It's raining memories...
It's pouring of rain outside (well it is where I live), so I thought it an appropriate time to dust off this old post from 2017. Even if you've read it before, you've probably forgotten it by now - so refresh your memory.
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You're looking at my current screen-saver, which is a photo taken in 1991 from
the bedroom of the house I'd moved from 19 years before. I'd
previously returned to the house 3 years earlier, which was the first
time I'd been back since flitting in 1972, but on that occasion the day
was sunnier. However, there's something about rain which I find
relaxing, and though the house across the back didn't have an extension
when I lived in the area, the picture captures, mood-wise, exactly how
it would've been on a similar day when I occupied the room.
The toys on the sill are mine, taken with me to 're-connect' them to the
home in which I'd first obtained the originals. The owl is from the Aurora BATMAN model
kit, and was painted and affixed to the model when I finally assembled
and painted the rest of it around 1993/'94. (I'd obtained it in
1984/'85, as a replacement for the one I'd owned in the '60s.) The
photo below is taken from a slightly different angle, and you can
glimpse my old school, which was demolished in 2014. Houses now occupy
the spot.
When these photos were taken, the original windows were still in use,
though they were replaced around 1992 with new PVC-framed ones. I'm glad to
have got the chance to look through the same windows I'd known as a
child, and see again my reflection staring back at me as it had done
when I was a boy. I wonder if the panes recognised the taller, older
face that stood before them as the one it had once been familiar with -
or was I just a stranger who meant nothing? I'd like to think
otherwise.
Click on the images to enlarge - then just relax as you look at the rain
on the glass - just as I often do when I want to relive the past.
Remember, the droplets you see are 26 years old - so, in a sense,
you're reliving the past too. Just thought I'd share the moment with
you.
13 comments:
There is something elemental and evocative about rain, at least in my opinion and experience, and although I have a lot of memories associated with rain they are chiefly connected to the music I was listening to when I was bying original albums on vinyl back in the 70s.
I was in art college at the time so those years are also defacto associations.
I know that you are not particularly inclined towards rock music, but bear with me, rain will often bring to mind the first listenings of several Pink Floyd albums, plus the likes of Hawkwind, Led Zeppelin, Yes and Focus, and some German music from the likes of Amon Duul II, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk. Co-incidentally music that creates strong mental images and moods - so, as they say just add water and you have your memories,in my case anyhow.
Very well put, PC. I love sitting in a car when the rain is bouncing off the roof, with me snug and warm and dry inside. Ye cannae whack it. Incidentally, I'm sure there's a few tracks from those musicians you mention that I wouldn't mind at all. My brother was into some of them, particularly Deep Purple (not on your list), so I used to hear rock music all the time as a teenager. In fact, back in the late '80s or early '90s, I bought myself The Best Of Deep Purple cd.
PC- I might have mentioned this on Kid's blog before, but one afternoon when I was about 15, I was lying in my bedroom listening to the Doors (a very teenage way of spending the time). By sheer coincidence, at the exact moment that Riders on the Storm started, with its rain effects, it started raining really heavily outside.
I've never forgotten the amazing feeling that created, the rain outside tying in with the sound of rain in the song and that creepy bass line...it was one of the most atmospheric things I'd ever experienced.
I used to love sitting in my garden cellar (which wasn't underground despite the name) listening to the rain hit the roof and slabs. Happy memories. That was another house ago, but sometimes, when it's raining these days, I like to sit in my acrylic garden hut with the door slightly ajar, listening to the radio (volume down low) and sipping a cuppa. Magic.
I remember my last month lying on my bed listening to the amazing Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Have you ever seen the rain" taking in the magic of nature as the rain poured down . In the morning the lovely smell of the clear air was ruddy replaced by mega stress as I found that the rain had the taken half my bathroom ceiling down, cost me £400 to repair. Atmospheric my bahookie lol.
You will tempt fate by buying all that lucky white heather, McS. And it wouldn't have happened had you been listening to Jim Reeves singing 'Just Walkin' In The Rain' (cover version).
Which Aston Martin is that ? The Goldfinger or You only live twice I couldn't make out wether it was gold or silver . Eye sights not as good as it used to be .
It's the gold one, which was actually a DB4, not a DB5 despite what it said on the base. If you click on an image, it'll enlarge, LH, then click again for optimum size. Incidentally, it was a Toyota 2000gt that Corgi released to tie-in with YOLT, not a DB5. They did release an improved, silver-birch coloured DB5 around this time (or perhaps the year after), but there was nothing on the packaging to connect it to YOLT.
I can remember buying the Toyota and the Aston Martin together and being forced later by my mother to give my gold Aston Martin to my cousin who naturally wrecked it. Quoting Queen Victoria I was not amused.
Mothers, eh? No wonder we grow up with such deep-rooted complexes, LH. Always throwing our toys out or forcing us to give them away. How'd they like it with we did that with their jewellry and fur coats?
I changed my profile photo so you could see my Toyota and Aston Martin as well a couple of others
Now THAT'S a profile photo, LH - you look so much better.
Oops! Jewellery, not jewellry.
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