Wednesday 9 March 2011

Nothing doing

Posting from Gloomsville. Misery loves company, so I'm being companionable....


I don't know about you, but this is the deadest time for me; nothing, but nothing, is happening. Life is monotonous. If I had hibernated, I couldn't have chosen a worse time to emerge from my pile of leaves, and even crocuses in huge drifts in the Dene aren't uplifting for long.

It's not just dull; it's depressing. All the news is bad; the Coalition Government of Doom and Despair has nothing promising to tell us. The television is just as bad - apart from Masterchef, my weekly tonic - and even that studenty-looking professor's riveting programme about the Universe became unbearably gloomy as the death of stars was described in lingering detail. Even if it is gazillions of centuries away, the prospect of the slow, inevitable death of our universe is deeply dispiriting. Flossie agrees.


I'm tired, and bored, winter-grey and overweight. I tried a low-fat diet programme, one which has the pounds falling off in barrowloads from people who eat chips, and pies, and pizza. Nothing happened. Oh, not quite true: my hands became papery-dry, crackling wickedly if I rubbed them together; I could have struck sparks from them. Not a pound was lost, though. I've given up dieting for Lent.

Some people came to look at the house the other day, but I knew before they did (on opening the front door to them, in fact) that it wouldn't be for them - aspiring 30-somethings, expensive glossy black car, perfectly made-up young woman with designer-clad baby, who would have stuck out a mile in our somewhat unpolished Bacteria Gardens.

The appalling mud is lessening in the parks, after several days without rain, but the river lures a certain someone in, searching for sticks caught in the banks, and she comes home as muddy as ever, and smelling rather Ouseburny, i.e. drainy.


She has taken to looking out of windows, leaving large nose marks. The sun has shone, revealing that my eco-conscious window-cleaning with white vinegar hasn't been altogether successful; streaks and nose-dabs are everywhere.


I got out some elderly knitting, and promptly made a major error that I didn't notice fast enough to remedy. I've stuffed it back in the basket again, in case Sandra, chief knitting-rescuer, sees it and sighs in despair. It's only a beginner's pattern, too.

And my right index finger, the one that got trapped in the front door years ago, and has developed a knobble on the first knuckle, is so painful..... I know I'm ageing when not only do I have a knobbly knuckle, but I can tell myself that I "shouldn't bother the doctor".

Thought: If I were a pet, my owner would probably be wondering if it was time to have me put to sleep.

....Now there's a galvanising thought! Begone, gloom, doom, self-pity and a tendency to slump on the sofa and watch deeply-depressing rolling news. Out into the fresh air! Brisk walking, a brisk talking-to (telling yourself off can be quite helpful, and allows you to say painfully-true things that you'd never forgive your friends for uttering), and a brisk stiff-upper-lip attitude might be just what's needed to get through these last days of winter and into Spring. It has to get better, doesn't it?


And thank goodness for daffodils, and that very loud blackbird who likes to get a start on the dawn chorus at 3.30 every morning; a bit too early, but oh, the experimental trills and whistles, the joyousness in every note!



I feel better already. Off to finish off the baking for this afternoon's visitors. And to wipe nose marks off the windows.

22 comments:

the veg artist said...

a. Don't watch the news. It's bad for you.
b. Low-fat food should be banned. Seriously, brains need fats. Well known cause of depression!
c. Snap - I have a gammy first knuckle on my right-hand index finger, had it for 30yrs+.
d. Muddy dog, flowers, your home = all beautiful. Those who don't 'get' it don't deserve it (although you would probably accept the cheque!).

Tim Atkinson said...

I love the glass in that window, too... the one behind the chair!

judy in ky said...

You have a talent for making even a gloomy, glum mood read like a story. A nicely illustrated story as well. I love your description of the 30-ish couple with the designer baby. I'll bet they have their gloomy days too.

Lucille said...

I am in a bit of a pit myself. Not like me really. This has been the darkest winter since 1957 - that has to have something to do with it surely?

Lesley said...

Well done for beating back the gloom. It can be hard to do cant it? Daffs and dogs are great for that tho. What about good news? The bloke who won £1.46m on a £2 accumulator at Exeter yesterday for example. Not a seasoned gambler, just a 60 year old bloke who got a free ticket and took the bus to get there. Or the fact that Sheffield Wednesday won away last night.....oh, hang on, forgot that sort of "good news" doesnt work for everyone....he he he.

Chin up chuck and keep up the good work.

Lesley xx

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Might I suggest a yoghurt pot or similar for Flossie to wear on her nose? She might not immediately enjoy the experience, but at least it might make you laugh, if only for the short time it would take her to remove it! :o)

Arthur Ransome said...

Greetings from Scotland! I'd only just found your wonderful blog the other day so I started with your dishwasher post and have been (almost desperately) waiting for another. I can understand the gloom. We've had inklings of Spring here about a fortnight ago but now it's blooming freezing again and trying to snow.

