I am standing at my easel in my studio. There is a painting on the go – a scene of boats at the estuary end of the Exeter Canal, only there aren’t any boats yet because it is a work in progress. Yesterday I painted the sky and today I’m working on the background of trees running along beside the canal. It’s a big canvas, nevertheless the painting grows fairly quickly because I’m using acrylics.
Yesterday I half-listened to Radio 4 as I painted and found I was taking in only half of what I was listening to. Therefore the programme about the life of Jorge Luis Borge, the famous Argentinian writer, some of whose works were inspired by mathematics and infinity, was wasted on me. That is why I have decided to listen to music today. And what could be more enjoyable than the BeeGees Love Songs? Nothing. I love that album so much that I just let it play over and over (perhaps not all day – I don’t love it to infinity).
I am swaying my hips and singing to “More Than a Woman” whilst painting a large tree in the centre of the painting when Chris comes in with a cup of coffee for me. He stops for a minute to look at the painting. Meanwhile the song ends and “(Our Love) Don’t Throw it all Away” begins.The song holds no particular meaning for Chris and me, and yet we are taken by it all of a sudden. I put my arms around Chris’s neck and he puts his arms around my waist and we are dancing; I still have a paintbrush in my right hand. I sing a few words (the lower ones that can be whispered) of each line softly in his ear (and he doesn’t pull away even though I’m not the best of singers), and we dance through the whole song to the end of the track.
“I had better go back to my work upstairs now,” Chris says, about to leave.
“How can you leave and let this feeling die? This happy room will be a lonely place when you are gone…” I sing, laughing throughout.
And you if don’t recognise those words to the song I just sang along with, here are all the lyrics. Also, I took some photo’s of the painting so far….
“(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away”
But lately you don’t talk to me
Darling I can’t see me in your eyes
I hold you near but you’re so far away
And it’s losing you I can’t believe
To watch you leave and let this feeling die
You alone are the living thing that keeps me alive
And tomorrow if I’m here without your love
You know I can’t survive
Only my love can raise you high above it allDon’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love[break]
We can take the darkness and make if full of light
But let your love flow back to me
How can you leave and let this feeling die
This happy room will be a lonely place when you are gone
And I won’t even have your shoulders for the crying on
No other women’s love could be as true, I’m begging you
Don’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love
We changed the world we made it ours to hold
But dreams are made for those who really try
This losing you is real
But I still feel you here inside
Don’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love, our love
Don’t throw it all away, our love
[repeat last verse at least twice more and fade out]
Romantic Sally. Xxxx