Posted by Tania Kindersley.
I have nothing of interest to report. It was not a good day, nor a bad day. It was a blah day.
I did some work, not nearly as successful and focussed as I would like, but still. I ate some food. I walked the dog. I attempted some ultimately unsuccessful admin. It ended in failure partly due to my own incompetence, partly because no-one WILL CALL ME BACK OR REPLY TO MY EMAILS.
So sorry about that.
The Brother-in-law did make me laugh a lot on the telephone, which is not nothing.
I thought about Libya, because every day one must think about Libya. Somewhere in cyberspace, Polly Toynbee was talking about class. I felt vaguely sorry for Madonna, whose film has been trashed at Venice. (One star out of five in The Guardian.)
The Pigeon was especially sweet. But then she seems to increase in sweetness each day, defying all laws of physics and everything.
I went to the village and bought: rosemary essential oil, silver polish, a copy of The Independent, and crab claws. This seems a very odd assortment. Still, I love crab claws, and I need the protein.
I suddenly realise it is September. Not sure how that happened. The weather continues low and oppressive and dull; it is neither flesh, fowl, nor good red herring. Normally I feel a sense of violent excitement as autumn comes on. I love autumn. I feel it as a season of new beginnings. But today there is no thrill, just a mild grumpiness that there has been no sunshine for days and days. I wonder if it is possible I am developing a Vitamin D deficiency. It would be quite embarrassing if I ended up with rickets.
Ah well, I think. It can’t be a banner day every day. I shall do some more work and make some more notes and think some more thoughts, and see if I can scavenge a sense of achievement from the blahness.
Too dreich today to take the camera out, so here is a rather random selection of pictures from the last couple of weeks:
I do find the one ear up one ear down look quite captivating:
And these are just too pretty for words:
The hill:
I think quite a fair number of us are - every day - trying to scavenge a sense of purpose out of the blahness - but you are surrounded by such beauty - plus the pigeon!!! (I mean, Pigeon has a fan club in New Zealand, for Gods sake!) ... And your writing has never, ever betrayed a stray hint of blahness....
ReplyDeleteI have no wish to be personal or to intrude but I fear you may be just a tad too hard on yourself....
After all, just look at your Dear Readers - so gentle and kind and responsive - you gotta be doing something right..... xx
Anon - what an absolutely lovely thing to say. And you could not be more right about the Dear Readers. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDreich is such a good word, isn't it? You have got me thinking about autumn now: I have 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' running through my head. I had a good day today - stuck in the archives looking at all kinds of things from the actual punch bowl that belonged to Robert Burns, to pieces of rusting metal that we couldn't figure out what they were. And then cycling home I discovered that there had been a hit and run accident in the street parallel to mine, sometime early this morning. I wanted to swear very loudly, and I am not the kind of person who swears normally. Instead I just pedalled very hard. What kind of person knocks a 17 year old down and doesn't stop?
ReplyDeleteIt is not so dreich here. It is that lovely warm and honeyed light that we get in September.
Sorry -this is probably not the place for all that, but it does rather feel as if we - your readers- are having a conversation with you, rather than just commenting, so that is my excuse.
Rebecca - never apologise. I love yr comment, esp the bit about the Burns punch bowl and the honey light.
ReplyDeleteDear Tania I couldnt agree more with Rebecca's comment. I think the reason that you receive such warm and considered responses from the Dear Readers is that we do feel that we are having a personal conversation with you - rather than impersonal blog comments - and that is both a tremendous compliment to both your writing and your personal charisma (I believe Christopher Hitchins said he considered it the highest compliment when readers wrote and told him that he felt he was speaking directly to them when he wrote.....)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog, I don't always comment but always enjoy your writing and the 'photos especially the ones of Pigeon.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I am not alone in understanding some of what you are going through, I have lost several loved ones, always think of them especially my beloved grandfather who sadly passed away 15 years ago this September just as I was about to give birth to my first born and what would have been his first great grandchild, missed each other by 10 days...sometimes fifteen years feels like only 15 days but more often than not I can now think of him with a smile rather than with sad tears rolling down my cheeks...he was the father I never had.
Wishing you a Happy September and hoping that you have more good than bad days x
Tania - did I say I am thinking about getting a puppy? When I think of dog people I think of you; can I join the ranks? Pigeon is an advert for canines that I would defy anyone to resist! Lou x
ReplyDeleteAnon - what an incredibly touching thing to say. It is making me smile a lot.
ReplyDeleteSharon - lovely, lovely comment; thank you.
Lou - hurrah! Welcome to Dog Island. You will love it.
Tania, do you realize how ahead of the international news curve you are? As I type, CNN (US) is trailing an after-the-break story. Yes, the "Im too pretty to do homework" T-shirt at JC Penney!
ReplyDeleteJane - I am so hideously tempted to take all the credit but, like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. I confess I did see it on Twitter. But still, quite thrilling that the blog was ahead of CNN. :)
ReplyDeleteTania,
ReplyDeleteFrom one Scottish girl to another, I think you're doing a fantastic job. I'd love to look out of my window now and see the gorgeous Scottish highlands - How I miss Arygll...
Suzanne*
http://suzannecarlsson.blogspot.com
It is autumn here too, at least it had begun to feel like it. Then of course I went to get another box of paper for the printer and it was gorgeous sun-shine and I could feel it soaking into me all down my back.
ReplyDeleteI have figured it out - the Pigeon is the definition of dainty. Those delicate ears! That sweet expression!
I too love September, always have. I was one of those strange children who looked forward going back to school. Today is such a glorious day in London, i wish I could send this weather to you.
ReplyDeleteHelena xx