Turning the corner

Posted on January 19, 2012 by freda

Today it is dull, dark, damp and cold…….. despite winter’s dismal try to make us feel that we are going further and further into the wintry mire, I can sense that we are turning the corner towards the hope of spring. If the pre-Christmas season was one of frantic shopping, this post traumatic season is all about starting to try and get things back to a semblance of normality.  Lots of things aren’t working – three bits of repair needed on the campervan alone. This has necessitated multiple phone calls, (a salesman left and didn’t leave a proper message about ordering parts.) But the magic of digital photos and email meant that the bits can hopefully be ordered up without a 225 mile round trip twice.

The shower has needed unblocked, the floors cleared of the last of the Christmas tinsel lingering in corners and even the spare room is dusted off and ready for the next visitors. In actual fact I am trying to write myself into a coping mood, for next week begins the rounds of hairdresser, dentist and vet (Misty’s routine vaccination – I’ve been wondering whether she might need counselling sessions for my choice of her new coat – see the comments.) I’m using the technique of splatting thoughts onto the page, and hoping that some of it makes sense.

So – what does this afternoon bring? More paperclog unclogging? A walk in the confused countryside? I suspect it might be a gentle potter at the edges of my mind…… and wherever that takes me. How about you? How do you deal with jaded January?

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Christmas Coat

Posted on January 15, 2012 by freda

 

 

Misty looks as if she is saying – I enjoyed opening the present but I’m not so sure about wearing it!

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Paperclog

Posted on January 12, 2012 by freda

The post-Christmas paperclog is causing me much concern. This afternoon has reminded me of working back in an office. When life got too overwhelming I used to deliberately make myself slow down, take one piece of paper off the top and deal with it and keep going like that………. sometimes till late in the night.

Life couldn’t get like that in retirement could it?  I hear the echo of many voices in my head saying…….Of course it could. So this afternoon I have managed to reduce the total of nine inches high of paper, down to six and a bit inches. There has been a measure of satisfaction, and I managed to resist the temptation to go faster and faster to try and finish it off. Those days are long gone.

A few more days and all shall be tamed. All shall be well and all manner of things…….. as Julian of Norwich said. Thus I surmise that God is in the paperclog and lowly things.

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Hereafter

Posted on January 9, 2012 by freda

Hereafter is proof that I tend to disagree with film critics on whether or not a film rates highly or not. The advantage to that, is that I sat down to watch the film without too much anticipation, though it quickly became clear from the quality of the direction that this was going to be an interesting movie. But then when Steven Spielberg is involved as Producer and Clint Eastwood as Director, there is rarely cause for disappointment.

This is a beguiling film incorporating three story-lines from different parts of the world and involving three principal characters. One strand concerns a retired, but genuine psychic, played by Matt Damon and is set in San Francisco; the second is the circumstances surrounding a near-drowning in a tsunami in the Far East, and is set mainly in France; the third strand is about disadvantaged teenaged twins in the East End of London. The plot lures the viewer along as each character and story is gradually revealed. One is also led to speculate as to how these three strands can ever be brought together.

In time, this is exactly what happens, with poignant and hopeful results. I don’t want to give anything further away, because if you enjoy whimsical realism, then you would probably enjoy this. The viewer has to work at making connections and that is part of its charm.

I give it eight out of ten and would be interested to know if anyone else has heard of it.

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A Luddite

Posted on January 7, 2012 by freda

It’s been a strange old week – yet more power cuts. I’m afraid it has led to some grumpiness, more from me than HBTW.  I really am grateful for the quality of life we have in Scotland, but not having a shower in the morning makes me feel like a dlg. (dirty little gnome – oops is that being politically insensitive to gnomes?)

What I want to talk about is the negative attributes of the internet. Come to think of it I am not really sure that the internet can be thought of as having a separate identity. Anyway, I was talking with someone this week who confesses that they are a true Luddite where computer technology is concerned. I was struggling to be sympathetic to this view until this illustration came up.

Someone in London presses a button (computer key) and buys a million shares from a firm in China; ten minutes later the shares increase by £x – the London holder of the shares sells at a profit of £x never having moved from their desk. Thus the whole of the world economy ends up going round in circles and imaginary/real become confused and prices fluctuate on a whim.

I’m not sure if I am explaining myself very well. Take a simpler example: violent computer games leading to violence. In fact this is starting to happen where drones are controlled from one country and piloted to the enemy causing perhaps widespread destruction and violence. The drone commander is totally isolated from the consequences of their action.

