Tuesday 18 February 2014

A Bit of This and a Bit of That.



    I walked unaided across the hydro pool this week. I know its only small  and the water supports you but this was the first time  I've walked unaided for many months. Some fool didn't bother to unlock the lift that goes from the underground car park up to the theatre. ( I do theatre review for a free paper when I can.) It made life very difficult indeed. Abled bodied people often don't consider the disabled. I must confess I didn't until my present dilemma. It's survival of the fittest in this world I'm afraid.
    The play I reviewed was The Odyssey; Greek mythology and all that. For the first fifteen minutes I was mystified. Which brought home to me how ignorant we often are. (I didn't do Greek at school, only Latin.) I reckon I have taken in a million trillionth of the worlds knowledge to date. I'd better hurry up with my reading, times running out!
    My mind is so taxed nowadays, what with the lack of mobility and the lack of sleep. I spend hours pondering the daftest of things. Why, for instance does this cat that has adopted us lick my toes and more ominously, bite, yes bite my fingers. Is it affection or is it trying to eat me! I honestly reckon it doesn't know it's a cat. (Called Mo because it runs everywhere, Cat on occasion, and Crackers because everyone says  'That cats Crackers!'  And why are my dreams so repetitive, like a stuck record in a juke box. I think about it on waking. Now of course I dream about dreams repeating themselves and stuck records!
    I\we spend most of our time at doctors, dentists and hospitals. (Physio alone takes up four afternoons (My wife attends a class mainly attended by ageing heart patients. It is not true they study embalming and flower arranging for funerals on alternate weeks. Ah, the joys of getting old!
    I have not forgotten the future post concerning 'A Day in the Life of ' (See last weeks post.) I have a date in mind in the next few days. I was intrigued with the comments made concerning my 'plans'. It is fascinating to read of other peoples lives and how they/we see ourselves. In the last blog I remarked that I am convinced everything we ever do, however small is stored forever in our 'minds.' I am indebted to
 rhymeswithplague for enclosing this poem by Noel Coward. He thinks exactly as I do, but so eloquently. That's why he was famous. Me, even the postman delivers my mail elsewhere! (rhymeswithplagues blog is well worth a visit, as are all those who took the trouble to comment.)
       
Nothing is Lost
by Noel Coward

Deep in our sub-conscious, we are told
Lie all our memories, lie all the notes
Of all the music we have ever heard
And all the phrases those we loved have spoken,
Sorrows and losses time has since consoled,
Family jokes, out-moded anecdotes
Each sentimental souvenir and token
Everything seen, experienced, each word
Addressed to us in infancy, before
Before we could even know or understand
The implications of our wonderland.
There they all are, the legendary lies
The birthday treats, the sights, the sounds, the tears
Forgotten debris of forgotten years
Waiting to be recalled, waiting to rise
Before our world dissolves before our eyes
Waiting for some small, intimate reminder,
A word, a tune, a known familiar scent
An echo from the past when, innocent
We looked upon the present with delight
And doubted not the future would be kinder
And never knew the loneliness of night.

"Nothing is Lost" by Noel Coward from Collected Verse. © Graywolf Press, 2007.
     One other thought in this 'hotch potch' of a post. Reading this post I am reminded of poetry in relation to my school days. I can remember only one poem by heart. (Go on then, fifteen lines of it) Its called 'The Ice Cart by  Wilfred Gibson. How strange  that this poem has been retrieved  from the dark recesses of my mind by reference to Noel Cowards poem. And why, I wonder , have I remembered this poem. Were  any of you, I wonder, given poems to learn as a homework or a punishment at school. And have any of you remembered a poem from school, for any reason. One last thing. This post, this 'hotch potch' of a post Reminds me of the saying 'Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible. (Old ones amongst you, explain to the 'young ins' where these words came from.} Which in turn reminds me of Arthur English and his immortal words!

'I dunno what the devil I'm talking about
Play the music! Open the cage!

(Arthur English's words are very apt. The change in format etc is accidental, due to my lack of computer skills. Will revert back to normal when I fathom what I've done! ****, ****, Apple systems!)




3 comments:

Valerie said...

Congratulations, Ken. Walking with aids is a good sign for a brighter future.

Bitchy said...

Congrats on the step forward, baby steps in recovery and baby steps in life leads us all to where we are to go.
I study greek mythology in college and one of my favorite lines has always been from Socrates or maybe Plato. "All but the strangest animal of them all." Referring to us humans. That line has always stuck in my mind and I find myself using it often, especially When I sit for a moment and watch humans mill around either mindlessly or with a goal. Watch people go any where and just watch and you also will see we are strange .
Now as far a disabled, well my grandmother was physically handicapped (polio) and she was one of the smartest strongest person I have ever known on this plant. I never seen her want the world to change for her but instead she adapted (in her own way) to her world. On another note I am the person who parks away from everyone else so someone who might not be able to get around good can have that closer parking spot. I was the person in school that you had to get through me to touch or torment one of the mentally handicapped kids. I guess what I am saying is even though I have never had to deal with what others call a handicap I have always been aware of them and will put myself in a position so they can have abetter day. My Gran called it manners and responsibility. I call it trying to being a better human.

I will leave you with a funny, a poem my mother wrote with me in first grade:

In the fall I have a ball
The gang and I play football.
We roll in the leaves that fall from the trees
and that what I love about fall. : D

Robert Smith said...

When I was but a small boy and dragged up by wacky Grandma she used to say:

When I die,
Please do not cry
For I will leave you riches.
A knife, a fork,
A cabbage stalk
And a pair of mouldy breeches!