Friday, October 07, 2011

Random stuff

Seated one day at the organ I was weary and ill at ease,

And my fingers wandered idly over the ‘something’ keys.

I know not why I was weary,

Nor what I was thinking of …

This song is reverberating in my head – after another couple of lines I think Jerusalem bursts forth; a firm favourite at our Sunday School Concerts during the war (WW1) so I’m regressing again. Since writing this I have listened to ‘The Lost Chord and of course it is NOT a precursor to Jerusalem – but it would work IMO.

The cupboard was bare when I went to look for a post today. I looked back at an old notebook written in 2000 soon after my mother’s death but it was full of pain and anger and I didn’t want to go there. I looked back at my blog – roughly a year ago and was cheered. We were just about to leave for the hospital for MTL to have his second op – a reversal which if successful would get our life back on the road to normality before bracing ourselves for six months chemo and all that entailed. We had cancelled our holiday in the cottage at Fremington as any upset is so much easier to cope with at home.

I’m so thankful to be where we are now -MTL is eating and sleeping well and getting his bounce back and we have a week’s holiday soon. So much to be thankful for.

We were startled yesterday evening at a big thump on the window. I couldn’t see anything but today Sheila pointed out the clear imprint of yet another owl. After the last collision I draw the curtains before it gets dark but now will have to do it before I put the light on. - I don’t really want to move the mirror. I’m amazed that it flies so low - Sheila thinks it is a tawny owl – it should wear a crash helmet.

My tubs are looking a little tawdry; Karen suggested I get wallflowers – Persian Carpet and Tom Thumb and I need more compost for when the lovely anemones I ordered appear. We are having violent deluges at present so back to buckets in the flat-roofed garage. Yesterday I met the girls for lunch and managed to walk there and back – do some shopping and keep dry.

I notice that kindles have come down in price but I still can’t imagine getting the same pleasure as I do from reading a book. My latest is Sister –Rosamund Lupton’s debut novel – an exciting thriller. I’m on the lookout for more gripping books as reading has assumed the importance in my life that it always used to have. Also an unmissable film - as on holiday we’ll be within easy reach of a cinema for a change.

Our habitual silence is rudely punctured at present with J C B’s and the like. A neighbour is having his garaged demolished and rebuilt and we have had a week of incessant noise. The neighbour has – wisely – taken a holiday. Have a happy weekend.xox

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

You need to stop being so fastidious about cleaning your windows. Then the birds will be safe. It's a great way to combine environmentalism with laziness, in my view.

Cheers.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Oh dear...these poor Owls! I hope he didn't kill himself with this "thump"...!

It is so good thay things are so much better than they were a year ago...It Is A True Blessing, my dear Pat.

Unknown said...

Over the NOISY keys, Pat.

angryparsnip said...

I have bird crashing into my windows and I am trying to figure out how to stop it.
I went outside to look at the windows and they reflect the sky and clouds so well that it does look like the real thing.
I have thought of hanging prisms so they might reflect the light and break up the space. Don't know if it will work but I have to try something.
A hawk just crashed into my window on Wednesday he seemed ok and flew away but it upsets me. They always look stunned and sit there trying to recover.

Will be interested to see if you come up will any new ideas.

cheers, parsnip

Unknown said...

Sorry Pat. Just realised you'd put copies of the lost chord up, so you must know what sort of keys they were. But thankyou, I've just been singing along with John McCormack's version of it; and as he was a proffessiona tenor, and I'm an amateur basso profundo, I should think it sounded 'Orrible!!!!

Unknown said...

P.s. But I enjoyed it.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

"So much to be grateful for." How true.

By the way, have you ever heard Emerson, Lake and Palmer's version of Jerusalem? Wow.

Pat said...

Randall: I haven't even cleaned the last owl imprint so they are not very bright or they would learn by example.

Naomi: MTl saw it fly away. They seem very tough fortunately.

Mike and Ann: isn't it maddening when the words escape one. I still think Jerusalem makes a fitting chorus. I did think about playing Jimmy Durante's version but the McCormack one won. I'd like to have heard the duet.

Pat said...

Parsnip: in the sun room which has no curtains I have decorative stickers on the windows, which seem to work.

GG: no. I'll google it tomorrow. It's bedtime.

kenju said...

I used to play The Lost Chord on the organ.

I have a Cruz (ereader) and while I always thought I'd prefer a real book, the reader is great for taking in my purse to appointments, and in the car for reading while eating.

I can sympathize with your noises. The jackhammering here was deafening last week.

Pat said...

Judy: at least you have something to show for all the noise. I may yet weaken and get a kindle.
An organist as well? Is there no end to your talents?

LL Cool Joe said...

My partner has asked for a Kindle for Christmas but I can't see the appeal. I'm not a great reader but if I do, I like the feeling of holding a book in my hands and turning the pages. I think a Kindle would send me to sleep.

But then I prefer vinyl to cd's, and cd's to downloads.

Macy said...

Kindle? No point. Every night I read myself to sleep - literally. The book always falls to the floor at the end of this process.
These nocturnal habits would kill a kindle..

Pat said...

LL Cool Joe: MTL offered to buy me one when he saw his daughter's but I do get pleasure from a book's appearance and the cover and the feel so I don't want to waste the money. You are lucky you know exactly what your partner wants for Christmas.

Macy: me too - I'm lucky MTL doesn't seem to mind but I try not to read more than about 20 minutes.

Pearl said...

I was walking through the skyways in Minneapolis the other day and thought of you when I saw the clear, head-on imprint of a bird on the glass. :-) Poor thing!!

Pearl

Pat said...

Pearl: happy you think of me and not as poor old thing:)