Goodness, it's been quiet since they all went away. We haven't even seen the Edinburgh family for a few days because the other grandparents have been staying and we like to allow them their turn in peace. But Daughter 2's hyacinths are blooming beautifully (thank you) - I so love the scent of hyacinths.
Mr L and I took ourselves for a walk along the river. It was pretty wintry-looking, though not cold.
We visited the Modern Art Gallery, where we didn't look at the art but did have a coffee in the cafe
and then walked out again, past the Landform, where no children were playing.
We've chatted to Littlest on the phone.
How amazing we people of last century would have found it to be able to see people we were phoning! I remember that in discussions of the outlandish future possibilities of this, people used to say: what if you were phoned up and you were still in your pyjamas? or the house was a mess? We were envisioning a huge tv on the wall, like Big Brother, I think.
And while going through my mum's stuff (yes, this is the year, 6 years after her death, when I'm going to sort it out) I found this photo of my father's mother, whom I never really knew, since she moved to the south of England when I was about five. Here she is at 71, only three years older than I am now. She looks older than me, to my eyes, but possibly I'm fooling myself. (Maybe it's the hat.) Sadly she developed dementia a few years later. We did see her a few times after she moved south, but travelling was more difficult then and she didn't really have much of a part of our lives. Which is sad.
And I've spent two sessions in the garden, cutting things down and admiring the snowdrops which are bravely pushing through with their promise of spring.
It's been difficult for me to adjust to the quiet after my 2 1/2 with Ashley and Ryan around. I loved having company! So, you don't care for modern art either? ;) It's difficult to judge age, but I do think that relatives from the past looked much older than we do now. Harder lives? Less healthy diets?
ReplyDelete2 1/2 weeks, I should have written. Oops!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to stop reading your blog. I get homesick every time I read it. The river picture killed me this time. Memories. I think our grandmothers looked lots older than we do. Mine was only three years older than I am now when she died. Possibly I'm fooling myself too though. Isn't it funny about being able to see each other now? Like you, I remember when we used to just speculate about it and the thought seemed impossible -- now it's so ordinary LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy, keeping in touch via the internet! A friend told me a funny story. She regularly Skyped her grandchild and when she made a surprise visit, the little one looked amazed turned tail and ran into the living room, opened the computer and called “Grandma Joey, Grandma Joey!”. Grandma Jioey wasn’t supposed to walk through doors, but appear on screen! Aren’t they delicious!
ReplyDeleteAs a person of this century, I'm wishing I'd put away those pans on the hob... They were at least clean.
ReplyDeleteSorry, my sweet!
DeleteIt's ok. I don't think your readers are judgey.
DeletePeople of last century and earlier did look older because they dressed and acted older than we do now. Joanna Lumley ( who is the same age as I) says she 'doesn't know how to do old' and I feel that is true of most of us nowadays. So stay cheery and enjoy being older and wiser!
ReplyDeleteIt does seen unfair that we hardly knew some of the people whose DNA we are carrying around with us. My paternal grandmother died when I was six. She came to the seaside with us once and I was walking along holding her hand and asked her how old my daddy was. I was really miffed when she artfully avoided giving me the information by saying he was as old as his tongue and a little bit older than his teeth. And by the way, her husband, my paternal grandfather, was dead before I was born. I only learned in recent years that he went to university in Edinburgh! Small world....
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