Thoughts of a Soo

STEPPING OUT FOR SNOOKER BY THE SEA  PodBean Link for those who like to listen...    This morning the rain brings a gentle dampness, and the air holds the scent of sap and twigs.    Alt text says this week’s photo is two women taking a selfie. I say it is me and my sister taking a selfie having learned that it is best if we both sit down. When we stand side by side for photos she looks far taller than me and the photos seem a little out of balance. She says I have shrunk. She couldn’t see me at the railway station when she arrived for her visit, and I found myself standing on tip toes and waving a big double handed wave, so perhaps I might just have to measure myself to find out if I have indeed shrunk a little!   We first met up to watch the snooker a year ago, and before this I had never watched it live. We saw Gary Wilson’s 147 break, and laughed at my sister’s impression of me telling her I was suffering from shin splint...

  HOW DO   PodBean Link for those who like to listen This morning the air carries the scent of young daffodils. I sense the raw potential of their bulbs and taut green leaves, and am reminded of a summer job many years ago. Riding on a farm machine with a conveyor belt that brought us the freshly ploughed bulbs for sorting was a job I had never heard of before doing it. Physical work out in the fresh air all day, and a brown envelope of wages at the end of the week to tuck into a pocket with pride.   Alt text says this week’s photo is a group of heart shaped objects. I say it is the contents of my heart jar, and that some of these hearts are just right for fitting in a pocket and some definitely aren’t. I also say there is a rose quartz heart missing from this collection, but even though it is not here it has been remembered in a poem.   One of my favourite greetings of the week was, “How Do”. I love the fact it is a rare greeting! It was delivered in a war...

  THIS IS THE LAST DAY FOR CHERRY FONDANT FANCIES    PodBean Link for those who like to listen This morning the scent of the air is secondary to the early morning chatter of the birds. I feel as though I am walking beneath their conversations. They sound as though they have definitely been awake longer than me and have much to say this morning. When I pause to take note of what the air actually smells like, I think of my sister who says air smells like air. This morning I think I see what she means. I sense no overriding notes or gentle undertones.   Alt text says this week’s photo is a heart-shaped object with a sign on it. I say it is a heart-shaped card holder which has been dusted ready for the year ahead. Two particular objects always remain – a sign that says, You’re every nice word I can think of ,  and a wooden postcard. Two gifts from wonderful people.   I sense some new year renewal. My water flosser r...

Alan Parry of The Broken Spine reviews Welcome to the Museum of a Life Sue Finch's Welcome to the Museum of a Life is an extraordinary poetry collection that transforms the intimate moments of a life into a carefully curated exhibition. Through evocative imagery, a masterful command of language, and an innovative structural approach, Finch invites readers to wander through the galleries of her memory, where childhood, love, grief, and dreams are displayed as artefacts. This collection is an outstanding contribution to contemporary poetry, seamlessly blending the surreal with the deeply personal. A Museum of the Mind: Thematic Exploration At the heart of Welcome to the Museum of a Life is the idea that memory is not linear but a collection of fragmented exhibits, each revealing a different aspect of the speaker’s life. The structuring of the collection into “galleries” reinforces this theme, guiding the reader through different emotional landscapes. Childhood is rende...