Category: Personal

Old places

Last time I was in the U.K. I spent some time in the New Forest. Wild ponies.

I didn’t return to my childhood school, but the places where we lived in Northbourne gave rise to memory. Walking to the local store, down by the river with my uncles, the pub frequented by dad and uncle.

There is a quietness of the chill air.

In summer, my nan sat in the yard, bathing in the sun, a little bold perhaps.

But the neighbors are gone now, too.

Sometimes, returning to old places, the ones from our childhood the most, destroys the dream.

Incompatible with flesh

The spirit is incompatible with the flesh. New wine in old wine skins.

It came upon me when I prayed that day some 30 years ago, something from above, something that could not be uttered. Its tingling sensation combined with a shiver. Voluntary versus involuntary. I had no control.

I can’t understand that feeling that fell on me, part flesh, part mind. Not graspable. Something heavenly, something strange and awesome.

The Milky Way rumbles.

Prudence

Dear Prudence…

A phrase that was quoted by Twain and others is “better to be thought a fool and keep your mouth shut than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” (paraphrase)

In my personal life, this is a recent discovery 8^). I mean, I have encountered in debate with a friend, to wait and see what he says first.

I am also learning about how this relates to having proper boundaries. If you don’t keep your distance, you can end up full of emotion and lacking logic. Thinking meta.

Observing others goes hand-in-hand with respect for them as well. This leads to respective debate.

Bermuda Citizen Number One

Larger than life.

At the Royal Bermuda Yacht club, Charles lifted his whisky again and let loose some blue language. Then with that twinkle in his eye flirted with my mother. He had just returned from the Arctic sailing trip with Warren “War Baby” Brown and was once again the center of attention in Hamilton.
Continue reading “Bermuda Citizen Number One”

Merry Christmas!

It’s the calm of the storm, before the relatives get here. The little Xmas mice are diligently working making the cheese plates. The presents (yes there are presents for adults this year) are scintillating in the white light of the Christmas tree. I pull out my pipe and sit in my leather chair drinking Christmas whisky. Piles of books I have not yet read. Homemade mince tarts. Peace and grace.

Out of Order

So typing with one hand is not impossible, but the flow of words is slower.

Anyway, I’ve still been making notes while I read. That’s what I always do. I go through old articles or books and see notes for which I don’t remember the context. I also have the stack of papers wherein I have a lot of my ideas for articles.

Some of these are not good either, but sounded good at the time. I think it coincides with those “great ideas at night.” Though I have tried, through writing them down, to stop forgetting those, that still happens.

But my activities being a little more sequestered, I am thinking more long-term. I hope to bring some of those projects online soon.

I have my first doctor’s follow-up this afternoon.