Artist

Alexander Averin

Wednesday 26 August 2009

Midweek Ramblings





Dear Diary,

War does not determine who is right - only who is left. 

Bertrand Russell


Hell, it is a week since my last post, I really must try harder, it seems I have had lots to do and have not been able to put my mind to blogging.  This morning though I woke feeling the need to write down my thoughts, they are very random, I apologise in advance.

There are things I need to help me get going in the morning; things that make them bearable because I am a night owl and do not function well at day break.  What do I need?  Amber nectar first which is a big mug of Yorkshire Gold laced with local honey - though the Welsh stuff  is now £4.95 a jar which I cannot afford so I am reduced to buying the inferior supermarket jars, whatever is the best buy - it is usually from abroad.  I realise the honey is expensive because of its scarcity - the problem with disease that beekeepers are having.  Perhaps I should become a beekeeper myself?

My radio brings me back to reality and this morning and I have a treat in store - Johnny Walker - no not more amber nectar of a different kind but my favourite DJ who is sitting in for Terry Wogan.  He plays my favourite tracks but I don’t know how he knows they are my favourites?

So this morning I avoid Radio 4 and the Today programme, it is always doom and gloom as news always is and it unfailingly raises my blood pressure.  I get so angry about things especially what I hear on Radio 2 news today - the death of another soldier ten days after being blown up in Afghanistan.  It seems like the First World War to me sending young boys off on patrol (?) to their almost certain death.  And they are no more than boys, I am a mother of a son myself and I can only barely imagine the pain the mothers of these soldiers are going through.    I know one mother of a soldier out there who is a borrower in the library and she has become very quiet when she comes in - she used to be bright and bubbly.  It is difficult to know what to say to her.

 I think we should get out  of Afghanistan and soon.  When will Man ever understand the futility of war?  Which reminds me, someone has recommended a film directed by Clint Eastwood that is about this very subject, I must order it (I forget the title, anyone know?).

I digress, sorry.

Other things I need.  A shower and a short yoga session to get my blood circulating and relieve tension,  Then I need my cranberry juice, my organic porridge with cinnamon, ground almonds and fruit, my daily fix of ‘supplement’ pills, another mug of the amber stuff and then my day can begin.  Am I set in my ways would you say?

Johnny has played Chris Rea, Roxy Music, Eva Cassidy , George Harrison, Manfred Mann and many more lovely tracks.  I know they are old songs but the sign of a good songwriter is if the song  is still good twenty years later.  After all no-one says that classical music is old so it is not worth listening to.

Talking of classics I want to force a book on you if you haven’t already read it.  It is Deaf Sentence by David Lodge.  So laugh out loud funny,  so tearfully sad, so very moving.  I will say no more,  Just read it.




It’s not the weather to be outside today, apparently we are going to be in the tail end of a hurricane called Bill.  I may have a polish-fest in the cottage, (a very rare event for me getting out the duster) and some ‘proper’ nice smelling polish is called for.  I have a daily battle with cobwebs too as I never kill spiders, I only remove their webs.  (If you want to live and thrive, let a spider run alive - that is a gypsy saying).

Before I go I want to share with you this poem that won the recent Welsh Poetry Competition.

All I could say when I first read it was Wow.


The Origami Lesson



To make Derry Railway Station,
fold the gentle Foyle
beside this end, thus,
where the train breathes at a slight curve,
and for the white fence,
press the line
upon the middle crease
in a fine rain, then
unfold the sheeted roof wing by wing
in line with dim bridges
and the rounded wall.

For Evarethilion,
begin by folding lengthwise
and separating
amongst bright enamels.
To make the unearthly shine,
fold the top point –
which will be the blade –
into a garnet beast, and double back
the silver pommel
into the dotted fist.
Align the creases as if
a rainbow were a staircase
upon which
folded feet boldly tread.

The leaping gnu.
You may use the shimmer
from a lake amidst grassland,
but a hill will do.
Divide the top half into three hearts:
cow, horse and goat.
Take point X upon the hoof
and fold the top edge, thus,
upon its grunt,
so it is roughly equal
to the distance from
the far sun that pours
beneath black clouds to the brown,
dusty horizon.
To make the water,
turn the world over,
and crease.
Your gnu will fall from the mountain fold
towards sunset.
The valley fold will open upon it,
and his beautiful beard
will make a tasselled shadow.

John Galas


I shall sign off now; when I started writing this the pine trees outside my window were completely still, now they are starting to wave at me energetically and the aspens are quaking - Bill must be on his way.  I’m off to batten down a few hatches.  Sorry its been a bit of a ramble today.  Better than nothing I hope.

Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Cait.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Oops you are night owl what you work only in the night??
Carol
Are you scared to be alone at home need security

Frances said...

Hello Cait,

I so love your rambling posts. They encourage this reader to align my pace to yours and I always benefit from that change.

