Wednesday 25 January 2012

Z does her looking back and forwards thing

I always feel a little thoughtful in the last week in January, because it contains both the anniversary of my father's death and of my stepfather.  I don't do anything to mark or commemorate this, because I don't believe in marking bad events.  Anniversaries should be happy ones.  One cannot help remembering, but that's all.

I am conscious, however, that my age is approaching that of my father when he died.  I remember working out when I'd be thirty-three and a third (conveniently, it was a leap year), when I'd been married half, and two thirds of my life and so on.  Another fourteen months to go before I outlive him in terms of our ages.

Rather more cheerfully, this week will mark the sixth birthday of the Razorblade.  Not today, I have never commemorated its blogday and I won't be starting that either.  Although if it's still around in four years time, I might bake it a cake.

My sister Wink is arriving tomorrow afternoon for the weekend.  The whole family is coming here for supper on Saturday, so we'll need a usable dining table by then (the dining room is chaotic and I'm keeping out of the way) as there will be fourteen of us, including the babies.  It'll be brilliant.  Weeza and co are staying overnight, so all the bedrooms will be full.  I love that.  I always have.  Nothing better than a full house of people I love.

Update  I was just publishing this when Jamie, who dropped in to help move the heavy furniture, came in to ask me to come.  I was apparently needed to direct operations.

The Sage has cut chunks out of the door frame.  He's so resourceful.  I'm lost in admiration.  Don't worry, it's not ancient oak, it only dates (in situ, that is) from 1928.  And now it's part of the house's history.







12 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm 50 on Saturday!

Rog said...

Still sharp as ever!

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Z:
Perhaps there is something about this particular time of the year that makes one reminisce as well as plan for the future? We totally agree with you about marking happy events and not sad ones, but surely a sixth blogiversary is something to celebrate?!!!

Z said...

John, and then a horrible anniversary to follow. Not one to forget. I hope you have a lovely birthday - if you let me have your address, I'll send you a card.

Cutting edge, Rog!

Well, Jane and Lance, I'm very attached to my blog and quite thrilled that I've made so many friends through it. I never expected such a thing.

Tim said...

I like anniversaries (they're a reason at least to focus our emotions, whatever they may be), but I refuse to let them rule. I remember Macy marking the fact that she'd forgotten a significant one, and I did the same thing last year. If nothing else, they remind us to move on - and if we forget them, maybe that means we have.

mig said...

I find it very hard to remember anniversaries of any kind. My outlook calendar reminds me of birthdays though, including those of people who have died and it usually takes me a year or two to bring myself to remove them.

I do agree about houses full of loved people. It's great. I particularly love it when I'm the last one still awake and I can feel the house warmed all through by them sleeping.

Blue Witch said...

Was the table originally constructed in the room?

Our dining table had to come in through the kitchen window when it couldn't come in through any doors. Luckily I was out at the time.

Tim makes an excellent point about knowing you've moved on because you forget negative anniversaries.

I have a rule that if I think of someone's anniversary of death I have to think of three positive associations with the person to balance the negative emotions invoked.

Z said...

I had actually succeeded in forgetting the actual dates, but I seem to have moved back. I wouldn't say that there are negative emotions, I remember them lovingly. But I don't necessarily think of the event on the actual day.

The dining table was easily moved into the dining room which has a wide door, it was moving it into the further room, which is accessed through a narrow passage, that was the problem.

Ronan and Dora are going to stay over now, so the house will be even fuller. Woo hoo!

allotmentqueen said...

"door frame... Don't worry, it's not ancient oak, it only dates (in situ, that is) from 1928."

You must be the only person I know whose door frames have a previous existence.

Blue Witch said...

*worries that AQ appears not to know that door frames come from trees* ;)

Z said...

That was what I meant really, BW, but in fact most of the doors and their frames were made from old (that is, pre-used) wood anyway. My pa-in-law was an early user of reclaimed material.

luckyzmom said...

I knew he could do it!