Going Gently

What Makes Us Human?

I heard Melvin Bragg talking in about this subject in an essay of his, that he read out on the radio.
His take on it is that humans have and hold dear and indeed cultivate friendships.
I think he is right.
Animals have companions.Companions that they live with, play with and spend time with but they don't have friendships. Friendships are quintessentially a human phenomenon .
A dear friend of mine has just received some life changing news.
He was stoic, and typically cavalier about the whole thing but did show the real emotions behind the mask of ok-ness when I pushed him gently.
I have known him twenty years or so and I am glad to be able to stand in his corner now, as he would do in mine if the tables were turned.
That's what friends do.
My best friend Nu, picked up on my upset and waded in with some support of her own. It was a brief phone call. I had been washing Mary's " Mary" in the kitchen sink and she was still outside St Paul's basking in the Late afternoon London sunshine , but in a few words I too felt supported at a time of reflection and unhappiness.
That's the strength of the chain of friendship me thinks.
Each link supporting the next.
That's the power of friendship.
And that's what makes us human

For One Night Only

I forgot to blog today, and only just realised when I went on line to see what movies were playing in the local cinemas.
The weather is damp and its dark and miserable outside, and the woodburner has made the cottage all cosy, so instead of going out I am having a night off with weightwatchers and have planned an evening with some fatty nibbles , an energising face mask, a pair of fluffy slippers and a great South Korean zombie movie!

I'm easily pleased!

Cobwebs

Cobwebs needed to be blown away today. And the view from the Gop was indeed lovely

Thinking of an old Sheffield friend this afternoon...with much love

Relationships With A Tom Cat

The Prof is away until Sunday.

I am all alone till then.

Today I shall meet my Sister in Law for lunch as it's her birthday. Then I shall go and see the new Blade Runner movie.( even though I never really liked the original)

If the weather improves the shrubs in the back garden need pruning and I've promised a neighbour to do a few errands.....errands that need physical effort and brute force

George is not himself and has been restless all night. He only settled when I took him to bed and allowed him to sleep with his head on the Prof's pillow.

He's an old Scotty Dog now.

Albert is off colour too. He's vomited mice bits all over the Prof's office overnight and is now " resting" gently on our bed watching the bachelors as they fight for the top spot on the hen house roof in the Ukrainian Village

Uncharacteristically , Mary has been somewhat gentle and attentive and has sat meekly by his side as he recooperates.

She licked the wax out of his ears for an age, a practice that seems to settled his stomach. and refused to leave him when I called her for a walk.

Her loyalty has surprised me, as Albert main doggy relationship has always been with Winnie.

Winnie being the fat fickle diva that she is, is presently rubbing her fanny on the side of the living room bookcase.

Note to self: go and find the kitchen roll and some squirty cleaner

Quiet Desperation

Sad Lives Dimsdale as the thwarted Doctor Astrov

Who was it that said we all live our lives in quiet desperation ?
It was someone famous I am sure.....someone here will no doubt let me know the answer.
With the Prof away working all week, Me and a friend went to see Theatre Clwyd's production of Uncle Vanya last night.
It's been an absolute age since I've seen any Chekhov and last night's production did not disappoint even though the subject matter was rather melancholy.
Uncle Vanya portrays a dysfunctional family living a desperate life on a decaying country estate. Bitter, resentful and disappointed with lives not lived, the family bicker and spar as their hopes for a better life ebb and flow away.
Last night's production was set in the studio theatre, which means that the audience up front and personal with the performers, so it was easy to see the quality of the acting on show. Rosie Sheehy as the tragic but valliant Sonya and Oliver Dimsdale as doctor Astrov being standouts in an excellent cast.

Cheats

Years ago now I had the opportunity to live in the pretty seaside town of Southport for half a year. I rented my little house in Sheffield to a Cliff Richard loving support worker and moved into a Victorian nurses home just out of town and enjoyed a salaried time completing a certificates in Spinal Injury Nursing and in teaching and assessing.

I also got involved with a guy on another course who like me was away from his home city.

The only difference with him was that he went home at weekends and I stayed in Southport or went to see family or friends.

Now I share this information because blog reader Andrea sent me a photo of this Pittsburgh rehabilitation centre that was one of several I visited whilst I was on this course at Southport. The connections made there led to some valuable nursing experience in and around the city of Pittsburgh, a city of great charm, I thought at the time

Anyhow I digress -back to my new boyfriend whom I shall call James.

James was funny, handsome and unexpectedly swept me off my fairly inexperienced gay feet without too much trouble. I had only just come out so was flattered by all of the attention, so missed the fact that every weekend he went home!

It transpired that he went home to his fiancé.

When I eventually found this out, I finished our relationship immediately even though James was quite happy to keep things going and I remember being flabbergasted by the apparent ease of his cheating nature even on the eve of his own wedding!

There are always people in this world that cheat.

I am happy not to be one of them.

Tell me your cheating story!

A Normal Monday

I've just made a batch of pea soup and a pot of meatballs smothered with a tomato sauce....all from scratch, this mindless act of basic cookery seems to be the highlight of the day
The low point was getting stung on the stomach by a wasp in the dog food aisle of Tescos.
That hurt like a bastard!
It's weird because I've hardly seen a single wasp for a few years
Mary is in season, a fact which seems to have set Winnie's masturbatory juices going ten to the dozen.