Here in the States, we have a volunteer armed force (i.e. no draft.) That means that many families can more easily ignore the losses suffered by those whose sons and daughters do serve.

Unlike the 1960's, it also seems to allow the various wars in which we are involved to go on without much notice.

Hoping that Hurricane Bill will have lost most of its punch by the time it reaches you.

What scent does that polish have? Lavender perhaps?

I also love to have honey in Yorkshire Gold tea, and also find that honey is increasingly expensive, for the reason you cite.

Let me close by thanking you for the origami poem, and also for mentioning Deaf Sentence. Isn't it great to share a book with others?

xo

Anonymous said...

I love rambles, they always tell us so much.

You sound so healthy, Cait. I have heard that honey is very good for us to have, just a spoonful a day.

CJ xx

ds said...

I, too, enjoy your "rambles." What a lovely, relaxing way to begin the day (even with Hurricane Bill looming; despite the ridiculousness of war: the son of a friend-of-a-friend is a Marine on his fifth tour, first in Afghanistan. It is hard to know what to say...). Thank you for the beautiful poem and the book recommendation!

Pipany said...

ello Cait. I like your midweek rambling and agree with you about the news making me angry. All so very sad and somehow pointless. Think we have had Hurricane Brian's tail and he has moved on to leave peace and wet in his wake. x

Pipany said...

I meant Bill, not Brian!

The bike shed said...

Starting the day with the 'supposed' news is such a bad way to begin. I stopped listening, watching and reading the news - and I mean entirely stopped, cut it out, nothing at all - about six years ago. It had an unexpected and entirely positive impact on my life. And oddly it doesn't mean that I don't find out about the world - there are lots of ways (better ones, I think) to do that - books for instance. Very occasionally I will pick up a paper on the train, but otherwise I still never watch/read/listen and don't miss it. Read Flat Earth News by Nick Davies for some other good reasons not to trust the news.

Keep rambling;rambling is good.

Mark

bradan said...

Lovely ramble Cait. Strange that you mentioned getting out the duster and 'proper' polish, I had just the same idea today and it's a rare one for me too! I never kill spiders either, just remove their webs as you do, although not very thoroughly I must admit!

CAMILLA said...

Loved your ramble Cait,

I am the same, a tad scary of spiders but I would never kill them.

I adore Honey too, usually have it on my toast for breakfast.

As for Yorkshire Tea, it is the best tea on this earth, love it.

Love the Poem, and thank you for the mention of the book Cait.

I think Hurrican Bill must be heading this way, as I type the severe wind has got up.!

xx

pinkfairygran said...

Lovely ramble, no apology needed at all. And like you, first reaction of reading the poem was a sort of stunned silence, holding of the breath for a second, then Phew, that was good! Bill blustered his way through here yesterday afternoon, snapped tall plants in two, broke off birch branches (the very thin ones only thank goodness) but my newly-propped up bean wigwams stayed upright.
Goodness, what a protracted start to the day... what time do you get up to get through all that. For me it's half a bowl of soggies, a small cup of tea, handful of necessary medications all taken standing up. Sundays we have a proper sit-down breakfast together, otherwise I gawp at GMTV whilst having a five minute breakfast. But.. then a couple of hours later it's a sit down with a mug of tea and a slice of toast... I can't eat much at once, and in any case, am permanently hungry (meds again) so space out the calorie intake!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

I enjoyed your start to the day Cait. Makes me feel I know you a bit better.
I do utterly agree on the waste of life in the death of young soldiers. I have just watched some TV footage of the funeral of the latest young Welsh soldier in Abergavenny. I am not a crier but my throat was thick.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Wonderful poem. Bill gave me a bit of rough surf at the beach this week, but the only bad storms were far out to sea. I hope he is respectful of you.

I love my Yorkshire Gold too. And I think you should raise your own bees!!

Margie’s daughter Leiny said...

Hi Cait, what a great vision, child sleeping in the patchwork that are rolling hills. I enjoyed the poem too. Autumn is upon us. Hugs, Margie.

Calico Kate said...

I love that top picture CAit - it is beautiful. Enjoyed reading about your morning activities. I'm awful in the morning prefering doing things in the evenings than the mornings so can sympathise with you there. My preferred poison though is strong Earl Grey with milk, am on my fourth mug already!
CKx

GreenishLady said...

Hi, Cait. I too enjoyed this post, esp. the poem. That beautiful picture (Marin's Quilt by Barrie Maguire) was used by a dear friend for the cover of her first collection of poetry, (Take a Deep Breath by Denise Blake.)

What a small world this is!

Barrie said...

Hi Cait,
In case you are wondering who painted that wonderful painting of the little red-headed child asleep under the patchwork fields (of Ireland)... I did. It's called Marin's Quilt. You can see my other paintings of Ireland at www.maguiregallery.com.
Thanks, and keep up your sweet blog.
Barrie Maguire