Booming Banter

Today all over the world mental health is getting lots of attention. Not so long ago this was a subject few people talked about or admitted suffering from. It was fine to have a heart attack but you couldn’t have a broken one.

Today, thanks to high profile people like the younger members of the Royal Family, it is a high profile subject.

It’s fair to say that the seed for this change was sown by Princess Diana when she spoke of the issues she faced linked to the separation of her parents and later her postpartum depression and eating disorders. What a brave and special person she was.

Today people are encouraged to speak out about how they are feeling. Some of us are blessed to have friends who will listen to anything we have to share. Some of us reciprocate.

For those who find it hard to share with another person there is always the chance to talk to a beloved pet. They listen so well and give such good advice. Being out with them is such great therapy and all that unconditional love is the very best medicine.

So amongst all the posts that were circulating today on the subject of mental health the one that touched me most was about the positive impact and importance dogs make on the lives of  homeless people.  Puppy Power provides so many benefits it’s got to be up there among our greatest gifts!

Blessing #485 – Compassionate Companions

Being another fine day it was a good occasion to put up the outdoor Halloween decorations.

They live in the garage on a shelf surrounded by a lot of other clutter mostly of the Christmas kind.

if your garage is anything like ours then you can picture the scene that you need rock climbing gear to access such areas as they are surrounded by bikes, buckets, brushes and boxes bulging with junk of bewildering bounty.

Down came the witches broom, a few skeletons some roses dripping in blood and the scary moaning deadly reaper before I got to my favorite two squishy plastic rats and the big light up sign that reads what else but BOO!

Well that was where I uncovered an unexpected gift of the sort that would make the best of you scream.

Wrapped around the BOO was part of a snake skin. Now don’t get me wrong not the sort that shoes and purses are made from. Oh dear me no this was the real McCoy. A skin that some rather large creepy critter had left for just for us.

Once the BOO was on the ground and Krishna was called to look out lest I get fanged a few more skeletons were dragged from the shelf. It was then that the full extent of the scale of the beast became apparent. This thing must be six feet long.

Way back at the beginning of the summer Aaron had said he’d seen a snake in the garage but we never could find it.

Let’s hope it is long gone and hasn’t taken up residence or worse still had a family!

So ironic that it choose the Halloween decor though to leave it’s trace.

Blessing # 484 – Seasonal Surprises

Scooby is coming along by leaps and bounds. LOTS of leaps and bounds. Endless energy and happy as a clam racing round the house like a greyhound and high jumping onto sofas and tables!

He also has learned that calls of nature must be taken on the grass. He is great at holding on but he got us up at midnight to go for a pee.

Well of course he and Dad were soon snoring but not me. Took me a good hour to nod off again.

At 5:30 the phone rang. School was delayed by two hours because of thick fog. So unexpectedly the lost hour of sleep was recovered nicely.

The fog was still thick at seven when Scooby needed out again and stayed that way till close to ten.

It then moved off to reveal the most beautiful of fall days. Blue skies and mild temperatures.

After six weeks in the body shop the fog on my accident also lifted and my car was ready to bring home. It looks perfect and pristine.

Once the car was safely tucked into its usual place in the garage Scooby and I took advantage of the great day and walked for a long time.

The young man is getting used to fast moving objects including squirrels, birdies, bicycles and joggers and loves meeting all his doggie pals. He had a face to face today with two deer and neither seemed the least concerned by the other.

The local UPS driver stopped us to ask what breed Scooby is. He said he looked just like Benji the star of many a movie. Well a quick google proved he was spot on. Who knows maybe we have the curtain rising on a leading man! Regardless he’s a great goofy gift!

Blessing # 483 – Fog Lifting

As we have crinkled till we’re crunchy the topic for the next few weeks will be GIFTS.

There are different ways to look at this. Gifts may be material, innate or spiritual. If you can think of others suggestions they are most welcome.

Madonna would be proud that to start with were hitting material! Specifically the worst gift ever!

Do you remember yours? Is there something that sticks out in your mind as a huge disappointment?

This may sound ungrateful and of course it is but it’s funny too!

At Christmas 1976 I’d been dating my then boyfriend for about six months. Truthfully I cannot recall what I got him as a gift. Probably aftershave or something equally cheap and cheerful.

Being the eternal optimist I was anticipating something similar like a bottle of scent or maybe a little piece of silver as Is just had my ears pierced!

