Some more songs that have been a sonic background to my life of late.
Ben Howard, Old pine
I listened to this album pretty regularly as we packed up our old lives and started our new ones here. It reminds me of first tram rides through unfamiliar streets, humid rain storms and walking around gazing up in wonder at the old sandstone buildings with a smile on my face.
Nina Simone, Lliac wine
A necessary song as soon as the lilacs in the park bloomed. I inhaled their heady scent whilst Nina sang about it. Nina Simone is just the greatest.
Kim Boekbinder, Girl on a bicycle
I've been hiring bikes quite regularly and zooming along the river. I almost always hum this song in my head when I ride along feeling happy and ridiculous as I pedal.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Home
Because home is wherever I'm with my love. And right now it's here and I couldn't be happier.
The Jimmy Chamberlain Complex, Loki Cat
I randomly started playing this song a lot as I worked and it crept into my head and got stuck there and will forever remind me of the first few weeks here when we only had what we could carry on the plane in our rucksacks and the flat was empty and yet full of possibilities and happy moments.
Coldplay, Every teardrop is a waterfall
I've been listening to Coldplay a lot when I run along the river. I love the line in this song about being in the gap between the two trapeeze as that's where I was for a while before, during and after moving.
Smashing Pumpkins, Let me give the World to You
Pure joy in song form, filling my ears on my first trip back to the UK and then blasting out of our speakers when I returned as I twirled in our living room at 4 AM, spun round by my love.
The Grateful Dead, Box of Rain
My latest favourite source of inspiration. A song that reminds me not to be gloomy. Strangely enought I keep finding my direction around the corner where its waiting for me whenever I walk out of the flat (just like the song says I will).
A double portion of haikus today to get me up to date for the last two weeks...
Friday Knitting needles click, French chatter accelerates, my brain’s in a whir. Saturday Wet whiskers, webbed feet emerging from the river, muskrat colony. Sunday In seconds, grey clouds become rainstorms, drenching us, before we can hide. Monday Cet après-midi les heures sont longues, chaque minute une petite souffrance. Tuesday Night hours bring me apocalyptic visions, cold sweats and no rest. Wednesday Banging door foretells panic – water everywhere! Flood emergency! Thursday In this town I’ve found cobbled streets to wander round, I have happy feet. Friday On two wheels I float past everything, velo fun, Cycling is flying. Saturday The cat on the lead is an unhappy feline, He can’t chase the birds! Sunday Theatre full of song and heads thinking secret thoughts, entranced by the strings. Monday Impossible tree engraves candyfloss branches onto my mind’s eye. Tuesday Out of boxes we unearth forgotten treasures from the before time Wednesday Surprising flowers, unreal, petals everywhere until I awake. Thursday French horns ring out loud, echoing around the square, a blast of grandeur.