I had to start to admit that there is something to think about in all of this, though I would hate to do without modern technology, even if it does lead us all into the realms of ethics that we never envisaged.  I was going to ask – What do you think? – but if you are reading this you are probably like me and are committed to “progress.”

 

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A novel nativity

Posted on January 4, 2012 by freda

As I start to pack away the Fontanini Nativity for another year, I thought you might like to see the one over at Rev Elizabeth – see here. 

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Resolutions?

Posted on January 4, 2012 by freda

It’s getting a bit late for resolutions – whether to make them or not. I’m more interested in seeing what other bloggers are up to, though I have one observation.

Which is more likely to succed?

  1. I resolve to play the piano every day
    or
  2. I resolve to practise the piano more.

And No, I haven’t started either yet. 

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Hogmanay

Posted on December 31, 2011 by freda


Note the gap between the two dogs. Bertie is gradually learning that he cannot take liberties with Misty. By the time he is going home on Monday he will be acclimatised, and hopefully that means he will be well-behaved at the next visit. Misty has had to growl, snarl and bark at him but hasn’t yet resorted to a nip or two thankfully.

It has been a busy and eventful ten days and it seems right to do a catch-up on Hogmanay. A significant day when thoughts tend towards people near and far, relatives long gone and other such things like changing world events. I wonder how much more we techie-age 21st century beings think about a global perspective than did our ancestors many centuries ago?   I suspect we are simply encompassed in the gloup of cyber-soup that is the instant news and messaging of our times. All the more important to breathe a prayer for the world at “The Bells” tonight.

I have been effectively having a rest from the computer for the last week or so. Things that demanded my attention included:

  • Winter camping to collect Berties’s mum
  • Travel in severe gales – not funny
  • 2 different power outages – each quite lengthy. The candles were very atmospheric and festive, but resulted in missing favourite TV programmes….
  • A night of nasty vomiting – don’t know whence it came
  • A three day trip to visit #1 Son and family – lots of fun
  • Time recovering from said sickness – must make tonight’s party!

As you can see, it is no wonder #2 Son was worried when his emails went unanswered. He couldn’t understand what had happened to his techie Mum. I must admit I am looking forward to being back to normal and catching up on reading friends’ blogs and so forth.

Many blessings be with you and yours in the coming year. Undernoted is a photo of a very happy cairn opening one of her Christmas presents.

 

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Bertie

Posted on December 21, 2011 by freda

No photographs of our visitors yet, I’ve been too busy recovering from our trip and helping Bertie to settle in. To be honest, he has not required much assistance as he is a very boisterous and confident 7-month old dachshund (full-size.) Misty is doing her best impression of an elderly terrier who  has no time for the younger generation. Shame, really, because young  Master Bertie appears to be in love. He is beautiful, if love-sick, whereas Misty is at her prickly, scruffy best. What fun animals bring to a household.

My Christmas countdown – ie jobs to be done before the holiday – has kind of stuck. It is now a case of, anything goes………… and I am giving up on trying to be organised. I may try to read a few blogs, but basically, I plan to be a Christmas slob. (Well….. apart from the Christmas Dance, church services and going away to visit Son #1 and family on Boxing Day.) There is little chance of getting presents, people and dogs in the car, so it is going to be a case of loading up the campervan as best we can.

Whatever your plans are – I hope and pray that you have a special and blessed Christmas.

 

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Traditions

Posted on December 17, 2011 by freda

The run up to Christmas, the Day, is fast getting away from me. There are still presents to wrap and mail to open and paperclog to clear. So that means that the good news is that the tree is up and decorated, the nativity set is ready and waiting – there is a puss-cat in the manger, where else would it be? The turkey is ordered, and the time is fast approaching to collect our visitors from the Borders and from Oban.

This evening is to be a trip to the local pantomime. Some of our friends from Dance Class are taking part, so it should be good fun.  Pantomimes are a very British institution as far as I am aware. For instance, the Dame has to be a man dressed up as a woman, and the Principal Boy has to be a woman dressed up as a man. The Dame is usually older and is an object of fun, the Boy is the romantic lead. Ah well….. I told you it is tradition, it doesn’t necessarily make sense.

As a counter-point I am planning to go to Evening Prayer online. This is a new initiative by St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow.

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