How new technology can help a good old sing-song

in the old days, whenever there was a family gathering, someone would take out a guitar and start a singalong.

It’s not like that these days. Technology has taken over. People are too busy checking their phone screens for that sort of thing.

Except, the singalong spirit hasn’t gone away. The other day, Matt Hickman (who performs as Brownbear) sat down in his living room, took out his guitar, encouraged everyone to join in – and raised £3,000 for the local foodbank!

You see, he was “live-streaming” and his fans who, were having a great time watching and singing in their own homes, were donating money to the charity!

The internet has changed the world. Some things have been taken away, but many more things have been made possible.

But, isn’t it nice to know we can still appreciate a good, old singalong?

As is so often the case, Harry’s comment was tongue-in-cheek... with a little dash of truth.

When a mutual friend commented on how interminably long the lockdown seemed, Harry said: “I’m going to petition the government to extend it!” “Why would you do that?” our friend (who didn’t know Harry as well as I did) asked. “Why?” replied Harry, seeming confused by the question. “Because in the past week I have had a bag of muffins hung on my door handle, a tin-foil parcel of almond brownies left on my windowsill, and more people have checked up on me than usually do in a year.

“It’s almost as if we are learning to look after each other again!”

I didn’t mention the help he had been to many people. I didn’t want to ruin his cantankerous image.

But it is a thought, isn’t it?

I stopped, walked back a few steps, and leaned over the fence.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Washing rocks,” she replied.

Uh-oh! I knew she wasn’t enjoying being stuck at home, but...! I searched through my vocabulary and could only come up with: “Ahhhh!” She explained: “There are so many big, serious things happening right now – and I can’t do anything about any of them! It’s frustrating.

“So, rather than let it get to me, I decided to focus on what I can do.

“These stones were just lying around. After I wash them, I’m going to paint them. Then they can be a new border for my flower beds. Something new. Something I made a colourful difference to.”

We could all have our heads spun by things outwith our control. Or we can look to ourselves, our neighbours, the rocks in our gardens, and focus on where we can make a “colourful” difference.

It was a brick-built storeroom, with a slate roof.

It seemed really old, but what looked like the original slates were still in fine condition. I went to walk on, but the lady of the house stayed where she was, in some kind of dream.

“You know...” she began slowly, “that building and everything in it has depended on each of those slates. “If any one of them fell away, the rot will set in and, eventually, the roof would fall taking all the other slates with it. Each row is protected by the rows above, and each slate made stronger by its neighbours. If those v-shaped ones at the top do their job, and each little slate does what it’s supposed to do, well, that building will stand a long, long time.” We walked on, me wondering why my sweetheart was suddenly worried about old buildings until I realised... she wasn’t. She was thinking about us. And the best way through.

The water ripples gently,

As it quietly ebbs away,

To gather in the valley,

At the bottom of the bay. Wild flowers are in abundance, And heather cloaks the ground, Sharp rocks protrude the hillside, What radiance all around.