Well sure enough on Christmas Eve along came the lad with a nicely wrapped little box of a promising size. He said he wanted to give me something thoughtful and personal. My eyes were like saucers!!!

Not for long though! When I opened it what did I find but an a little electric razor!! Horror of horrors and worse still the reaction of my mother!

What the **** is that for she yelled at me as soon as he was out of sight! You’re not starting to shave your legs my lady mark my words you’ll regret it! It was like I was about to embark on a career in the red light district!

Poor chap was doing his best to come up with something special and had paid good money for the gift too but it was such a disappointment I actually lied when people asked me what I got and told them I got bubble bath and body lotion.

Well that would sorta fits with the principle of getting a silky smoother you too!

Blessing # 482 – Expectations

Crinklies remember the years when the milkman came to each house and left pints of the white stuff in glass bottles on the doorstep.  Once the bottles were empty they were collected when the fresh milk was delivered and reused many times.

The practice almost entirely disappeared until just recently when, in a bid to reduce plastic waste, it was revitalized in of all places the trendsetting big smoke of London.

There is something fresh, premium and appealing about products packed in glass. For the manufacturers though it poses challenges to make sure there are no glass chips in the bottles and no safety risks to staff on the line.

Just a few years ago we’d have doubted that the old glass milk bottle would ever return but this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

We see more and more shops popping up selling grains and pulses, nuts and candy by weight rather than prepackaged. You can bring your own jar and use it again and again.

Microbreweries with beer in bottles are the in place for a night out not to mention farmers markets for weekend warriors rather than the ancient hippy.

Whats next? Well maybe the easiest way to predict is look back. Eating seasonally? Eating less? Cooking from scratch? Growing what you eat? Or horror of horrors eating offal?

Will there be a return to the village or the corner store where you got your steps by walking to get what you needed? Will the high street with butcher baker and candle stick maker make a takeover from the takeaway?

It all sounds so wholesome and quaint. Will we be willing to pay for it though or risk loosing the convenience of the one stop shop?

In the meantime ……………….

Blessing # 481 – Retroretailiation

Last night I was looking up a song on YouTube to send to a dear girlfriend who is in hospital. The song is by a British group called The Real Thing and is titled You To Me Are Everything.

It was a hit in the 1970s when crinklies were young and “innocent”. On one occasion while on summer vacation on the Isle of Man my friend and I, along with another dear pal, went to see the group in concert. We were wild!!!

It was a great evening that still stays in our minds to this day. Hot summer weather, lots of beer and even some dancing on the tables!

The thought of it always Makes Me Smile and so it was coincidental that in searching for the first song I came across another one of my very favorite of the era by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel called what else but MAKE ME SMILE.

If you fancy a little gig this weekend look up both these ditties and dance like a crazy crinkly.

Smiles cost nothing as this little poem shared by yet another friend earlier this week so clearly states. They mean so much though!

Sing too because no matter how you sound even if you are as bad as me on the vocals you’ll surely make someone smile. For better or for worse!!!!

Remember also that all those crinkles around the eyes and cheeks are the reward and the reminder of years of laughter and happiness spent with friends we love and cherish so much.

Blessing # 480 – Songs and Smiles

We’ve had several occasions recently when we all look at each other, as you do when that sulphury rotten eggs aroma drifts into the room, and asked who poofed? It’s about the only thing that Crinklies get better at!

Suspicion turned however to the new and youngest member of the family who made no denial. Instead he investigated and cleared his record.

Scooby has found the entry point of Stink Bugs into our house. It’s the chimney! He has also uncovered their hiding place. It’s behind the TV beside the chimney!

The boy was well named proving his detective skills are sound!

Since Scooby arrived we have seen a notable increase in these pests. Usually each Autumn we’ll see a couple a week this year we’ve been seeing a couple a day. He’s rooting them out!

Correct me if I’m wrong but these wretched insects have no redeeming features. They are ugly as sin, they wreck havoc on all sorts of crops from fruit to corn and trees. Worst of all they really stink and they are shriveled like the crinkliest crinkly.

They are indigenous to China and Japan and made it to the USA only in the 1990s but they’ve made inroads all throughout the northern half of the country with devastating effects on crops.

Everyone knows that you shouldn’t try to swat them or they’ll release their horrid odor everyone that is except Scooby. He’s ready to eat them if he get the chance.

