Counting my blessings one song at a time

After a couple of disturbed nights I woke up this morning having had a full night’s sleep. It has put a spring in my step – actually I have felt like skipping today.

I have spent the day window shopping, looking for tiles, light fittings and paint colours for my new kitchen. Sitting in the car with the radio on these are the songs that have put a big smile on my face.

It started when I heard "Blockbuster" by Sweet when I dropped the boys off at school. This was the first single I ever bought, it was out in 1973 and I was only five years old but this song brings back memories of dancing round the kitchen with my dad on a Sunday evening when we would listen to the top 40.

I don’t know what the song is about but there’s a line “you’d better watch out if you’ve got long black hair.” Well I have always had long hair and my dad’s hair was dark so at such a young age I had a crazy notion he was singing all about us.

The very next song on the radio was Jenn Bostic “Not Yet”, well I wrote all about that one yesterday (you can read it here), the radio was turned up even louder as joined in!

I stopped at the lighting showroom to be bedazzled by sparkling ideas with exorbitant price tags!

Back in the car and the DJ played “Mr Blue Sky” by E.L.O. Now in some ways this song could make me a little sad as it was played at Andrew’s funeral.

When we had the private family cremation before the church service I chose two songs, one to be played when we entered with the coffin and one to play as we left.

The undertaker advised me to pick something more cheerful to leave by and “Mr Blue Sky” was the first happy tune to pop into my head.

It’s a song that never fails to makes me smile and gives me confidence to carry on. It certainly worked at the funeral because it transformed my mood and I was able to stand up and give the eulogy Andrew deserved to a packed congregation without a tear. 

Another stop to shop, I found some cheaper lights and discovered to my delight that HMV was still open! 

I picked up a copy of Jenn Bostic’s CD and popped it on in the car – bit of a mistake, the first two songs were new to me but the third was “Jealous of the Angels” - go and look it up on Google if you don’t know it, I was in tears well before the chorus as she sung about the pain of losing a loved one.

Still I have become quite adept at driving while crying over the past couple of years and the next track was the now familiar and positive “Not Yet”!

As the day progressed my kitchen plans moved forward. I think I’ve definitely chosen a paint colour for the walls – it’s called Rice Cake – even if the lights fittings and tiles are still under consideration.

It’s been a good day all in all, made even better by the sun shining and seeing my story appear on the Nation Flash Fiction Day Flash Flood!

It’s not always easy counting your blessings but a happy song or two along the way certainly makes all the difference!

Mr Blue Sky

This morning I was woken by a far more appropriate song - “Mr Blue Sky” by E.L.O.

Actually if I’m totally honest I was awake at half past 5 and drifted in and out of consciousness, alternating between contemplating an early start to my day and snuggling deeper under the duvet in hope of more much needed SLEEP.  When the radio alarm went off this was the first song that registered in my brain.

“Mr Blue Sky” reminds me of Andrew and resonates so much more since his funeral.  It is a song I have to turn the volume up for.  This morning it was the song that finally got me throwing back the covers and jumping out of bed.

When we planned the funeral we had a private family service at the crematorium before the larger and it must be said livelier church thanksgiving service.  The funeral director asked for music to play as we entered and left the crematorium.

The song played as we followed the coffin in was Van Morrison “Have I Told You Lately”, as far as I can tell it was the last song Andrew played on his iPod.  Every day he would say – “Have I told you today that I love you?”  It was very apt and surprisingly romantic – sniffs back tears, I’m trying not to cry so much when I write, it doesn’t do the laptop any good to be dripped on!

For a song to leave I was advised to choose something happier.  “Mr Blue Sky” was the song that literally dropped into my brain.  It was certainly the right era of music for Andrew and I remember him liking E.L.O. although I couldn’t tell you which song was his actual favourite track.

A bit later this morning as I was driving I couldn't help but notice that most of the heavens were a dull November grey but right there in the middle was a slash of BLUE sky edged with magnificent sparkling sunlight.

Along with the great song to wake up to that has set the day up nicely!

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

If you want to find out what I had to say about Andrew at the funeral you can read it here on unravelling-edges.  

"One I prepared earlier"

And no I haven’t forgotten the picture quiz – I might just write another post later today – I really am having too much fun writing “re-ravelling”!