Foraging for Vinyl Gems and a Truly Private Record

It's nearly a week since my last post and I would like to be able to say that something significant has happened in the past week. I'm afraid there hasn't, apart from the transition from January to February.
Group has been very poorly attended this week and I worry that if we are successful in our funding bid, we will have insufficient numbers to justify the money we have requested. We are really going to have to look at increasing our numbers somehow though I'm aware there are members of the Group who are uncomfortable with new people joining. I can understand this. It has taken them time to build the trust and confidence to feel able to discuss anything they wish in a secure environment. When new people join the group, there is a tendency for members to become reserved and reticent to discuss things openly.
There is a lack of energy generally at the moment. Group meetings have been quite downbeat and moods have been lower than normal. I too have felt this and it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise any enthusiasm for tasks. My writing is the only thing that really keeps me afloat, besides my music of course which can certainly influence mood. I feels almost as if the January 'blues' are a little late this year. Weather may be a factor. Whilst we had the snow, there was something interesting happening. We now seem to be in a bit of a lull but there is severe weather forecast for next week which threatens a return of the snowy conditions of last month. I suspect in a week or two, I will feel different.
I wouldn't normally be here on a Saturday afternoon. I'm normally to be found at my dear friends Roy and Jan. I'm suffering again with my back today having strained it sifting through some records in a second hand shop this morning. It has the effect of lowering my mood so I've taken the precaution of staying at home this afternoon and have sent my apologies via email.
My rummage through the second hand shops this morning unearthed a number of vinyl gems among them a twin LP set of Bob Newhart and a 'Joe Loss Plays Glen Miller' LP. Others were of popular music from the 70's and early 80's. In one of the shops, there were so many records there simply wasn't the time to go through them all and frankly I would have crippled myself if I had attempted to. Instead, I left some boxes and shelves for the following week having taken note of a Tijuana Brass box set featuring Herb Alpert destined to join my collection in week's time. So all in all, a very successful morning.

I'm making good use of my typewriter. I have decided to begin keeping a 'paper' diary. I've never really been very fond of writing and I have always preferred to type. Since I have a nice 'new' Imperial 80 typewriter, I have decided to use it for the purpose of typing my diary. The reason for doing so is so that I can leave something physical for whoever is interested when the time eventually comes. I know my blog and other digital musings and ditties will drift around Cyberspace for the rest of time but it is nice to have something that is really 'private' and that no one else will see until the day it is discovered. In this digital age, it really is difficult and almost impossible to label something as 'private', but I know that with my paper diary, I can, and that is hugely reassuring.