rivettingKateTaylor

My first ever cassette was Culture Club’s Waking Up With The House On Fire back in about 1984. A Christmas present from one of my big sisters. I listened to it yesterday for the first time in about 20 years!

I kept a box of tapes, I’m not sure why, but I have rescued them from oblivion with the demise this week of the radio in my car (mental note to remember to put aerial down in car wash).  Boy George, Pat Benatar, Inxs, Tiffany… what memories these bring back for a little teenager of the 80s. I used to love John Cougar Mellancamp. Still do. We did many a trip to his sounds and I still know the words to Jack and Diane off by heart. So do my kids now. They even do the double clap at the start of J&D.  Now just plain old  John Mellancamp, he came in for a bit of a resurgence around here last year after being named as the Mission Concert artist, although he pulled out in favour of being named into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Honestly where are his priorities.

The issue of 80s music reminds me, sadly, that I will be missing my sister and brother in law’s 40th birthday party in a couple of weeks – theme 1980s – because we can’t justify spending at least a couple of hundred dollars each to fly from the North Island to the South Island for a couple of nights. I have been lucky enough to have two trips home in the past year once to scatter my grandparents ashes and the other thanks to a work trip. But my kids haven’t seen their cousins for a couple of years and that’s a real shame. I know, my choice to live at the opposite end of the country to the rest of my family, but still, I wish airfares were cheaper. There is grab-a-seat but in the two years of checking it even before the news pages or Trade Me in the morning I am still yet to purchase a ticket through there (although I do know of others who have, obviously). I feverishly text (texted?) my sisters the other day when Napier/Hastings finally featured again but none of us could get on the website. Next time. But no 80s themed party in a Southland woolshed for me.

Well time for me to get ready for the daily chat with the neighbour at the school bus stop. Maybe we’ll sob about the lack of shoulder pads, tube skirts and leg warmers in today’s wardrobe. Not.