Technological advances

Time was if my TV stopped working I'd get out a screwdriver and my collection of valves. And there've been times when a man from Radio Rentals would come and sort it out or swap it, a friend with a car would help me get a new one and/or get rid of the old...and I give thanks for all these memories. There have also been periods in my life when I've been quite happy not to have a TV at all and I'm not sure if I'm moving into one of those or not, and I'm quite grateful for that too as I now have one that doesn't work so I can try it out. They can seem like company when you're stuck at home alone but they're not, and you can end up watching a  lot of drivel which probably doesn't make you feel any better at all...

Although I miss the self help of valve days, I give thanks for all the little miracles of the times we live in now... So I want to hear some new music and I don't have to wait for someone else to play it within earshot first, so I find something I like and can make a whole album appear on my lap in a minute or two by copying numbers from a piece of plastic. It doesn't matter that the price is in another currency or that I then want the music to fit in my pocket I can do that too just tapping here and there on more bits of plastic. Actually I learned a new skill in the process, nothing very taxing, just 'extracting files' though I didn't know that was what I wanted to do or what it was called and just did my usual 'Hmm, I wonder what happens when I click on this?' trick when I couldn't transfer them without. I'm very grateful the same spirit with which I opened up the back of old TVs is alive and well and helping me with more modern technology!

I give thanks for a curious period of total silence late yesterday evening when nothing stirred in the neighbourhood, not a breeze nor a shower, no dogs, nor birds nor humans or cars...even my tinnitus was quiet! Almost eerie it was, and I wondered if I'd had my earplugs in but I hadn't. On the other hand this afternoon there's been all kinds of aural intrusions including some kind of heavy plant behind the trees (mechanical - not a big bush!) and someone mowing the lawn so I was actually quite grateful to watch something on my tablet with my headphones on.

I give thanks for having to go out for some bits and bobs earlier because here is such a lovely friendly chatty place to be...and I also managed to get a remarkably straight and centred snap of the bright clouds and glowing grey of the sea - considering I could see nothing through the view finder at all! I give thanks for thinking I'm so nearly ready to go tomorrow, that when it's time to go I might be!