My Life in Six Objects

My Life in Six Objects.   Well, okay,  I have added a couple of extra photos/objects, but titled them under six headings.

Getting the idea from Sadie of 'The Sadie Diaries' who suggested we share six objects that have helped shape our lives in some way I thought I would share six objects as well.  You can read about Sadie's six here.

1.  Books

This book is one of the first books I can remember having.  My Dad bought it home second hand and it is a 'second';  the inside of the book is upside down to the cover, but this never bothered me.  It has been well loved over the years and this poem is the first thing I remember ever learning off by heart.  I have a very strong love of books and reading and hope when we eventually move that I can dedicate a whole room to a 'library' and release many of my very special books from captivity in their cardboard box prisons.    We didn't have a television when I was a young child through until about my teens I think it may have been which I think helped to contribute to my love of books and I have chosen as an adult to not have a television and haven't had one for twenty six years now.

2.  Music

I started playing music when I was seven years old and always wanted to play the clarinet as my grandfather had played it (although I am told he didn't play it for long, or especially well!).  I grew up listening to Benny Goodman, so it was always going to be a clarinet for me.  I had to start on recorder as my hands weren't big enough for a clarinet (long before the days of the wonderful light Lyons C clarinet for young children was invented).  I think I started playing the clarinet when I was about eight or nine years old

This Artley is my very first clarinet and what I first started learning to play.  We hired it initially and I remember going to look at others when my parents decided to buy me one, in the end it was decided to keep this one as I loved it so much.  It still plays as well today as it did when I first got it.  Obviously a Music Degree, and Masters Degree in Performance later I graduated to a professional instrument, my lovely Leblanc Opus which really is a very special instrument indeed.  I can play all the recorders, flute, various different saxophones and of course my main instrument the clarinet in its different guises and sizes.  I have also dabbled, not very successfully in piano playing and string instruments and can play both the violin at a very basic level and the 'cello at around Grade Three level I would guess.    Music really was my life up until December 2008 when I had to have surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome which unfortunately left me with chronic neuropathic pain and an inability to play without pain.  I am hoping this will be sorted in the next few months as the loss of teaching and playing has been devastating for me.

3.  Tea

One of my earliest memories is drinking tea with my Dad in the mornings - I have certainly drunk tea for as long as I can remember and I love teapots and tea cups, preferring the taste of tea out of china cups.  For the last few years having cut most dairy from my diet I have drunk my tea either green or black, but still love making it in a teapot.  

4.  Lamp 

Another object that stems from my childhood, and also something that my Dad bought home from me.  This has travelled around the world twice!  It has moved to all the homes I have lived in over my life so far and I can't ever imagine not having it beside my bed.  For me it signifies many things, my love of archaeology, reading at night, memories, familiarity.  

5.  Sewing Machine = Creativity

I learnt to sew on an an old vintage/antique crank handled Singer Sewing machine that unfortunately probably got passed on to some other child many many years ago.  That Singer though inspired a love of Singer Sewing Machines and they are still as wonderful to sew with today as they were when they were first produced.  In this category I consider all creative endeavours to be one.  Sewing, Knitting, Painting, Photography and generally making things.  I have always been creative, whether it be learning something new, making something, writing, knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, woodwork, photography and latterly over the last couple of years drawing and painting.  I was one of two girls at school that chose to take woodwork as an option.  My Mum and Dad still have a very large wooden spoon I made hanging up in their kitchen!  I guess you could say I always like to be creating something.

This is a pencil case I made when I think I was about 12 years old.  I still use it today at my desk.

6.  Roses

My love of roses only really started in earnest over the last few years - probably since the advent of 'A Life of Pain' and they have brought me much joy.  The scent in my front garden in summer is just amazing and I have gradually built up the number of roses I have since turning our front into a 'Rose Garden'.  

I found this really thought provoking and could have added a couple of other things probably, perhaps instead of the roses at the end, which I can't really decide whether they should be included as 'an object' although I do have a lovely rose plaque that was given to me many years ago by my ex-father in law, perhaps it was this that helped nurture my love of roses as it has almost always sat on my dressing table, although it is currently in the lounge to keep it safe while our bedroom gets decorated.