Monday 17 September 2018

Restore And Repair

The cover of this issue of 'the simple things' caught my eye. Not enough to make me go out and buy a copy...but I did think "Ooh, I could have provided an assortment of spools like that!

Restoring and repairing are tasks which bring so much satisfaction to Bob and myself. The newly repaired bedframe is a case in point - phrases like "I can't believe how much stronger this feels now!" and "Maybe I should replace the bar on your side, Ang..." indicate his [justifiable] pleasure in that repair.
I've just embarked on a restoration project for a friend- photos will follow once it is complete, but I am truly getting such a kick out of it.
Listening to  "Rule Britannia!" recently I was pondering on that final verse about "The Muses still with freedom found, shall to thy happy coast repair" ... and my mind wandered to the North Norfolk Coast [my 'happy coast'] and the serious coastal erosion there, and efforts being made to protect that beautiful area.
But I'm aware that James Thomson, who wrote the lyrics for RB, probably didn't mean that sort of repair. He meant repair in the sense of 'return to'.
I looked up the definition of repair- there are two different meanings
  1. repair; to make good the damage, or to put right an unwelcome situation
  2. repair; to go to a place [frequently or habitually, often in company]
The first repair come from the Latin 'reparare' to make ready, the second from the Latin 'repatriare', to return to one's country.
So this could lead to someone asking "I say, shall we repair to Brighton and repair the West Pier, old chap?"
restore is defined as 'to return, repair or renovate to the original state' [from the Latin restaurare to rebuild or restore - hence restaurant, where you are restored through the provision of food] Somehow "Restore and Repair" sounds so much more upmarket than "Make Do And Mend",  doesn't it?









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