course two wars at this time, the Falklands war that generated much attention and the IRA Provos shooting people in the back in Northern Ireland generating the UVF and others to offer needless reprisals.  The UK got fed up with this war and wished it would go away especially on the occasions the IRA set off bombs around the UK.  London however (apart from me) did not panic in a manner we see today re Islamic terrorists.  We handled the Irish problem far better than the Islamic one I say.  
The Falklands saw as needless a war as can be imagined.  While ruining their country the military Junta decided to avert attention with a landing on the 'Malvinas.'  They lost around 3000 dead we around 3 billion pounds and a hundred or so men.  One or two ships went down and all in all the whole thing was ridiculous.  How easily wars can be begun for wrong reasons, how difficult to finish and how often those responsible walk away scot free.  Are you listening Mr Blair?

  
The Beatles are not what they were, I wonder if they have not been eating right?

The thing to have in the 70's for young men and no doubt a lot of females was a 'Chopper' bike.  These American styled bikes were popular but too flashy for me.  I had to use my sisters bike years before and others obtained what they could and added 'Cowhorn' Handlebars to their junk bikes.  I think I would rather have one of those than the 'Chopper.'
At the time I used the bus or a proper bike I now remember, cycling to London for a cheap holiday.  Ha! 

I know you girls all dressed like this when at work.

Mary Quant came along at the right time and changed fashion in the 60's.  Born in 1934 she became famous in the 60's with mini skirts, which I noticed occasionally, and other things I didn't.  She, unlike so many, married a husband and was still with him when he died in 1990.   At 83 she does not design much today I would think.  

So Quiet

So quiet just now.  The TV is off, the radio is off, and I sit in silence awaiting six O'clock.  This is important as at six BBC ALBA will offer the full game between St Johnstone and Hamilton Accies hence the silence.  Anything I listen to is likely to offer the score inadvertently so I sit with no noise, scared even to play You Tube in case it appears there.  Ah Radio 3 Jazz!  That fills a gap.
Had the weather been better had my health been better then I would be outside avoiding radios and observing the world, instead I linger here reading books and burning chicken for tea.

I took some objects to the museum early on for the next exhibition, something about the 60's, 70's and 80's which appear like yesterday to me but ancient history to some.
I remembered today the men I worked with when I left Edinburgh in 1975, several were in their late 50's and early 60's and it was interesting to consider that if they still lived they would be around a hundred years old.  In my mind of course they remain as I remember them, fit, healthy and bossing me around.  The women who threw themselves at me, or at least threw some things at me, will no longer be lithe young slips of girls, grandmothers all and yet here I am just as I was then, youthful, handsome and ........  *fill in as appropriate. 
Nostalgia is not what is was and that is why we are having an exhibition covering the Christmas period (note Christmas is less than 100 days away) and offering something many in the town will wish to remember.  They will also wish to visit the photos I am about to steal from them to offer for the exhibition!  Photos of people, places that no longer exist and then they can mutter and groan how "It was better back then" even if then they spent the time grumbling as to how it could be improved!  This they deny!  
Now, where are my Hippy beads...?

  

Tuesday Tittletattle

At a rough estimate I reckon two thousand children, all screaming, shouting, yelling, came through the museum today.  This does not include the mums, grans, grandads, dads, aunts, uncles and others who accompanied them, screaming, shouting, yelling and crying out for coffee or gin and tonic!  
Kids get away with much more when with the indulgent old people than when with mum and dad.  They therefore play this to perfection and it is rare to see a grandad, always a grandad, pay for something in the shop.  Sometimes I am amazed at the energy levels of the old folks although I realise that once the kid is back with mum they will be taking another week to get over it!  
The kids are loving this exhibition, the ones doing the workshops are also enjoying themselves and I have noticed that all too often it is the mums who enjoy this most.  Either they enjoy being among the exhibits or they are enjoying the craft workshops.  Others of course just enjoy a couple of hours without the kids bothering them!  One told me she had cleaned the entire house, the first time since the holidays had started!  
She refused to do mine... 

   
Before I limped out the door I went through the prodedure to discover which 'House' I was now in.  This did not take long and I appear to be in 'Gryffindor.'
Whatever that means!

What a Day!

They were queueing outside the door before ten this morning.  At the bells dinging on the Town Hall clock I opened the door and looked at the few in the queue and found the few went round the side of the building and down to the gate!  There must have been folks standing along the street but I dare not look out....
It took two of us to man the till and one to man the phone and deal with folks booking workshops for the kids!  We took the first money at ten and the queue just went on and on and on...  When there was a short break I checked the watch, 11:35 it read!
There were hundreds of them, kids bringing parents and grandparents and a few parents and grandparents bringing kids.  We soon ran out of small change and we had refreshed this three times! The short break was just that, we never got a chance to move and discover how things were going on elsewhere as we had more folks coming in no time to stop.  Add to this the trouble of controlling two, three or more kids, the need to offer them trails and things to look for, and some coming in while others go out, you can imagine the controlled chaos.  Occasionally I asked "Are these all yours?" To receive the gleeful answer "No!"  There were questions re prices and kids wishing to buy this and that at the same time as this was going on, VIPs (they say) coming in to look (One councillor actually paid an entrance fee!  I made sure he had his receipt in case he needs to claim it back) and the VIPs then left speaking to everyone, well one i know spoke to me at least, then the people returned and he got shifted aside.

