Objet due jour - non stop blooming since January in my kitchen.
Time ran out from under me. Not all of it good. I'm sure many of you out there are having the same doldrums I am, days of it at times. Akin to despair. For who is cheerful and optimistic all of the time?
Not least of my frustration and well, yes, rage, was directed at a bunch of communities/towns and their leaders who broke with all Health Service directives and had a huge gathering and lighting of a tree to honour "front line workers" some of whom attended this incredible breach of safety. Not to mention setting a terrible example for youth. Daughter lives in the midst of this on a front line job with a compromised health factor to begin with and I was horrified. And helpless. When we protested along with a few valued friends, the pitchforks came out in full force and we were castigated for spoiling the fun and not understanding the "community spirit" but denigrating it. And should hitch up our wagons and get out of Dodge
No more will I say as I really don't want to relive this appalling episode. I could go on for a good long rant here but let's move on.
I started another novel and actually wrote 4,000 words yesterday. I had done a bare outline of this on my blog years ago and it has taken on an expanded life now and based on my own life. Well so much writing is based on our own lives, right? Some aspects of our own truth and reality. This book is one of the closest and it takes me right out of myself.
I read this somewhere else and wrote it down to inspire me.
"Someone has to succeed and there's no reason it shouldn't be me!"
Words to live by. Whatever that success could mean. Nothing to do with money or fame. Sometimes I am successful just making my own yogurt or gathering the ingredients for a nourishing soup.
I need to up the ante on this blog game. Sorry for the delays. Sometimes I can't breathe out the words or the frustration or the despair or even the smiles. But today the sun is out, and I am back in the saddle and groceries will be delivered today.
How are you all doing?
Oh, I'm with you on feeling that anger. And frustration. When I read about churches who are insisting on holding services, I could absolutely go through the roof. It's the elderly, the poor, the vulnerable, and the innocent who will suffer because of this stupidity.
ReplyDeleteExactly Jo. The ones who follow like sheep, absent of critical thinking and realizing it's not all about them.
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They'll also spread it to people who ARE doing what they've been asked to do, because this thing is too damn easy to pick up. It wouldn't be so bad if just the idiots themselves paid the price. -Kate
DeleteI agree Kate, and the elderly and compromised of rural communities are so very vulnerable.
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I am having a bad day today, feeling very aggravated. It is tough times and we will have these days.
ReplyDeletePeople are so incredibly stupid!
It is great to admit we are having bad days, I can't abide those who are constantly cheerful, it makes me feel so inadequate like I'm doing something massively wrong and they refuse to share the secret.
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Your flower is beautiful, what is it?
ReplyDeleteA little rough to say it but, culling of the herd?
So glad you are working on a book. You got this and we need to hear you, wisdom is always appreciated.
Yes, Gaia tossing us off there are far too many of us and many our genetic sequencing is turning far too foul. My dark side. I air it out periodically.
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;) me too.
DeleteGood to hear I have many kindred spirits.
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""Someone has to succeed and there's no reason it shouldn't be me!""
ReplyDeleteI say Someone has to win the lottery and there's no reason it shouldn't be me! But then I forget to buy a ticket anyway.
In response to the social gathering in your community and people's response to your objection, I'll just repeat something I saw somewhere online this morning: "“Mark Twain once said that no amount of evidence will persuade an idiot."
And OMG, how true is that.
Love ya, lady. Always so glad to see you've posted an entry.
-Kate
Thank you Kate I needed to hear that. But that said we had a few laughs today. Daughter was taking pictures of headstones in her local graveyard for a friend and I said you should have paced off all the empty plots and taken out a pad to do some pretend calculations.
DeleteI must say we howled at the thought. Funny not funny.
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I am glad you are writing a new novel. Good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi, I am so enjoying the process in the Year of the Plague.
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Sunshine can make all the difference in the world. We have had cold, gray, rainy weather here that has depressed me.
ReplyDeleteWe had a fog for about 4 days DKZ, it felt so oppressive, I know how you feel. I looked up to where a god would be and howled "Now this too? You savage!"
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Growing up, we had severe fog out in the countryside. Days and days of fog with no sunshine. It was so depressing, even as a young child I can remember feeling shut in.
DeleteI remember it in Cork city where I grew up and it was laden with sulphur from all the coal fires back then. I could hardly breathe on my way to school, I can still smell it in a sensory way even still. Horrible.
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Sounds good you writing a new story. We're lucky enough to have sunshine here too. And do I understand your anger! I sometimes have to bite my tongue not to yell at people doing stupid, careless things.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard isn't it Charlotte? But there's no fix for stupid they are very self-righteous in their utter ignorance.
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Add me to the list of people who feel anger and despair.
ReplyDeleteBy all means thank the essential workers - but do so safely.
A few churches here have incited my ire too. Churches who have stated that the virus is unable to enter God's house and so continue to congregate and share a cup for communion.
I HAVE to ration my exposure to these things, and focus on things of beauty.
I am thrilled that you are writing again.
Stay well, stay safe.
