Stuff that should be banned but isn't, thank the stars: Double Smoked Cheese. OMG!
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Major contenders for the Darwin Awards: Drivers who drive hulking grey hummery ess-you-veevy type vehicles in a peasoup fog with no headlights and naturally, no tail-lights either.
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Those who should get Kind-To-Canine medals: the waitresses at my local Chinese diner who always give me a pot of bones for Ansa.
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Yet another accolade for the internet age: My cry for help on FB as to how to cook/preserve/freeze some local organic produce and the lovely flood of responses, within seconds.
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A person who tells me their life is an open book yet are incognito on FB and confide to me their alias in a hushed whisper with a plea not to tell anyone else. Erm - why?
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Running into a couple tonight in said local diner that I hadn't seen in about 9 months but who knew absolutely everything about my recent life and asked me about it: the play, my trip to Ireland, the progress of the wee house on the hill, my potatoes being planted last week and how was the care of my dog while I was away and when was I getting those chickens anyways? I am always poised on the knifeblade of being affronted at the gossip I create and being charmed at the intense interest in my doings.
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And then some stuff just twists your heart until you sob: my gorgeous grandgirl has a tight pack of eleven friends: one of whom attempts to take her own life last night. A very serious attempt. She was rescued by a police officer at the last minute. She is still in the hospital. The pack are shattered. Things will never be the same. And my heart breaks. You never want them to grow up so quickly and so painfully. And now she has. And sixteen is not so carefree and fun anymore. Her voice was different on the phone tonight. Older. Wiser. But worst of all: Cynical.
Just realised that "jam" in the musical sense means improvising, which is what you're doing here!
ReplyDeleteNo need to be affronted by the gossip unless you're doing something totally scurrilous! I love it when people are so interested in the minutiae of my life, seeing as most people are indifferent.
How sad about your granddaughter's friend. I wonder what was causing her such distress? And how disheartening that she has become cynical. There are an awful lot of secretly unhappy children in this world who need urgent help.
Sorry, I misread. It's your granddaughter who sounded cynical. That's not good either.
ReplyDeletecynical at 16 is truly sad. I hope your granddaughter's friend has some access to good therapy and that your granddaughter regains her childlike wonder.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately i can relate to the small town gossip...as long it is good natured no harm I guess, just when it gets nasty or lies are being spread do i have a real problem with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to read about your granddaughters friend..16 is not an easy age...i hope the young lady recovers.
My heart goes out to your granddaughter and her friends. It brings to mind Elly's first term at Uni in Scotland. I phoned her one night to tell her some minor news, as soon as I heard her voice I knew something was up. It took time to get her to tell me.... she had found another 1st year student in their shared bathroom with slit wrists. By the time I phoned they had been to the hospital and home again, shock and realisation were setting in. The girl was discharged into Elly's care for the weekend with a bottle of pills and a psychiatric appointment for two weeks down the line! No attempt was made to contact the girl's family or senior staff at the College.
ReplyDeleteI hope the young lady you mention has better care than that.
Nick:
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard to sort out all that led to this. Suffice to say is that she was planning this since November, left notes in her locker for all her friends including my granddaughter and left a 20 page essay for everyone else. A lot of planning.
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Marcia:
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe it is one of those life changing moments. None of them will ever go back.
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Twain:
ReplyDeleteI think I baffle a lot of the locals and they try to make sense of my doings and it must be difficult at times as I would be lot of more privileged than they are (freedom to travel, constructing odd buildings). I honestly believe there is no malice.
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GM:
ReplyDeleteWow! How awful for Elly to have to deal with.
My daughter phoned the G-daughter's school the following day, Friday, and was astonished that (a) the school did not know of the events of the night before and (b) that none of the other parents, including the child's, had called the school. Out of 11 sets of parents. She was the only one. Counselling was arranged but ineffective according to my g-daughter who is finding solace with the gang. Girl is still in hospital. Apparently she tried this two years ago also and matters are very unclear as to whether she was having ongoing help. Doubtful.
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And I should add, this girl was one of the brightest (A average) and most beautiful and most joyous of the bunch of them.
ReplyDeleteWe just never know the inner, do we.
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You're right, it will be a life changing experience for all of them. They may need to spend time with a counsellor at some point, but it sounds like right now, they need each other.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, I love this stream-of-consciousness stuff. It's what made me a fan of Robin Williams for most of my life.
Unfortunately Veep, the counsellors speak in general and not specific terms and my granddaughter said it was one big disconnected groan of stuff they'd all read in books. I can totally relate.
ReplyDeleteIndividual counselling might help, who knows.
As to Williams, me too, but you knew that anyway, right?
And I've been writing Blog Jams for a while.
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Tasty smorgasbord of news there, WWW!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the sadness for your grandgirl. 16 is too young to have to face the world with cynicism - but on the other hand the young are flexible and can bounce back quickly. I hope she will, and I hope her friend will get the help she is sorely in need of - and has been for some time by the sound of it.
T:
ReplyDeleteI think it will haunt them forever. My daughter lost a good friend in a tragic accident in her first week of university and I believe there is a haunting around it - first year is never talked about without mentioning it.
I am haunted by a friend who died when she was nine. Her nightie caught on the bars of an electric fire early in the morning.
Some things never leave us. I am so glad my g-daughter's friend survived. And I sure hope it all gets sorted and she faces life renewed in spirit.
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How sad. Life can be such a shitbox and then the sun shines. Do you think it will help your granddaughter define herself for the better? I hope so. A terrible loss for you too - at the important age of 9. This must bring it back. take care, Betty
ReplyDeleteWow a jamming jazz post!
ReplyDeleteMaybe said couple in local diner just read your blog WWW!
I am so sorry for your granddaughter and her friends - I hope that they are all able to get the help and support they need, if not from the 'official' channels, then from each other and their families.
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