Your photo of Flossie worrying about the death of the universe is a good one.

Your sore finger may be low-fat related and go with the tinder-dry skin. Do you take fish oil? Even although I'm a kind of veggie, I swear by it. It has to be all EPA, though, as we all get too much of the other kind in our diet. I would recommend Mind 1st.

I hope you don't think this is a very pushy comment for a first one but I hate to think of people suffering when there's (possibly) a simple solution.

Your house looks lovely, by the way. If you want to see really mucky windows then mine would qualify.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Aren't you good !
You managed to pick yourself up , dust yourself down and start all over again before my coffee had filtered .
It's just the relentless gloom outside . A helpful colleague told me yesterday how tired I look and asked , "How long before you can retire ?"
But I cheered up when the dental hygienist confirmed that yes , it's true , I'm getting a wisdom tooth ( finally! ) .
She laughed like a drain and I had to join in .
Spring can't be too far away ?

jabblog said...

We are gaining 15 minutes extra daylight every week though I admit it's difficult to see when the days are grey.
The news is always depressing and more so when every bulletin is exactly the same - don't watch it, nothing much changes!
Furry friends are comforting (also demanding, messy, noisy)

BumbleVee said...

I definitely prefer the fun shows on the cooking channel...they are actually quite entertaining in the comedic sense... some of them...the rest are, of course, drivel.... and I sure as hell can't be bothered with murders, rapes and muggings as well as economic doom and gloom everywhere on the news channels...that is...if Charlie the idiot isn't centre stage telling us all we are too dim to "get him" .... brother...... what has become of the good ol' world......

Time to find another hobby ...and if you want to lose a stone or two... just more walking.... it works..... and even if you don't actually lose any weight.... things get tighter and firmer....and it looks like you have....I can hardly wait til our ice and snow melts...in about June at this rate....so I can actually walk outside. For now... I'm pounding along on the treadmill....and it works great! I've lost 4 pounds since Christmas.....

flwrjane said...

Chin up my friend, it will truly be spring before we know it.

Though the state of the world will continue to deteriorate I'm sorry to say. Here in America we watch in horror as a group of citizens slowly but surely attempt to strip away civil rights (google college students and voting in New Hampshire) and slash funding for everything that is giving about our country. I too despair.

But, let's not give up without a fight, and yes walking and exercise is a surefire way to beat back the blues.

So is a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit.

xo Jane

Anonymous said...

I hope we helped lift the gloom and doom. I have a funny knuckle on my ring finger - and you will laugh when I tell you how I fractured the knuckle when I was 17 - I hit myself with a badminton racket (back in the days when they were heavy wooden things!) It takes a special talent to do that!!

Dan said...

You articulate your feelings so well!!

I was feeling fed up on Saturday, until I watched Slumdog Millionaire for the first time. Now whenever I feel a moan coming on I just feel grateful that I am not living in a makeshift tent on a rubbish dump in Mumbai!
Dan
-x-

Anonymous said...

My cure for feeling grey, horrible and fat is... a bar of Green & Blacks Organic Dark Chocolate Ginger!!

Well, it always makes me feel better!

Rattling On said...

I'm sorry, but your windows don't fall into the mucky category. Mine look like I have nets up. I did actually stop a window cleaner today and ask him to leave his details. Haven't rung yet as it would mean I have to do the insides or it would be a waste of money. No, it's a waste of money anyway, but I fear the neighbours are talking about it now, unable as they are to get a clear view into the bedrooms, and may present me with some sort of ultimatum letter. Clean up or clear off.
I understand the feeling of lassitude all too well and I'm quite sure the low fat diet isn't doing anything to dispel it. Chocolate, now, that releases endorphins...

Pam said...

Good for you, talking yourself into stiffupperlipness. At least you're not at work...

SusanFrances said...

Perhaps one of those "daylight" light bulbs would be of help? Sorry you are still in the grip of the miseries. Your home looks lovely, and hopefully the spring will eventually get that far north....thrushes are singing here, and I saw a wood pigeon this afto on our wall doing an amazing dance in front of his lady! He has hopes!! XX

janicebotterill said...

keep going with those spring like steps! I, too, am supposed to be 'making better food choices'. it's very dull and I'm losing a pound a week when I'd like to lose 4. I'm giving up lettuce for lent.

love those cupcakes said...

Life gets us all like that sometimes but however gloomy and monotonous, it's much better than the alternative!

Jinksy said...

How well your daffs compliment the stained glass window and chair - they all look like Spring to me! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Loved this post--I feel exactly the same way here in Maine. I also find walking helps--and recently I actually am able to walk outside (street was so icy I have found it difficult). I also think I'm going to swear off the news for a bit and concentrate on the world's beauty.

Marcheline said...

The answer to most of your questions is Flossie! Get her outside on a leash and walk/jog her as much as you can. The exercise will lift both your spirits, get you in better shape, and get you out of the house and away from the television/radio/bad news networks.

Go! Walk!

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