Broken Chimney Repaired following storm Eunice

 Well that took a bit of time but the Chimney and new Pot are in place in time for Xmas 2023.

The initial Roof Tile damage was sorted the next day by Ascot Roofing and their response was excellent, 12.30 next day and pouring with rain they replaced about 40 roof tiles from some originals I had stored in the Garden - Runfold Granular Concrete Green, unfortunately the roof had been changed to Red in the years past.

The Pot was sourced in Worplesdon just outside Guildford in the summer of 20222. By chance while having a Tea at The Christmas Bakery, I was about to leave the car park when a Van with Roofing Services drove in and parked for their lunch. I asked if they knew where I could source a replacement pot the same size, showing him the broken piece I had been carrying in my boot for months. 

"Just lets us finish our Coffee and then follow me to my yard not far from here " ok good idea and it was . They had acquired an Aladdin's Cave of Reusable roofing Pots and Tiles and Finials. 

The Brickwork was also lucky when mentioning my problem to a local Armadillos Cafe over Coffee she said " Oh my boyfriend does that" so arrived Sam Carpenter and Brickwork and the Job was not long finished. I did buy some replacement Bricks from the local Builders Merchants to colour match the damaged bricks., which helped.

Short Film;  Story of my Broken Chimney, repaired after Storm Eunice hit our village. - click on link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xKNGI3jaPYx8Y02yU9to2ho-IrmI9JSD/view?usp=sharing

The damage to the Gable from the TV Cable ripping off the External Paintwork will get painted in the Spring of 2024 - hopefully. 

All new Aerial and Cabling has been done and working well.

Eunice was the name of my mother's school friend and neighbour when they went to Wembley Grammar 1936. She too was a Pianist, a good one and Storm Eunice was well named after her, when it  played 'Nick Knack on our Roofs'.
 

A Colette - A Small Collection of Jazz Records

 Have you ever, have you ever ?

Bought then collected record albums only because you started with a handful of similar ones - one record does not make a crowd but I think a handful leads to it.

One day while traveling home from Guildford, I stopped at an Antiques and House Clearance store which I have found a few gems in over the years. There behind a stacked up shelf unit, on the floor and lower shelves, were LP's and 45's. I browsed and bought on good terms a selection. 

There were groups of Albums - Jazz 33's and 78's . I took them home and cleaned them up, following YouTube's guideline video on cleaning 78's - run them under the hot/warm water tap and wipe them with a soft bristle brush with washing up liquid. It works well once dried most looked ok.

Bought sleeves and plastic covers and listened to the cleaned ones. Having visited New Orleans in the 80's with my wife Jackie and New York but not Chicago, I read the sleeve back notes and enjoyed many hours following their story.

I even found a brother of one Stephen Foster, Dunning Foster in Chicago and laughed as Dunning was Jackie's maiden name. Stephen Foster was prolific and brilliant but after New York left west to reside with his young brother's haulage business then travel further west to San Francisco.

The house clearance had hit on a Jazz Record collector's chest of love.

Was I lucky ? Yes however I had said, I'll just listen and bring them back if it suits? Now I think I'll keep them and listen again....no sound here yet  but enjoy a read of some of the Album's  covers contents below ..  

Louis Armstrong -  Cornet, Clarinet & Vocal Collection

Johnny Dodds (Clarinet) Collection

Chris Barber Collection

Joe 'King' Oliver Albums  and Ken Colyer Jazzmen Albums 

Charlie Galbraith

Dave Brubeck

Stephen Foster Songbook Album with Jelly Roll Morton Albums and Pioneers of Jazz

The 78's were housed in an Album which you could flick through keeping the condition in a better quality than some lose stored ones.