I Am Pleased To Have Retained The Film

This morning I continued sorting out the box marked ‘Contents of Desk’. This involved a certain amount of shredding and binning, which was hardly surprising since most of it hadn’t been touched for five years.
Jackie beavered away upstairs. Now that we have created the library we can concentrate on sorting out the spare bedrooms and bathroom.
I diverted to put the drawing of Michael reading to Matthew behind glass. We had a frame which looked contemporary with the picture, so I used that.
Two strips of black and white negatives proved, when scanned, to be not very interesting ones from ‘The Magnificent Seven’ project. I probably rejected them at the time but couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. I have now done so.
Somewhat disappointed at not having discovered negatives I could use, I delved into the random selection I have featured before, and came up with more black and white material to scan.

The photographs included one of Sam and his ‘Soldier’, his transitional object depicted in ‘Fascinated By His Shadow’. He also clutches ‘Dogger’, named from Shirley Hughes’ beautifully illustrated books.
This picture was taken in 1982. I am not sure where, but it was a National Trust property, probably in Surrey.
I remember very well the location of the others because of what happened there.

They show Matthew, Sam, and Jessica in Tooting Swimming Baths that same year. The others enjoyed public baths swimming. I didn’t. Matthew was always entertaining and attentive as an older brother. The delight the two boys took in their activity is apparent.

Jessica was in the water to keep an eye on things if necessary. Becky would also have been present.
I trotted up to the observation level with my camera. This was clearly very naive of me, but it was more than thirty years ago. It wasn’t long before I was challenged and told not to take any more pictures. I had to satisfy the attendant that it was my own family I was photographing. Fair enough, but I am pleased to have retained the film.
This evening’s dinner was what I call Jackie’s symphony in white and cream, consisting of smoked haddock and cod, tangy cauliflower cheese, mashed potato, runner beans and carrots. Treacle sponge with clotted cream was to follow.