Friday, December 4, 2009

Not a Weekly Ramble

I’m just going to go with the flow see what comes out so be prepared and if you see this post twice it's because I can't fathom the "also post to," feature on Multiply lol.

If you were my friend - oh yeah that’s right YOU ARE! but then so is Mary L in England. Actually, she probably thinks we are not any more as it is almost 6 months since I put pen to paper for her.
There is a 2 page letter sitting in my “letters” file just waiting for a “well this is it for now catchya later and don‘t forget to write soon, love Bev” ending but I can’t be bothered to even open it. Sorry Mary but I will get to it promise. Yes I’m so bad but I do feel guilty about it truly I do.
Mary, is the only person I know without a computer.

My son wrote me at Facebook a few weeks ago; his opening sentence was to ask if there is any mental illness in our family! I thought, isn’t there in every family? It set me to thinking about my mother who suffered post natal depression of and on for years.
She had 8 pregnancies but only 7 live births. That’s enough to send anyone “round the bend” I reckon.
In those days it wasn’t diagnosed as such and she was put through the most barbaric treatments. I’m sorry I didn’t know what the matter with her was, we were too young and mental illness was spoken of in whispers and behind closed doors; we just thought she was nuts…no not really

Anyway I’m worried about my boy in England. If you were to read his statements on Facebook you’d think he was having a fine life and coping with the stresses of his job etc but now I wonder if maybe he’s just putting on a brave face but I’m here and he is there, what can I do!

We completed the living room redecorations this week. The rooms look good too all that’s left is a bit of “fine tuning,“ and the main curtains.
I’m stumped for a colour but never being one to rush into anything it can wait. Hey Karen was I always so patient? No, no photos until I have the drapes okay
The first day of summer this week dawned grey and miserable and today I’m back in winter wear…at the moment there is a shawl over my shoulders and I remind myself of Nanny who used to carry babies on her back cradled in a blanket; you will have seen pictures of womenfrom many countries doing the same thing…what a woman, she’d be out there in the kumara patch or digging potatoes with one or other of my siblings asleep on her back.
I don’t remember being carried like this and I wonder, how did she managed when there were 2 and then 3 of us for her to look after?

I have had a poem sitting here for months. Actually it’s in 2 parts so maybe it’s two poems? that is the problem i.e. is it one or is it two poems.
As one poem it maybe too long and as two poems I can't seem to make them meld. Every time I look at it I wonder, one or two? shall I add another verse perhaps and then oh hell I close it down to think about another day when I might be struck by, oh i don't know, a solution would be good!
Yes, I’m in a quandary but what does it really matter and who but me cares anyhow!

My garden is going great guns…oh that’s right, NO, it’s not, how quickly one forgets.
I was out there admiring the cucumbers the other day which up til then had been going “great guns” when I discovered one had been decapitated at ground level…then the next day another one was wilting also having been cut off at ground level! So okay what caused it? Some grub no doubt.
I wonder if it’s too late to plant more. I love growing them and Brian eats them until the “wind” doth blow and it gets abit malodorous around here LOL

I tried to reverse into a tight spot the other day…(it‘s amazing what my little Rav can do) I’m sure I could have managed it with no trouble at all but have to admit I probably wouldn’t have been able to open the doors (roars with laughter) Brian stopped me. He’s such a spoil sport.
There’s a wee scrape on the car door but nothing that can’t be removed with a bit of wet and dry. It’s MY car after all.

3 comments:

JBinford-Bell said...

About 12 years ago a friend of mine living in Hawaii sent me a letter to tell me she was no longer communicating by snail mail and I best get on the internet. If Hawaii had internet so must my tiny corner of New Mexico. It Just had it. But I got on line and the rest is history. No more letter writing.

Interestingly she now lives next door and we still e-mail each other.

Gophers can eat things off at ground level. Actually they eat the roots off so nothing holds up the plant. Hope you don't have gophers.

I always wondered about the women that chose to be "constantly" pregnant. It is possible they were "self-medicating" with their own hormones to avoid post pregnancy depression.

As to your son, I think we all from time to time think we are losing it. Especially in the 30's. It is a wonder I made it through those years frankly. And probably wouldn't have without various 12 step groups.

And the poem. Maybe it is three. Like part one, part two and a part three. You see them from time to time broken up by Roman numerals. Maybe you need to write a part two to make one and three work. Just a thought.

Going to stop. My comment is almost as long as the blog.

Intelliblog said...

Hi Bev,
Interesting to read about the comment made by your son regarding mental illness. Amazing how int he past people carried on and bore immense burdens even though mentally ill. Nowadays where there is increased awareness and in many cases good drug treatments, it can make such a difference in a person's life. I have a friend who suffered from depression and after being diagnosed and now on appropriate medication, can lead a normal life.

In terms of your poem, don't think about it and just write. Coming back to it after a while will sort out what it is. the revision will make it one or two or three, as Jacqui says.

We have been getting some lovely raint hat garden is grateful for. Trouble is the beans I planted have been suffering somewhat. I think they drowned. I must have planted about one kilo of seeds and there are only about a dozen plants coming up. the other day I saw a bird digging up a seed and eating it! Cheeky bounder!

heatherbelle said...

I have a very close family friend who suffered post natal depression back in the 70's and she was admitted to what one called then, the asylum. Her treatment was far worse than the disease and she has never been the same since.
My four week stint as a psych patient saw some horrible things as in those days they were still using the more barbaric procedures for treating the mentally ill.
Thankfully we have come some way when we are dealing with mental disease. Even that we are prepared to talk about it is great progress.

As for letter writing...what's that?
No seriously, I was never any good at it even when it was the done thing.