Old Flame

June Challenge: Flame

Old Flame

In these days of skype IMs, texts and emails, the yoof of today will never know the intoxicating smell of a bundle of old letters. The anticipation of a letting dropping onto the door mat to be picked up and opened only when on the bus, on the way to school.

In a little leather document case, with my mother's initials embossed on the top, I have several years of letters from my teens.

The letters written to me when I broke my leg in Switzerland and spent two weeks in hospital.

The telegram, sent to me in deepest Africa by my parents with my A level results.

A few special birthday cards, and even a couple of old Valentines' cards.

And these, held together with a, now perished, elastic band.

Two years of letters from a boy I met on holiday in Cornwall one year.

This one black & white photo, taken on my Brownie 127 of a boat that ran aground , is the only visual record of him. That's him on the left.

In one of his letters he writes that he is listening to Bridge over Troubled Water, and that this is his favourite track.

I can never listen to it without wondering what became of that lovely, articulate, funny, young man.

I hope his life has been as eventful and as joyful as mine.

Song For The Asking

Here is my song for the asking
Ask me and I will play
So sweetly, I'll make you smile

This is my tune for the taking
Take it, don't turn away
I've been waiting all my life

Thinking it over, I've been sad
Thinking it over, I'd be more than glad
To change my ways for the asking

Ask me and I will play
All the love that I hold inside.


I think the words sum up my own intervening years rather well.

June Challenge

1. Inspired by...
2. A toy
3. Green and yellow
4. Drink
5. Sky
6. Descend
7. Passages, Real & In Time
8. Dusk
9. 4 of a kind
10. A snack
11. A friend
12.Take 12
13. On a bench
14. A flag
15.Shadows
16. A phobia
17. A love for...
18. Flame
19. Colorful
20. Fast
21.Welcome summer
22.With wings
23. Pink
24.Make believe
25.Through a window
26. A passion
27. A tomato
28. Music. How you listen
29.Through a lens
30. Playful

I thought I'd give it a go!