I have come to the conclusion that my imagination ran riot during my early years. Today it is probably running riot again. It was just the middle years when I lost it a bit!
I remember lazy summer afternoons, laying on a rug on the back lawn of our house in Reepham Road in Hellesdon, listening to Alan "Fluff" Freeman's Pick of the Pops on Sundays. Excited to see what singles were racing up the charts, which had shot their bolt and were dropping down and what the number one was.
In those days, being Number One in the BBC charts was a big deal, something to be celebrated and something of great importance to artists and record labels alike. Sometimes a record would make a slow plodding rise to the top spot. At others a song would come straight in at number one (usually when it involved the Beatles). It was all down to record sales, although at times there were some doubts about the validity of the charts as I believe they were worked out on the sales of a number of selected shops which may not have been truly representative. Sometimes songs spent just one week at number one, but on other occasions they stayed there for what seemed like months.
I can't remember when I started my own charts or how old I was, but I remember I kept them for some while in a small green folder. Of course my charts had nothing to do with sales - just songs I liked and had heard on the radio (or trannie as we called them back in the day). There were no rules, although I tried not to elevate songs to the top position too quickly.
Sadly that green folder has long been lost. I can't remember what my number ones were which is sad because I would have loved to be able to put together playlists from them today. When I threw them away (I guess it was during a house move) I never dreamt that one day I would be able to put them all together in something called a playlist. I'm also sad because it's not like me to throw anything away, particularly when I think it could provide memories in the future.
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How long does it take me to walk the two and a half miles from my home to the centre of Hethersett and back in a circle. Well you might think something like 45 minutes or even an hour if it's a slowish walk.
On Saturday it took me over two hours. Now it's not my fault that numerous people want to have a chat and it's not my fault that my legs insisted I stop off at Café Kin for a coffee and a fruit waffle.
There's been changes at Café Kin. It was shut for a few weeks to make internal changes and extend the space. It now feels very safe and welcoming and that waffle. Cream, ice cream, syrup, strawberries and other fruit. Delicious doesn't even start to describe it. I couldn't help but compare it to the waffles served up at the Waffle House in Norwich but really there is no comparison. The Hethersett waffles are bigger, better and cheaper.
There are a couple of photos of the new set-up at Café Kin below.
It was good to have a chat with Richard Gunstone outside the Methodist Church. I have known Richard for more years than I care to remember and used to work with his wife Glenda at Norfolk Police. Richard has taken over as Poppy co-ordinator for Hethersett and Little Melton for the annual Royal British Legion appeal.
There will be no house to house collection this year for obvious reasons. So the Legion have been looking at other ways of raising funds and much of that includes sponsorship, electronic donations and more. So many charities are having to find new and modern ways of raising funds with things like events and house to house collections no longer possible.