R's rue

 It’s just two years since I joined the choir But we have not sung properly together for going on ten months now. I am missing it so. When the choir “ got” a song, and when I say “ got” I mean when we nailed it, Jamie our 1940’s  RAF moustached choir master would often encourage us to to leave the circle in which we sing to experience the harmonies from another perspective .   “ Walk around and listen” he would say and although I often find physical movement within choir embarrassing , when I finally did so, I was always amazed by how beautiful we could sound Just thirty people , most of us with no experience in music. All singing quite beautifully together I’m finding Tuesday zoom choir meetings somewhat difficult. Singing alone in the kitchen, to a prerecorded track isn’t the same as choir and again my natural ability to become easily embarrassed can take over from the raw confidence singing within a group can give you. I miss the solidarity of being part of a...

 Yesterday morning I walked two miles into the centre of Sheffield. I saw this leaf:- Then I saw this cat sunning itself on a wheelie bin:- Then I walked past the park keeper's house near the entrance to Endcliffe Park. I know the family who live there:- As in some other cities, the council have been putting plastic COVID information sleeves round lampposts:- I rather like the last guide point on this side of the sleeve - "Be patient and kind":- Soon I was on Hodgson Street where yet more student housing is going up:- Then I walked the short distance to Headford Street to take this picture of a giant creature by the Sheffield-based street muralist Phlegm:- I visited a couple of "sports" shops but could not find the Christmas gift I was looking for. Then I nipped into Brenda's fish and chip shop to buy a small portion of chips doused with vinegar and salt. And then I simply came home. All that way just for a bag of chips (American: fries)....

 Because  Of the breath  I have I’m grateful  To do this Share in  The pain Rejoice  With you And be  A friend  In this space In this place Today  And  Every day  from R's rue https://ift.tt/3morGg5

In the so-called western world, keys are ubiquitous. We carry house keys, car keys, workplace keys, keys for padlocks, bicycles, jewellery boxes, safes. You just can't get away from keys. When I was a teacher, I carried several keys about my person - all in a bunch. They were vital for security. I was pretty good about looking after my keys and very rarely mislaid them but  on the few occasions that did happen my brain went into a kind of meltdown. All I could think about was my missing keys. Where are my keys? Where did I put them? Where have I been? No matter what anybody said to me, all that I could think about was my keys. Of course, I always found them again and when that happened my relief was like the end of an eclipse. Such joy! There was a future after all. A few years ago, I went walking on Crowden Moor up to Black Hill. The circle was several miles long. When I got back to where I had parked Clint's predecessor - Francisco - I realised that my car key was missin...