So it is that cries of STINK BUG have been going off regularly followed by a chase to catch without crushing them.

Right now it worse around here than the day after Christmas when the effects of the Turkey and Brussel Sprouts overpower even then strongest scented candle!

Fortunately no guests are expected for a week or two by then the air should have cleared!

Blessing #479 – Letting Go

Down by our letterbox there is a spreading conifer. It is a dear little plant because it just does what it’s meant to do. It spreads without any efforts on our part. It’s a bit old and crinkly but still robust.

A few weeks ago a little bluish violet flower appeared. It was growing on a vine that had wrapped itself around some branches of the conifer.

Here we have this dreadful thing caused poison ivy that causes a terrible rash and a little rhyme that says « leaves of three let the be ». The vine has a trident like leaf so I let it be and low and behold we now have a carpet of beautiful flowers.

They bloom in the morning and then crinkle up before noon. New flowers appear the next morning. And each day there seem to be more of them.

Turns out they are aptly named Morning Glory. A little birdie must have sown them and they have been a joy these past weeks.

The color of the flower is beautiful and the vine really knows how to take care of itself.

It simply wrapped itself up tight to something strong and well established and has waited for it’s time to shine.

Each day more buds appear and at this time of year when everything is turning rusty we have a vibrant contrast amongst our evergreen.

Bet if I’d planted the seed it wouldn’t have done nearly so well. You just gotta trust nature. Even if it’s the end of the season there is still the chance to shine if you are prepared to be patient.

Who knows what lies ahead even if it’s autumn!

Blessing # 478 – Late Bloomers

There is a heat wave happening here such as has never been seen. Yesterday and today were temperatures for the record books. At 33C or 91F it is scorching and feels like mid July. For this Crinkly it feels just great. Perfect warm mornings and evenings too to take young Scooby for his constitutionals. A tad too hot midday though for a long outing!

Usually around this time of year Crinklies of the northern parts of the USA pack their bags and head south. Like the swallows who head in the same direction they are fondly known as snow birds.

This is not a recent phenomenon for the rich and famous like Ernest Hemingway who took to the keys to write. Based on what he came up with it would seem it’s good for mind as well as the soul. Not sure how his body faired though maybe a few too many cocktails.

Today many people can afford to take off  and some of our friends have even taken things a step further and have moved for good to Florida. They’ll have fun times for sure. Golf and swimming all year round. No grey days, no ice, no blisteringly cold winds.

Right now it’s not for us with Aaron still in school but who knows what we’ll do in years to come.

While the heat could become oppressive it sure does warm the bones. In the meantime we’ll enjoy soup and stew and Santa season with snow!

Blessing # 477 – Indian Summers

Scooby has discovered his reflection in the mirror in our bedroom. He doesn’t yet know that it’s himself.

When he’s up close to it he paws at the mirror in a playful fashion. When he’s standing on the bed though he goes berserk. Growling and barking ready to attack.

It’s OK of course when things are dark at night but such behavior is not at all conducive to afternoon naps.

So it was that this afternoon the mirror was covered and this did the trick no barking and good napping!

It got me thinking though of times past in Ireland when someone passed away. Many rituals were followed including the draping of mirrors with a linen cloth for three days and clocks would be stopped too. Very spooky and strange. Something to do with souls departing this world for the next.

Anyway this train of thought brought me as things often do to my Mom and how she would have had that linen ironed until it was as flat as a pancake and shining.

I’ve shared before she ironed everything in site. Crinkles were definitely not her thing. Underpants, socks, vest, towels, sheets, you name it she ironed it.

Seems the passion for decrinkling developed early. She would iron as a girl to help her mother with the mountains that needed to be done for her many brothers and sisters.

She never referred to it as ironing though it was Smoothing instead. She’d take off to the kitchen of an evening once the news was over and simple say “I’m away to smooth” Such a lovely word smooth and a great antonym for Crinkle too.

Maybe after a days work my Mom just wanted a little time to herself or found joy in the beauty of the pile of cleaned pressed clothes that were the outcome of her efforts

Often she tried to inculcate in me this love of smoothing. She failed. She bought me an ironing board once thinking my household was incomplete without one.

My tactic is different. Iron only what is seen and keep that to an absolute minimum. Before you buy check clothing’s crinkle capacity. If it crinkles stop and seek something supple! Pity it doesn’t work for all wrinkles!!!!

Blessing #476 –  Lines of Reasoning