Ten past four

We have just put up a new clock in the conservatory. The old one was very old and eventually, like many of us, it got slower and slower. New batteries did not work, so it had to go.

You may think what’s so interesting about a new clock. Well I wonder whether people buy clocks any more. Everyone seems to have one of the clever watches that count your steps, tell you how many hours you sleep, tells you what the weather is like, gathers your emails, turns on the light and makes a cup of tea.

I don’t have one of those watches. In fact I don’t have any kind of watch. Not strictly true, as I have a watch but I haven’t worn it for a long, long time. When I finished work I gave up keeping a diary and wearing a watch. Having spent my whole working life being ruled by days, hours, minutes, I had had enough . . . and wanted freedom. I wanted it not to matter what time it is. And so that’s how it is.

Except that sometimes I do need to know the time. When out of the house I always have my phone with me, but sitting in the conservatory reading on a sunny afternoon my phone is nowhere and I need to make sure I know when to put the oven on.

Hence the clock!

If you have a few minutes here is a video of one of the Spell Songs. It was created in 2020 during lockdown so the musicians were not together. You don’t get the way they relate to each other on stage, but you do get an idea of the magic. Enjoy! (You May need to take it back to the beginning for the start.)

https://youtu.be/zsUfSsiA3_c