7 Nov 2016

And Then, It’s Fall...

There was sad news via a comment from Ripper today so may I offer, on behalf of myself and all who gaze through the Foggy Mirror, our deepest condolences on your sad loss. Be cool my friend. The Web has made us all neighbours.

As fall is now well under way, I was dispatched to the garden today by my little nest of vipers, it being just above freezing, to perform a task that’s  really just an exercise in futility, that is, rake up leaves. There are many jobs that offer far more excitement but I have to admit that there’s a great sense of satisfaction upon completion as I gaze round the freshly raked garden. And at the leaves still lazily falling onto, and getting gently wafted into, the garden. If I was confident the neighbours actually enjoyed the job themselves, I’d get a blower.

It’s also interesting to see the numbers of bags filled ready to take to the tip. Man, where do all those leaves come from? Hang on. I think I know the answer that one...

Quote;  Jim Bishop.

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”

5 comments:

Caratacus said...

Commiserations Ripper. Lost my oppo of over 40 years standing a couple of years ago and miss him still. I will see a particular motorbike, or hear a daft story and still think, "I'll tell Richard that". But of course I won't ...

I am far from being a religious chap, but if there is a Dog then I plan to have a word or three with him regarding those who seem to lead disgracefully long and charmed lives despite their lack of any redeeming features whatsoever, while he calls to glory those who have so much still to offer and lead blameless and respectable lives.

Mac said...

Caratacus,
Good point. I do remember hearing this sad line from a while ago, ”...old peoples homes are full of folk who’ve run out of life before they’ve run out of time.”
Remember, if you ‘get there’, according to those that know{?} you’ll have eternity to find him and ask your questions. As mentioned before, fancy promising eternity to people who don’t know what to do and get bored on a rainy Sunday afternoon...

Ripper said...

Mac and Caratacus, thank you both so much for your kind words. Speaking of friends, over the last week I have found great comfort in those I have.

Caratacus, I could not blame God for my sister's demise, since she chose to leave this Earth of her own free will. She did this by refusing food and drink. But I do understand where you are coming from.

Mac, your comment about old people's homes rings especially true for me, since my sister hated being there, though she loved the staff. It was more of a hatred of losing freedom and dignity, and I think that by deciding to end her life, she was really taking control of her own destiny, what of it was left anyway. Two years ago she was a healthy, very active person, and within 24 hours of contracting some kind of encephalitis which attacked the brain stem she was reduced to someone who could not walk, spoke in mumbles and grunts and needed to be fed and changed like a baby, though she still had all faculties intact. I think if that happened to me I would make the same choice.

I am going to see if I can get the Jethro Tull track played at the funeral since that sums up things for me pretty well. I had also been thinking of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIMSo2eLLP0

Mac said...

Ripper,
Sad to hear but she sure sounds like a very brave lady whom I’m sure you’re rightly and extremely proud of.

Caratacus said...

Ripper - I think I would be quite proud to have had a sister like that. As I contemplate the universe in my stunted and ill-educated way, I do ponder the nature of suffering and what we are supposed to learn from it, if anything. Certainly the Abrahamic religions seem to fall a long way short of any satisfactory explanation, and the others seem to flounder about a bit on the matter. perhaps the Buddhists seem to be the closest with their contemplation of the Four Noble Truths ... but Lord it is hard.

I hope you will not take it amiss if I mention that I intend to have the following music played at my send off - and everyone will have to sing along ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecK344Pi-7A