Soothing the Soul

The working year has not started as I would have liked; if it goes on like this I'm not sure I'll make it to the end of June.

I raced home and met the boys and we took off to the farm where we spent two and a half hours taping up windows and sliding doors and trying, to no avail, to remove the glue residue left behind in Megan's room after the wallpaper strip removal. Drew and I had to keep an eye on Gibbo; a handyman he is not. I have taken to calling him Frank (Spencer), not unkindly though. I picked up Andrew's air gun this morning and had a quick lesson in how to use it. Familial, especially marital, relations could be quite strained by the time tomorrow afternoon comes around. I just need to keep ramping up the calm button.

Once home again we all sat in the lounge room (Meg was home) and I played some of my favourite music to help ease my mood. James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Carole King, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Johnny Horton, Bruce Baby and Redgum. It took me back to campfires at Greenbank and concerts in the early 80's (Willie, Redgum, The Bushwackers). I can't sing for nuts but that doesn't stop me. I remembered how important music once was in my life; how I bought my first guitar in 1980 from a pawn shop in George Street in Brisbane when I worked down there, and the banjo I bought. I really need to re-connect with all that.

My mood shifted and I smiled to myself. The painting will happen....and bugger the budget.