It’s almost twenty minutes past four
The cottage is almost dark inside, with just the gloom of late dusk illuminating my desk and grandfather clock. My knee is paining, so I sit in the miserable light for a while and write the blog .
And I hate this moment
Almost as much as I’ve ever hated anything….ever!
The gloom of getting home to an empty house in winter.
No cat’s tail swishing angrily against my calves
No sharp paws
No excited yelps and bouncy smiles from the dogs.
Home has to be reclaimed from the cold and the night
Bit by bit
Room by room
The dinosaur fairy lights first, then the log fire, and the lamps in the living room.
The washing machine next then the radio,
And the big Sitges bulb with its orange glow
All returning the cottage into a living place
The dogs trot in, heads up, expecting dinner
And we are complete again
My dogs and I…
And home
I love the happy ending of your post "we are complete again", there is so much love there. The beginning of your post got me worried and the ending made me smile.
ReplyDeleteA cold dark house in winter doesn't feel welcoming. But, you fixed it. And, yay for dogs!
ReplyDeleteAll of my houses have had personalities when the lights are up, all feel sadder when unlit
DeleteProvidence road …bland
Wynyard Road …….warm and cheerful
Cefn y gwyrch ……..dark and cosy
Bwthyn y Llan ……..welcoming
Beautiful picture you paint with words as usual. Take care. Jackie
ReplyDeleteCheers jackie
DeleteI feel almost as if I am walking beside you into the gloom of that early sunset in your home. Ah, but you know what to do to awaken the cozy factor, lights, warmth, and dogs. Clearly, you need a cat, Albert 2.0, perhaps?!
ReplyDeleteWelcome home, my friend.
Hugs!
Not yet, I’ve got too much on to cope with a new kitten ….
DeleteYou do have a way with words John.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t think much I just wrote
DeleteYou sent me from almost crying to sighing with happiness in those few short sentences. You must write that book (after all, you've nothing else to do!) because you paint such wonderful scenes with your words. Enjoy the cosiness. xx
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely now..the fire is roaring and the dinosaurs are stalking each other around the potted plants
DeleteI have a timer for my lamps if I am going to come home in the dark. Wouldn't work with the log fire though. Perhaps you could train the dogs to switch on your lamps for you? 🤔
ReplyDeleteThey were at trendy carol’s
DeleteIt is a sad thing coming home to a dark and silent house.
ReplyDeleteJust come home from shopping to a dark house, woken pirate up with a cuppa, a Lebkuchen...and the news that the boiler has just died
Just had to Google lebkuchen
DeleteA ginger biscuit from Germany
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteOh no about the boiler, gz!
DeleteWonderful post.
ReplyDeleteBut missing a black cat with attitude.
I miss him too
DeleteBeautiful post, thank you John and have a good evening. Jan in Castle Gresley
ReplyDeleteIt’s the bake off final
DeleteI'd truly forgotten how dark it gets early in winter in the UK. For a minute after starting to read this post I was like what are you doing up at 4.18 in the morning.... then realised I had read the title incorrectly. As said before you paint a masterpiece with words... your world was dark but suddenly after a few movements you had light, love and warmth. Brilliant. You are like a composer.
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland
It was a bit dramatic lol
DeleteNo plans to get another cat? Albert has left a real void.
ReplyDeleteDebra , I agree, he was always a welcoming constant at home
DeleteI miss his headbutts
Told perfectly. thank you. Gemma's Person Beth
ReplyDeleteXxx ta muchly
DeleteOver dramatic. Many of us come home to a dark house without making a drama out of it, it's called normal life for many of us. Get over yourself, if that's all you can think of to write then miss a day of blogging instead of feeling sorry for yourself.
ReplyDeleteI was sharing a feeling which can never be wrong unless it’s a negative one..
DeleteWhy don’t you miss a day of blog reading?
Oh I forgot your obsession with Going Gently is probably pathological , which is a shame
DearJohn.....You have permission (as if you need it) to block that miserable soul. I have yet to gain any productive insight from them.
DeleteIt’s all too much Ana
DeleteLike a Docker who swears
No one hears the words anymore
Trolling takes energy
DeleteWhy spend so much energy in such a negative way ?
That troll is one fucked up person
Fucked up
Keith
Xx
Hey Keith xx
DeleteOr
DeleteXx
This troll reminds me of Rumplestiltskin! The evil leprechaun.
