“The Best Photo I've Taken, Not technically though .....” by Gerry Ainger

“The Best Photo I've Taken, Not technically though I say, do you hear.....” by Gerry Ainger

My favourite photo, as shown was taken while on holiday in Florida. It may not be a technically good photo and professionals would no doubt criticise it for position, its exposure or some other crap that they like to spin. Just to justify their position of being professional. But to me and probably to many others it's what you like that counts. Like music some songs you like some you don't but yours and my likes and dislikes does not make it a bad song. So what ever we say and do we look at our photo's and enjoy them, for mine it is the picture itself and with the memory it brings, enhances the picture, and I don't bloody care what others say, I only hope they enjoy it for their own reasons. So I say enjoy as I will enjoy others... Thanks. 

PS: for the record it was taken while waiting for a bus at Key West to take us to Downtown Disney, with a Ricoh Camera, cannot remember model, A very nice warm day.

“The Oldest Thing I Own is a Violin but not a Stradavarius.” by Gerry Ainger

Well this is an easy story to write, it my mother's 'violin'. She passed it on to me way back in 1970, when I was playing my guitar in my bedroom. She came into my bedroom with violin in hand, she said as I was the only one in our family musically minded I could take over the ownership. She took it out of the case and proceeded to tune it up and the played 'God Save the Queen'. Then handed it to me and said it is yours. It needs a little TLC other wise it is a good instrument. She went on to tell me that she had not played it since 1938 when she played at Southampton Guildhall in the Southampton Music Festival. So I feel she must have been pretty good as she had not touched it for 30 years or more. 
This is one good memory I will never forget. I also have Certificates from 1936 and 1937 where she came first in solo and third in Duet also at Southampton music festival. Yes I was thoroughly impressed and I feel I never attained the same in guitar. But still very enjoyable. By the way this Violin is circa 1929 which is fairly old and valuable as sentimental but not monetary,

A Copy of Certificate, History.

 My Guitar is around 34, not 100 per cent sure. It has been through the wars but still very playable.. Lifeblood of a guitarist,,,still tuning and playing it and not letting one down, still beating.