Working through the muddled week

It's been a rather muddled up week in a number of ways starting from being relatively warm for time of year at the start to being more damp-cold, the sort you feel more in your bones which with mine with various fractures and what have you has been making itself known to me.

While walking out this morning the daffodils are only just starting to shoot up with only the odd one having a premature flower starting to form so we may be waiting at least another week or so before they're out.

When it comes to cds and that, the Now series I have spoken about here we've had a kind of reissue of the Original Now Dance 12" singles on lps of 1985, 6 and 9 last week in the form of Now Dance whose cover is certainly inspired by the 1986 lp set and Now Yearbook 1986 which on four cds or a selection over three lps looks at chart music from that year.

As I've my HITS 4 and 5 and Now lps bought that year this isn't one I'd be bothering with on record  as to me apart from the music itself, the  bigger thing in this is really more where that music takes me back to - the memories - and I find handling and playing the original records places my head back in that era more plus over time you start to have a memory of song sequences from albums you played heaps of times.

If you hadn't those albums and wanted on vinyl a selection of hits I can see the appeal  although the eight sides of the original HITS and NOW's allows for a more comprehensive selection before taking into account on vinyl this series doesn't as a matter of course issue the EXTRA three cd set in some sort of lp configuration.

After the NOW 80-84 EXTRAS five lp set, one per year we didn't get anything for the Now Yearbook 1985 extra set at all when really I think each needs a double lp set to do it justice.

I'd be all over a 1978 volume on vinyl.

Finally arrangements towards the funeral are slowly progressing with meeting date for all immediate family to make the final "instructions" for the undertaker to work on when it comes to all the options and that you can make when it comes to things like the procession,  dress codes if any, flowers vs donations and so on.

Much to work through, what?

 

Changed circumstances overview

It's weird really as this week goes through at what most probably a period of relationship  reset following recent events from the mundane like talking through things like menus for evening meals with all the planning that takes like what comes out of the freezer to what we're planning to watch on tv as for so long Mom had the last say over much of that.

When it came to the tv often she'd be sat in front room picking off all the major soaps  she followed so in practice you tended to watch your stuff elsewhere but during this period of ill health that often worked that you needed to be where she was to look after her having to see and hear them just to do what rightly you'd say was your duty.

That also meant the stereo unit - separates didn't get used much simply cos that would be where was and most times she didn't want "your" music on anyway so you'd go upstairs to play a cd or record.

Anyway we're starting to get things connected with the formal bits around a death resolved with information transferred and appointments scheduled between the many cards and visits in person.

Weekly round up

 

It's a different day here in the dorm, things moving a lightening speed at one minute and yet at another really rather sluggish so the old comic and guiding annuals are out at hand so I can read them if there's nothing much I can help with.

I was expecting a super audio cd to move from my preorders at one store I buy a lot of music from to the available to be checked out list so I can pay for it - the don't use deposits - and get it within a few days but that hasn't happened.

Some of these speciality cds and lps are like that, always subject to variations in their release dates.

Take Five

 

Bit of a random post on here today as it has been a while since I did one of these short posts.

Most influential novel:

I think for me overall it was Cat's Eye by Margaret Attwood, the Canadian authoress exploring the links of a childhood to the subjects present while casting an eye of the emotional games children play on each other.

Most influential Tv show:

There are many that loom but for me it was Blue Peter, a window on the world that inspired you to be more, take risks and be active.

Most influential album:

So many I could mention but Bridge Over Troubled Waters is the album much played that got me to really pay attention to lyrics and to the role of arrangements in the overall feel of a song that led me to explore different artists and styles of music.

Favourite all time movie: 

Aristocats from 1970 for the jazz score, the storyline and use of animation that sold going to the movies to see a film as an event to me.

Favourite radio series:

The Henry Wood promenade concerts on BBC tv and Radio Three for showcase old favourites I loved when I was younger and premiering new works today