Playing the kazoo

My purple kazoo

During one choir performance we all had to get out a kazoo and play along with the song we had been playing. I’ve had it in my bag ever since and when I fished out my sketchbook today I found it again so I seranadedvthevart group with tunes like the starwars theme, Dr Doolittle, the Bare necessites and a few others. I had everyone in stitches.

By the way I looked up the spelling of kazoo. AI SAID:

The correct spelling of the musical instrument is “kazoo“. The word refers to a simple, handheld musical instrument that produces a buzzing sound when the player hums into it, according to Dictionary.com

G-loss

I’ve joined a small writing group in my home town and we are being given prompts to write about. I’ll write up another one later but here’s a poem I did on the spur of the moment when I misheard the prompt Loss as Gloss:

Gloss over your loss

Hide it behind your mind

Don’t let it take hold

Your thoughts must not fold

Into a melancholy way

So be quiet and say

My life will be OK?

If I can find my way.

Kiss!

Six years ago I played the Mock Mayor of Newcastle under Lyme and hubby played my mayoress. It was based on the idea of having a fool in charge for a day. Like the idea of the lord of misrule. We had fun playing with the idea of being able to order pies for everyone, or ale and cakes. The crowd would have been let in the local pubs for free. The point was that ordinary people were given the power that they normally lacked for a short period of time. Hubby loved the day. He always enjoyed acting. His great booming voice grabbed the attention, and he could be heard above the crowd. The photographer took a picture of us kissing, me in a massive white wig and staff and cloak and him in a straw hat and a psychedelic tee shirt and one of my dresses. We had 43 years together. This shows our love.

His hat

Macro shot of part of my hubbys flat cap from a few years ago.

It’s another one of the photos I found in Facebook memories. It reminds me of how he used to dress. More like a Lancashire farmer than someone living in a modern town. With a tweed jacket and old working mens trousers or jeans. A plaid shirt and boots or black leather shoes. His hair was usually escaping from under that flat cap. He sometimes got called the mad professor because his hairstyle was much like Einstein’s or other times curly when what was left of his hair was uncovered.

A big man, strong. He loved cycling and science. He knew such a lot of things but was often troubled. Bad memories of childhood. Our partnership was of mutual support. Mutual love. I remember his cheeky grin and the twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

Yes this photo bought back many memories.

Needled!

I got a little microscope that used to attach to my old phone which was thinner than this one. A few photos like this have popped up on my Facebook memories today. There are a few interesting ones of woven cloth. I might share. Anyway, having a quiet day after a very upset stomach last night and I’m shattered because I slept downstairs on my armchair. I’d got things planned for today but I’ve given them a raincheck.

Alone

Hubby

You birthday was today

But there is no voice

No laughter

No sudden shout

Of annoyance or glee.

You were here, then gone

Lost in space

Not forgotten by me

But gone from the world

We always held hands

Grasping our dreams

Let’s go out

Take a trip?

Now I stay still

Remembering but not visiting

Still waiting

For your non return.

Waiting, another prompt from Esther.

Esther Chiltons weekly prompt is waiting. I remember my school holidays.

I was waiting and waiting for the summer holidays to come. I remember being about 11, we had recently moved house and I was at a new school. We had a real garden, trees to climb, a swing and seesaw that dad had put up and I wanted to explore the area. My new friends and I would find new places to visit, the local arboretum, canals and the far end of the Broadway where my uncle and aunt lived. I was getting old enough to walk a few miles, or cycle around country lanes to go to parks for picnics. Those few weeks were really worth waiting for, everything seemed more colourful, exciting adventures like jumping across the local brook, or trying to collect insects. As I tried to balance on walls or climb up into the laburnum tree I was learning about the environment. At the end of the holidays I decided to get more interested in nature and was made a tree warden at school. That holiday was worth waiting for.

The Sound of Music

What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

I first saw The Sound of Music as a child at our cinema. Then it started getting shown on TV, usually around Christmas time. I loved it because it was romantic, there was adventure in a different country. It was scary because of what was happening in that time in the 20th Century (just prior to the Second world war,) and there was the risk that Maria the governess would not end up with her Captain. Amid all that were the songs that ran through the film. I just saw it again recently and it still made me cry! I love joining in with the songs especially Doe a deer….

Newcastle under Lyme

My friend designed this banner for a Mock Mayor ceremony he organised in 2021? To celebrate the ancient tradition of electing a Mock Mayor (like a lord of misrule) for a day. I’m not sure of I’ve remembered  the right date. But Covid happened and a new ceremony was postponed.

That means I’m still the Mock Mayor! It makes me laugh. It’s not real or serious but it is a nice thought that I was allowed to play the part! My hubby got to wear a dress and play the lady mayoress, he revelled in it. Fun memories….

Props

A whale that was made for the Penkhull Mysteries plays. It was used in the story of Jonah  and the Whale and the story of the river Trent which rises on Biddulph Moor and travels through England in a North East direction to eventually flow through Nottingham and on to the Humber Estuary at Hull. This was made of willow withies held together with masking tape then covered with water based glue and newspapers (papier mache). It was painted white to block out the printing and then painted in grey black and white. The makers added serrated teeth and the jaw was articulated so it could open wide. I think the throat and tounge were painted pink and white. We made lots of props for the plays including a set of horses, butterflies, flowers, plants, and all sorts of other objects. I used to help paint some of them and also large flat boards that were joined together as scenery. I hope we get to do more this year.