Yellow Rose of Texas

I have been mainly working on the one painting this week. I am not sure if I have put this painting on before or not. It is of Carew Castle and sold a few years ago.

We are off out to a family gathering this afternoon so I hope it stays dry. We went to Pontarcothi Show this morning. There were plenty of worthwhile subjects for a painting.

I walked past the bowls club the other day and was reminded of a character I knew in Newtown. Ron was a real gent and I think he was for a time chairman of the Bowls Club there. He had like many of the men I knew in those days been in the war. He was with the 8th Army in North Africa as I recall and had been in the artillery attachment. This had a significant affect on his hearing but not his sense of humour, which was excellent.

Anyway when digital watches were first arriving on the scene he bought one off the market and wore it every day. He had asked the trader to demonstrate it for him and put the time right.

This was all fine except that every day at one o’clock the alarm on the watch would go off and play the “Yellow Rose of Texas”. It was just below Ron’s audible level but of course everyone else could hear it.

For whatever reason embarrassment or mischief no one told Ron. Consequently for the best part of a month Ron went around attending meetings and at one o’clock the “Yellow Rose of Texas” would accompany his conversation much to the amusement or bewilderment of those present.

Eventually we did tell him and being the man he was he thought it was hilarious. Sadly I understand he is no longer with us.