  
It was after one before I could be relieved for a tea stop.  My ten o'clock tea had been sipped twice in the morning and was somewhat tepid by one, and even then I got caught up in one of the two complaints we received.  However I soon fixed that - I put the kettle on and waited till she had gone home.
Only then could I visit the owls sitting quietly in the big hall.  Five of them just sitting staring at folks and waiting till the camera was focused on them before turning their heads around!  Brutes!  These owls are lovely things.  Five different sizes, all apparently happy, none fussy about the visitors, kept at a  discreet distance, and one keen to sit on the ladies hand rather than the stool provided.  These creatures are worth a look up close if you ever get the chance.

   
Not much chance to take other pictures today.  Far too busy at first with the till and the folks arriving and as always we have to be careful taking pictures with children about.  On top of that I was too tired by then to care!  The place was flooded with people, the temperature rising and I just wanted to go home for the Swedish massage (which has not appeared) and sleep for 24 hours.  
The magician, the card trick man the potion tray (very popular as they all took small bottles filled with potions home with them) and all the other things appeared to be popular.  Only two complaints were heard but out of 500 or so visitors that's not bad. 
Now I just wish to sleep...

An Exhibition

Having decided to spend cash only on things I actually require and cease wasting money on luxuries I was confronted with this as I arrived this morning.  A variety of new jams and suchlike faced me and somehow or other this one fell into my hands before I left.  It is possible I may have to try it sometime tonight rather than let the jar sit there lonely.

The new exhibition is up and running and the crowds swooped in today, well two old ladies on their way to lunch filling in time.  They and attractive young mums booking places for the kids workshops filled my first hour today, an hour that is not quite so hectic normally.  Before my tea had been served I was busy, as usual by the time I tasted it the tea was rather tepid.  We rarely get a hot cup of anything during the morning.

I did read the condensed story of Harry Potter presented to us ignorant folks and Peggy and I were not impressed.  The idea was to introduce us to the characters but I remain unmoved and no less ignorant of them.  It appears Harry is always being attacked and always wins,just as well or there would not have been several books, several films and millions for the author...

The exhibition looks OK to me, it will bring in the punters and any questions we have re the many personnel will be answered by the seven year olds who will fail to comprehend that we know nothing abut Potter and his story.  Appropriate goods are on sale alongside the marmalade, trails and things to do are there for the kids, and a nearby cafe stands waiting for mum and dad, gran and uncle and anyone else worn out by tramping back and forward round the museum.  

From now until October this will be our lot.  Next Tuesday, the first week of the holidays, we have the official opening and we expect a fair few to turn out for the magician, the Owls and whatever else they have laid on.  The cheery smile, the compliments, the warm welcome that awaited me this morning led me to believe something was amiss, indeed it was as they presented me with the outfit I must wear next week.  I of course refused but felt that somehow I have been compromised into this arrangement. 
 

No, I don't know what it is either and I am not going to ask.

I am positive these moved through the day but I didn't notice anyone touch them.  I think this is getting to me, I need a six months holiday.

One child at least is interested in seeing this exhibition.  When informed she could not visit every day as they would be on holiday she asked if they could cancel the holiday, mum was not impressed. 

Exhibition

As a little experiment I began the day by attempting to video the exhibition.  It did not quite work as expected but gives a flavour of what it is all about.   

This was not an easy operation as I had some things to do, the man was vacuuming the floor nearby, and worst of all the kettle was nearly boiling so I had to hurry.  

The first two cover the main gallery, the next the second gallery space.  There was a bit more but surely this is enough for you?  OK, if you wish I may add the few seconds of other bits.

This Bardfield Painters thing is bringing folks in.  They come from miles around, thee art lovers chase pictures everywhere, and all enjoy both the pictures and the way they have been portrayed.  Quite right too she made a good job of the display.

An added joy is the money spent of books, cards and postcards that go along with the exhibition, visiting an art work makes many wish to take a bit of it away with them, so cards it is.  All helps keep us afloat.

Like cats not all pictures move.  

This is just a taste of the exhibition which kept me busy this morning.  People enquiring about the afternoon event, a vintage local film show, were also keeping me from hot tea.  However in spite of the pressure in which we were under Peggy and I managed to find time for gossip and other important things...