She was just being nosey.
I could have punched her in the face until her eyes popped out
Instead I answered the question vaguely , giving what I thought were good enough non verbals for the conversation to be shut down.
It wasn't
" When I broke up with my first husband!" She droned "I went a bit wild and got myself dating half the single men at work "
" And several of the married guys so I've heard"
(I didn't say it but I oh so wanted to)
" Get yourself out there and kiss a few frogs" she suggested
" I'm doing the fastest zip wire in the world, joined a choir and got a part time job will that do?" I told her
She wasn't impressed
Methinks it's not your job to impress anyone except yourself and perhaps those you live with. The dogs will be easy; Albert, being a cat, not so much.
ReplyDeleteBe good to you!
Well, we are. Impressed, that is. What's the job?
ReplyDelete"I could have punched her in the face until her eyes popped out" - you're in a feisty mood today, John ;-) xx
ReplyDeleteWell I am impressed! Some people just don't get the hint.
ReplyDeleteooooooo good answer in your head, love it.
ReplyDeleteYou can not give people like that any answer because she will make up one.
cheers, parsnip and badger
I suppose subtlety is her middle name ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank gawd she gave you that advice! I'm sure you've been eagerly awaiting it so you would know how to carry on with your life! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteThat's village life for you.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that everyone has an opinion, but not all share it! She probably meant well but didn't know what to say (well, that's my opinion!) Congratulations on the job. Have you started it yet?
ReplyDeleteI've been gone a bit and this is the first that I've heard. I'm sorry for your pain. I wish there was something to say to help. I'm just sorry to hear it.
ReplyDeleteA bit Ena Sharples methinks.
ReplyDeleteAre there more field animals in the future, I loved reading your tales or should that be tails ?
Happy to know, you have not thrown in the towel, and life still offers you plenty.
Hugs dear friend.
~Jo
x
Minnie Caldwell, Hilda Ogden, Albert Tatlock, sure they have them in Wales too.
DeleteI recommend a close reading of Under Milk Wood for you John.
It's a lot like Trelawnyd methinks.
Why would you want to kiss frogs? You could end up with warty lips... or is that from toads?
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with kissing frogs - just watch out for the tongues though ;-)
DeleteYP,I think you better dust down and revisit your childhood books of fairy tales. Frogs are for kissing, toads are for the witch's steaming cauldron. Now there is a challenge for Ian to conjure up a vegan version of chicken soup for the soul.
DeleteU
People will say the most extraordinary things when caught on the hob. I remember one occasion so awful I still cringe - and we are talking about twenty or so years ago. The culprit was me. I said something so inane (I realized whilst saying it) that no hole was big enough to swallow me. PLEASE. NOW. WIPE ME FROM THE PLANET. I NEVER EXISTED. Luckily the person I said it to wasn't only well disposed towards me (we go back a long way) but also one of those saintly creature you can't hurt. Untouchable. Which is the only reason I can be forgiven for saying what I did. Still, what the eff was I NOT thinking of. Ever since I never give a second thought to anything anyone says in a moment of garbled absentmindedness. It's fine. I did worse.
ReplyDeleteWhat is, of course, annoying in your particular example that people will rush in with the "more fish in the sea bla bla bla" platitudes ... As if you can replace a herring with a kipper at the drop of a worm.
U
Set a few rhumours going..... Just for fun x
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteThanks Bea, I have done this and waiting to hear how far it goes.....
DeleteKeep it up dear old friend - you are getting there and ignore any old village gossip who tries it on. xx
ReplyDeleteI hate it when people 'ask' a question, when they obviously already know the answer.
ReplyDeleteThey will soon find something or someone else to gossip about.
ReplyDeleteLike blogs
DeleteVillage life, same in my village. Next week will be something else to gossip about. Keep positive xx
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ReplyDeleteI like them, I would like too see more...tom you are an old sot
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DeleteI had a neighbour like that the other day. I've decided to keep a look out for him when we get out of the car to avoid saying something I shouldn't.
