This That and Other

Keeping busy. Trying hard not to let unwanted thoughts take hold of the mind is easier when the sun is shining as it has done for a few days. Today, trickling fine mist is rather annoying, as I had hoped to accomplish more weeding.  Yesterday, in glorious sunshine, I saw good progress whilst clearing nettle, ivy and all sorts from near the wire fence which divides my garden from part of an ancient orchard that is not mine but at one time I tried to buy.  Unusually, I listened to my ipod but being not techno-minded I realise there has to be a way of carrying it, but not in one's pocket where every movement on the sensitive button changes the volume or the track!  There has to be a better system of listening than using the earplugs which I haven't used before! They fall out of my ears separately or together whilst I am moving! 
Monday was mowing day.  I brought the petrol mower down from the other land to use the petrol before winter, and because the other lawn was mown more recently than the house lawn.  I forgot to secure the accelerator bar with string and so after an hour of holding tight AND pulling the starter cord, my wrist was caput! Sprained more badly than before, so that even getting dressed has been awkward and slow, but also writing and cleaning teeth have demanded the use of the left hand and playing the piano ..hmmm... left hand only aussi!   This injury was also as a result of helping a man carry a secondhand two seater sofa that I didn't wish to see anymore in my garage... it was heavy and in relatively good condition considering its age.  It arrived there when I thought it was on the trailer for an Emmaus delivery when my 'friend' sold his house earlier this year.  Several times I advertised it to no avail!  This man took the secondary glazed units and will remake them with new glass.  Ooohhh I never thought of that, yet  pride myself on recycling ideas.
HOWEVER, I was exceedingly happy to have done 'giveaway'. The English depot-vente man from an hour south seemed happy too!

I finished watching throughout a few days, the whole of Series one: THE FALL which I found on the internet.  Pity, I must wait to access Series two!   

Tuesday left me feeling rather full of woe in acute pain but onwards!  There was no one else to move logs to the side of the woodburner.  With left hand moving logs to box or bucket, the devised carrying method was to hug the receptacle! Later, there was an opportunity to sort craft materials, do Admin, ordered root roses, etc.

I found embroidery made by my son when he was eight and three... and canvas embroidery in various states of unfinished and finished but not mounted, so there is work to do rather than writing and typing.  I am being slow, inefficient and without sufficient oomph behind me! I think it's easier with company!
Wednesday was extremely exciting.  I treated the day as a WORK DAY! Dressed in black with heeled shoes, a Wallis jacket with bronzed lining circa 1990s and a red art scarf bought in Chatellerault at enormous price, rarely worn on account of the colour,  though I SHOULD wear it more often, was my way of gaining confidence.   I stood before a microphone.  Suddenly, all those days of feeling confident, nay, HAVING to feel confident even when a crisis had happened, and without a real plan of what I was going to say to the 120 kids, plus staff and parents before me in the assembly hall or at PTA events or school concerts, came rushing through the ether in memory! I saw them all before me.  WOW.... I did that... THAT was me! I was the Acting Headteacher for one term and later for five terms too much!
We did three takes. I wore headphones. I stood just so in front of the mike.  I was told not to move because any rustle of clothing or movement of feet could be heard.  I questioned the opening words "Dear Friends"  because it starts on a hard consonant.  I wondered if there were other words. He liked "Hello everyone" and as long as I didn't aspirate the H too much it worked well!  We were giggling. Him in French and me in English! He was delighted with take three but even happier on take 4 and we nearly stopped there... but I wanted to experiment with inflection, space between words as well as tone of voice. He wanted the voice to be bright and uplifting! After another three takes he thought he had what he wanted in take 4 and take 7.  He was decided. Me too. We agreed. He turned off the machine but I asked again to listen and yes Take 4 was it!   Ten little words recorded in about ten minutes. The recording is for the New Year Message of La Fausse Compagnie who wanted an English voice, not a French one!

I realise that my voice has been and is an asset.... now where can I gain employment for it?