Feeling love

It's already 12 years since Adele burst onto the music scene with her album entitled "19", her age at the time. She went on to become one of the biggest-selling artists in the world,with albums  "21" and "25" and the theme song from Bond movie "Skyfall", though we haven't heard much from her in recent years.  

On her first album was a song called "Make You Feel My Love", written by Bob Dylan originally, which became a favourite.   The joys and pains of love are the main themes of her songs, something we can all relate to. You can even give this one a religious application, and put the words of the song into the mouth of Jesus, as we did one year for the Confirmation class.  It takes on quite an impact then.  Try it as you listen along to a young woman aged 19. 

When the rain is blowing in your face    

And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace    

To make you feel my love
 

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

 

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

 

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

 

The storms are raging on the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

 

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love, to make you feel my love

Six hours

Back after a three week break from posting.  I spent the first week away, out, gone. I went to stay with family for seven nights, the first seven that I had spent out of the house for almost two years... For me the arthritis-related problems really got going in September 2019 and soon the pandemic was added to the mix.  It was reasuring for me in those months to have the same house to find my way around, especially in the morning when the mobility is most difficult.

My wonderful sister and brother-in-law came to pick me up to whip me off to their place, a house which they had moved into since I last visited. I soon found my way around, and all in all I had a great time there. A big part of that was to meet two out of my three nephews and their children, who I also had not seen for two years. How they had grown in every sense!

We did all sorts of lovely family stuff like children's Monopoly, a pub lunch, and a drive-though coffee. However, I think the highlight for me was the barbecue. Nine of us gathered in the garden on what was the only really sunny and warm day of the week. I realised when the last nephew left with his family that I had been sitting in my garden chair for six hours. Anyone who has known me during the past two years will know how amazing that is. Six hours of sun, sausage and burger. But, far more important, six hours of family and fellowship, laughter - and love. Can't put a price on that.

Here is the little message Eva aged 6 gave me. It reads "Dear Unckle Math   I am feeling relly happy and joyful to see you XOXO  with all my love  To unckle Math  from Eva" and on the back it said over a rainbow "Friendship for everyone" with Eva and me under it. 

  

Time for a break and some Roberta Flack

Along with many other people, I haven't ventured overnight from my home during the pandemic. In addition, as I have been acclimatising to my arthritis-related difficulties, it's been good to be able to stick to one familiar house layout to get around. However, it's now time to break out! So this Friday I'm heading off to stay with family for a while.  It will be strange to be somewhere else, but it will also be fantastic to have a change.

This gives me the opportunity to thank all those who take the trouble to read these ramblings on my blog. I've discovered followers in all sorts of places. Earlier this year there was a rush in Romania, and more recently there has been a large number of viewings from Sweden! If my friend or friends there would like to share who they are in the comments, which I don't have to publish, that would be interesting.

Quite a few people have appreciated my music postings, especially those from my "early days".So here is a classic from university days: Roberta Flack singing "The First TIme Ever I Saw Your Face". This was written back in the 50s by Ewan McColl and recorded by various people in following years. But it was Roberta Flack's version that really took off, especially after it was played in Clint Eastwood's film "Play Misty For Me" in about 1972. The song was shortened a little for that, but this is the original version from 1969

 

See you in a while...