ReplyDeletePeople only seem to be interested in the bad things and not so much the good.
Briony
x
Well, I'M impressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed too. The upside of all this new activity is that it should keep you from seeing the likes of her too often.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for recognizing these gossip vampires and not feeding them the scandalous response they so crave. Some people just don't think before they speak. What's worse is people speaking and they know better but just don't care.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how you titled this post "Everyone's got an opinion". I was thinking something similar just the other day.
And as you know by now, in your world and your life, just like running a fashion magazine or being the dictator of a country, the only opinion that matters is Yours! So you do what makes you happy and live life the way you want, like Albert. And be in the moment and enjoy life's wonders, like the dogs. And feel free to run with whoever you want, like Irene does with the horses.
Just keep being you, and someday soon enough, you'll be dancing in your fields and singing, "Everything's coming up roses!"
P.S. Love Rosalind Russell!
Sounds like you're moving forward about as fast as anyone could. Frankly, I'd avoid frog-kissing but prince-kissing is okay.
ReplyDeleteSome folks just can't help themselves; they don't even realize how rude it is -- whether in real life or an a blog. I always want to say "Think, people, think! How would YOU feel if someone asked that?" But instead I do an epic eye roll and a loud raspberry when I get out of sight/hearing.
ReplyDeleteWrong person at the wrong time. We don’t have to like everybody.
ReplyDeleteAh. That was rude and I shouldn’t a said it but I thought it and out it came.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, isn't it, how advice can flow like vomit? I actually lost a friend once, when she couldn't get the whole story from me, made up bits and pieces. Hang in there, John!
ReplyDeleteOoh, you've joined a choir - have I missed this?
ReplyDeleteWhen my friend left London to return to live in the village where she grew up, I said to her 'but doesn't living in a village mean that everyone knows your business?' ''No', she replied, 'It just means they think they know it! '.
How horrid to encounter an insensitive gossip. Not many of us would handle her with the grace and humour you did.
ReplyDeleteJohn, you are legend and somewhat of a celebrity in your area. You have to expect this from time to time. But don't let it go to your head!
ReplyDeleteEveryone does indeed have an opinion. And a right to one. The right to share said opinion is a very different matter.
ReplyDeletePart-time job? Tell us more.
NOT RUDE AT ALL, GIRLFRIEND. the rude person was the village busybody.
ReplyDeleteI hate those sort of people and bloody hell... they are everywhere around the world too!!!
ReplyDeleteDo what is best for you and full marks for how you handled it. There is always someone like that and you just want to escape them. All the best ,John.
ReplyDeleteWorld's fastest zip wire?
ReplyDeleteGoogle velocity 2 wales
DeleteI bet shagging her husband would impress her, snort. Some people think everyone else is like them, that's how she coped so that must be your way forward as well. Looks to me like you are doing very well in your own way, and thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteYep.. sounds like your over folk telling you how to cope. It's true people in general love to gossip but in the main they mean well. She sounded a bit 'in your face'though.. & had a lucky escape ;) Breathe John..breathe...
ReplyDelete"And several of the married guys too so I've heard. Oh, my gosh, did I just say that out loud?!?" If only...
ReplyDeleteOh the things I wish we had said over the years, and regrets for a few I let slip out.
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself, do what you want to do, what you need to do. If you ever need to talk, you know someone who will listen.
I've heard somewhere that an answer to a nosey question should be "Why do you ask?" And then change the subject if you can. I can never remember to say it though.
ReplyDeleteSnit, Snit . . .
ReplyDeleteA nosey one, I’d say . . . plus . . .
Some people make it “all about themselves!”
I bet the zip line info threw her mind in a spin . . .
Don't you get sick of unsolicited advice from people who think they know you better than you know yourself?
ReplyDeleteSo what's the part time job?
People never know what to say when someone is going through something like this, which is why maybe she shouldn't have brought it up unless you did. Beyond that, it sounds like your method of moving forward might be better than hers!
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