Photos are amazing. I know, I know I would say this but they really and truely are. They have the power to take you instantly back to a place or feeling or a memory that I think is super special. For example I was reminded of this fact this morning. I found these 2 photos that I took about 4-5 years ago and they instantly took me back to a wonderful weekend that we spent on a Canal barge near Market Harborough one very very very sunny March. Kind of gave me a nice fuzzy feeling inside remembering all the other things that we have done over the years with lots of truly wonderful friends. I know that sounds so completely and utterly sappy but photos and memories are important so I right now I don't care if I sound sappy or not!!
The first one was taken where we had moored up for the evening (check me out - I know the words and everything!) and John and Chris were fishing (didn't catch anything, well maybe a bit of old plastic bag or other canal scum - romantic!) but in this photo I can actually feel the unseasonably warm sun going down and can remember that we were drinking beers on the river bank before we went out to explore and find a pub for dinner. It reminds me that the pub we stumbled upon had some kind of open mic night and that we stayed drinking with the locals until staggering back across the fields to the barge in the pitch dark.
The one above is the famous Foxton Locks (I say famous, I had never heard of it until we pulled up in front of what looked like a never ending view of locks to get though, little bit intimidating!) Armed with our river key, the help of the lock keeper and all the tourists we made it through all of them, I think there is 10 in total. The photo reminds that slightly daunting feeling as we approached the top and then the relief of getting through and not sinking the boat (you have to keep the boat forward in the lock or the world will end - or something like that!) or flooding the pub at the bottom which apparently is a possibility. This photo also reminds me of the weed hatch - which is the inspection cover that you have to check to make sure that you aren't picking up weeds to clog up the engine, it reminds me that we giggled at the name (weed hatch - he he he!). It reminds me that later on in the day, we almost got the boat stuck sideways in the canal - best not ask about that and it reminds me of the pub quiz that we almost almost won, it was a music quiz we're pretty good at those!
Basically what I am trying to say is that photos are amazing and everyone should take more. Something which is equally important and often forgotten about (I am guilty of this) is to print our photos. Remember the excitement of getting a film back from being developed (usually from Boots in my case, I can still see the packaging!) and looking through them all? It is great to have a tangible thing to hold rather than I bunch of megapixels and computer code. Also I like to look through my Mum and Dads photo albums, so beautifully put together with dates and captions. it is like delving into the past I want to think that people will be able to do that with my photos ones day and albums and prints will make this easier.