DeleteThat troll is fucking annoying. I liked the writing John, and it's your fucking blog so you can write whatever the fuck you want!
DeleteJohn is a thoughtful writer who puts what we all experience into words. Its called being a feeling human. What he wrote today landed in my heart. He has not just said "oh gee, its dark and gloomy" he puts forth the human feelings behind it all and I enjoy reading it.
DeleteAre you a masochist? Why do you come here if you don't like it?
Why complain about the dark and take a photo of it when you could have easily switched a light on.
ReplyDeleteAnd why not?
DeleteWhy complain about a blog when you can easily just not read it? SMH.
DeleteLinda dear - Obviously one needs to read the content of the blog before a decision is made about whether to complain about it.
DeleteThat was such a lovely read. Sending my love from California to add some additional warmth. ~Gail
ReplyDeleteIt came out of no where….
DeleteWhat a beautiful, perfect word picture you painted for us today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWell I’ve done something right today
DeleteI have to put the radio on as soon as I return - There is a problem - they are saying that my dab radio has to be replaced - Very irritating as I could do without the expense x 📻
ReplyDeleteWho is saying?
DeleteClassic F M presenters - I have a nice Pure dab too but they are upgrading their transmitter apparently - b******* x
DeleteJust re-tune it to FM. Most people couldn't tell the difference to be honest.
DeleteThank You - I shall try it x 📻
DeleteI couldn't live in this space I call home without my dogs because it would be nothing.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I’m reminded of the Les mis song
DeleteEmpty chairs at empty tables
Good writing John - capturing the feeling of these short wintry afternoons. Why the hell do they make us put the clocks back in late October?
ReplyDeleteWas it something to do with farmers needs originally …I’d ask Rachel but I’ve been deleted again
DeleteI miss the old days of blogging when everyone generally had a sense of humour
DeleteSue’s U in the alphabet said it well “umbrage”.
DeleteWas blocked a long time ago because I was vague in answering the question where I was from!
Think BST came in around WW1
Beautifully written, thank you xx Jane aka curly club
ReplyDeleteCheers jane
DeleteI get it x
ReplyDeleteI know you do xx
DeleteYes, it almost has to be bleak so that one can come home and make it wonderful with light, warmth and dogs.
ReplyDeleteVery evocative, although it was a relief when we put some lights on timers so no one came home to a totally dark house - it was scaring the kids, I think.
Ceci
I remember getting home in Sheffield after watching The Blair witch , one dark night
DeleteAnd boy did I run down my back passage
Twilight can be the darkest hour of all.
ReplyDeleteJust before Dawn too….but then the dogs are in bed
DeleteYou do capture that moment so well!
ReplyDeleteLol even the dramatic ones x
DeleteThere is a certain stillness when coming home in the Winter chill and darkness. Thank goodness, it's temporary. Everything comes alive when lights are turned on
ReplyDeleteI loved this little snippet.
ReplyDeleteThe gloom of getting home to an empty house in winter.
ReplyDeleteMy "Positive thinking...you can always put a positive spin on things..." friend would tell you see the cold darkness as a positive opportunity for you to enjoy banishing it away with light and warmth (she annoys me sometimes though, but then tells me to turn my annoyance into positivity about the opportunity it gives me to overcome annoyance... and so on). She has a point in general though, I suppose - look forward to the opportunity of banishing gloom John, as something to come home to?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need a few small 'movement sensitive' lights inside the door, then all would light-up to greet your arrival.
ReplyDeleteYou have a gift for describing basic moments of life. So many have experienced these same feelings.
ReplyDeleteReturning to an empty, silent house in the darkness is a lonely moment. I can relate to this at times. Also the change as it becomes a home with light, warmth and the people and animals who live there.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful - love the “home has to be reclaimed…” simple and effective. It really paints the picture of the small cold cottage coming alive because of those who love there. ( that’s a typo, meant to write live…but will leave it as love because that is more fitting….)
ReplyDeleteA few more weeks until the return of the light.
ReplyDeleteLovely writing, John, the cottage waiting for you and the dogs to bring the light.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if word is going round the local cats that there will be a joyful home ready for one of their fraternity very soon?
Our house felt very empty and quiet last winter after we lost our old dog......it didn't really feel like home. However, we have recently adopted a pair of rescue dogs, and the house feels like a home again. x
ReplyDeleteLovely post, very evocative ... perhaps more so because I can picture you in each of the rooms bringing the house to life.
ReplyDelete