First, I’d like to commend this blog post to you.
https://dimcdougall.com/ageing-changing/
It’s Di McDougall’s latest blog post. Di lives in South Africa and she is a friend of mine though I have never met her. She has been reading my blog for years and years and comments under the name Marmee.
All I have to offer today by contrast is not a well written, coherent blog post, but a ragbag.
I was in Wensleydale for a few days with my four siblings, catching up, playing Rummikub and Scrabble, eating cheese, looking at scenery, generally having a good time despite our collective age of 378.
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| Towards Coverdale Photo by Peter Willis (big brother) |
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| Distant view of Bolton Castle Photo by Peter Willis |
I went for three lovely long walks with Jonty, my little brother
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| At Redmire Force with Jonty |
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| The river Ure near Redmire |
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| At Aysgarth Upper Falls |
And now I’m home, still trying to make big decisions with Dave about household matters, and trying to get stuck into a new painting. On Tuesday we’re having new windows and doors fitted throughout the house. By that I mean they are starting on Tuesday. I’m not looking forward to the disruption, though the end result will of course be worthwhile.
Always in the background the obscenities perpetrated in the Middle East are disturbing and distressing, quite apart from their ramifications for everyday life in the rest of the world. Our esteemed Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper seems to think that it’s Iran that is being unreasonable and reckless.
What?? It’s Iran that’s to blame?
While we’re on the subject of war, I’d like to commend to you an interview with the renowned war photographer, Don McCullin, which you can hear on the programme This Cultural Life on BBCSounds. It’s available for a year. It’s a deep and frank interview and if you’re interested in Don McCullin’s work you might be gripped, as I was.
I went to see a major retrospective of his work in 2019 and brought back these quotes from him:
I have been looking for a poem to share with you as a conclusion, but I can’t find comfort this morning, and the only thing that seems relevant is the poet Fiona Benson reading her poem called Eurofighter Typhoon. Here is the link…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QWt1Sk51kg&list=PL8VHSOl9gbqmlLHR_A8QnK9RKC8YWkb61&index=4
3 comments:
Lovely photos Sue. Your family reunions are always amazing, especially considering the large number of years you collectively represent. With so much opting out going on all around, you represent the old order - where family wasn’t in any way … discretionary!
I recently met up with a friend of similar years (mid 70’s) and asked how she coped with the state of the world. The first response was ‘despair’ - but she went on to say that that was the underlying sentiment. Which she overlays with a layer of things she CAN affect - such as making a difference to many charitable/local initiatives. Then the uppermost layer - personal life, where she makes sure to be as happy as possible.
So - a separation strategy.
Thea xx
That’s a very interesting response from your friend, Thea. Yes to the despair and yes to the other layers. The other layers need focus and determination sometimes, because of the despair. I’ve had a good day today, though - a helpful Quaker meeting, and then lunch at home with our daughter, a catch up and a walk with her across the fields.
I agree with Thea! Love your family reunions! Re the world and it's sad state, I do not feel despair but I do get scared, and angry. Good luck with the doors and windows!
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