Thank you EC. A church not far from here, a rather lovely Pentecostal type one was packed to the rafters last Thursday and the RNC (Royal Newfoundland Constabulary) showed up and they scattered like rats off a ship. I guess God has his limits for foolishness.
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That is a terrible thing done by people who sound like they really would know better. Our crank religious PM has declared churches as places of business over Easter and so they will reopen for services.
ReplyDeleteDear god Andrew? Seriously? I suppose He will only strike down the sinners and the good can gloat in their righteousness. At least that's how I see it playing out. Or Rapture Time.
DeleteSurrounded by clowns and their inept advisors.
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No, this is not correct. Churches will open as places of business so that small teams who prepare online church services are able to be in the same building. There will still be a requirement to minimise the number of people in the building and to stay apart.
DeleteIn general this means that instead of having a single person trying to make the presentation there can be a tech person, a preacher and maybe a musician or two, depending on how the team choose to present
I do hope they do the six foot thing. But why do it anyway would be my question. Like hello Zoom?
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Thanks for the correction.
Delete4000 words in one day? I'm impressed. I can barely string two words together sometimes. I manage the Words for Wednesday challenge and spend the rest of my time half asleep these days. Apart from that I am fine and hoping the virus stays away from me. As far as I know, there aren't any cases near me.
ReplyDeleteSo glad it's staying away from you River and that you are sleeping. Everyone reacts differently to this strange time. This whole story thing has taken me by surprise but I am thoroughly enjoying it.
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I'm also baffled by those people who deliberately flout the virus guidelines to have mass gatherings, especially if health workers themselves are taking part. What the hell are they thinking of?
ReplyDeleteI'm not despairing. I'm optimistic we'll get through this crisis eventually, hopefully without too many deaths or too many businesses going under for good.
It's a tremendous shakeup though. Or should be. Many lessons to be learned and so very many will lose their lives and homes.
DeleteI'm certainly hoping it won't be the trainwreck of business as usual post apocalypse.
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Surprisingly, here in the UK we seem to be behaving ourselves. Churches, mosques, all closed. An scottish MP flouting the rules by visiting her second home, forced to resign. The streets of even the largest cities, deserted. The Prime Minister is in Intensive Care; the less said about his loose interpretation of the rules of self distancing the better while he is so ill. I feel your rage though - before public opinion swayed towards following the rules of Lockdown we saw barbecues, parties etc. Mary, take care xxx
ReplyDeleteStrict rules in our larger centres Anne but out in the wilds a different story with less police presence and the collusion of bored municipal authorities anxious to escape confinement with a "good cause" as an excuse.
DeleteI head bang a lot. Daughter is a front line worker in the wilds.
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It's the outlying areas that are problematic. Less policing and much municipal collusion in flaunting the rules for a good gathering of feel goods. Excuse to alleviate the eternal boredom of their own homes. Complete disregard for reckless endangerment of others.
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Mary it occurred to me this morning that religion, although important here, doesn’t hold a candle to the nation’s love and respect for the NHS and all who work for her. Keeping its key workers safe was an immediate national reaction even in the depths of the countryside. xx
DeleteSo great to hear that, Anne, I am in awe of so many at the moment. So many coming out of retirement to help. Fingers crossed we'll kick this thing to the curb.
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I haven't seen any awful ignorance around here, streets are mostly empty and some folks wear masks. People step off the sidewalk into traffic to avoid coming too close to each other, car drivers slow down. I found out over the weekend that I probably was exposed to covid19 a few weeks ago when we were all just learning how to do this, s*** happens as they say. So now I wear a mask, not to protect myself but to protect others. I feel a little silly in my mask, until I see others wearing them too. If I have it, it's a mild case, and I'll be getting medical advice later today.
ReplyDeleteOh dear Annie, I am so sorry to hear this. Please keep me updated, you must be so scared. Light and love.
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Delighted to hear about your novel. My best wishes that you successfully finish writing it and get it published.
ReplyDeleteMy answer to your question - So far, so good.
Good to hear Ramana, keeping safe and secure and free from this deadly thing.
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I'm in the doldrums, WWW. Added to health issues we now have a problem involving one of Himself's offspring - arising from the pandemic but not health-related - $$$$ related. 'Nuf said. :(
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading your new novel!
OMG I am so sorry T, the USA is totally frightening us up here, not from personal fear but concern for our neighbours as the stories just get more horrific, it truly is a collapse and people are suffering so hard down there with no support from authorities it appears. We are so fortunate up here in so many ways as we are taken care of far more considerately - financially and healthfully.
DeleteBlessings old friend and to Himself as well and his loved ones.
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WWW, I don't know anyone else who knows the song "Butcher Boy"!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was my party piece Jackie, I could bring down (in a real sense of the word!) the house in four minutes. What added to it was I kind of lived the scene but the man stood by his woman, LOL. Ireland in 1966 was middle ages. It's a wonder I wasn't stoned or Magdalenized (great word!).
DeleteBut I obviously capitalized on it as I sang it in the bars on the liner as we sailed out of Cobh.
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