to listen in on other people's conversation (1)

I'll admit it:  I like to listen in on other conversations around me, especially when my nose is in a book and it looks as though my mind's elsewhere as people really talk in an unguarded way (which is so entertaining).  I've added a number to the title of this blog as now that I've outed myself as an eavesdropper I'll add to this whenever I hear something funny.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this but are you honest enough to admit that you do it too?

Tonight I've just got home from a football match (just getting the warmth back into my toes... it's bloody cold tonight!). I go quite often as my brother has season tickets and I've taken a share of the matches, which means that we sit in the same place each time we go.  Directly behind us sit a couple of men, both in their late 20s/early30s and unmarried although one has a 'live-in' girlfriend and a young child, they work for the same company but not in the same department and no, I haven't ever spoken to them, this is information gleaned from listening.

They always talk a lot and tonight was no exception.  After the initial greetings we (sorry, 'they') got onto the subject of relationships, and of their mate Neil, who is going through a divorce and whose ex is getting really nasty, before moving on to themselves.  Things aren't as they used to be as she's getting bored at being at home (warning! Read the signals I wanted to turn and say), and last week she went out with an ex-colleague and got really drunk and didn't come home until very late (second warning!).  The thing is, she's always wanting to do things, whereas he goes to work all day so of course when he gets home just wants to crash out and doze on the sofa (third and final warning!)

These two talk, literally, throughout the game, and during the half-time interval.  That's an hour and  forty-five minutes, non-stop, every home match.  Most of it is of no interest to me, but to those of us who have been there, or nearly been there, the signs were so clear you'd need sunglasses to black them out.  The icing on the cake though, was after an hour of this, he was complaining that she just doesn't get that he's been busy at work all day and needs a rest when he gets home.  The trouble with women, he said, is that they ave a constant need to talk, talk,talk and just don't appreciate a bit of quiet time!  (Red card!)

Listening to them just made me smile.....

to hear that familiar 'toot'

I've been away for a few days to one of my favourite places - Swanage in Dorset.  There's so many reasons why I love the place:  lots of incredible views and lots of incredible people.  I'm sure there's plenty more space for a page of their own here, but today I'll focus on sounds, and one in particular.

When I was growing up in North London I lived very close to a railway line and used to play there quite often; running through the tunnels and/or across the bridge (while trains on the King's Cross to Edinburgh line were thundering through - I now shudder at the thought...) No, they were not steam engines then, but now and again a 'special' would go through, and I remember clearly and fondly that a large crowd from the neighbourhood trooped across the local dump (my playground) to the embankment to wave the Flying Scotsman past.  That must have been in the mid to late 60s...  I guess that's where my nostalgic attachment to steam trains comes from, but I've often wondered where and why others have the same draw to the 'beasts'.  It's been over 50 years since regular steam services ran across the country, yet small children are still initiated to trains with a 'choo-choo' sound.

When I had children I did the same as everyone else: taught them that trains went 'choo-choo' or 'toooot' rather than 'clickety-clack' or 'click-clack, click-clack' which is what they do now (how else can you describe it?), and I was pleased that Thomas the Tank Engine reinforced this view and had regular 'toots' throughout, with the background 'chuffing' of the train pulling away.

So what has this got to do with Swanage?  I hear you ask (or perhaps not).  Well, Swanage has its own steam railway, which runs through Corfe to Norden, with plans to link up to the national rail service at Wareham.  If you haven't been on it, you must.  Swanage station is lovely and the ride is beautiful, with fabulous views especially of Corfe Castle.  The view of the railway and castle from the ridge opposite are spectacularly romantic and so British: rolling hills, stone cottages, a ruined castle on a hill and a stone arched bridge across a country lane.  Add to this a tooting steam train puffing cotton-wool steam clouds, and it's just about perfect.

Wherever you are in Swanage you can sporadically hear the train approaching or leaving the station. We were staying at Heroes Haven in Herston, just outside Swanage, and it's so peaceful that the sound travels clearly and perfectly.  Hearing that cheerful 'toot' on a beautiful winter's morning just made me smile.....