NOISE

I must be getting old & cantankerous. I am finding noise, in all sorts of ways, really annoys me.

If the noise is melodious, it seems not to bother me. On the other hand the sound of some lone loon practising his drumming filled my heart with dread. I would even consider offering up pleas, to a god I don't believe in, if I can be spared the horror of living anywhere near a drummer- or would-be drummer.

I find neighbours can be considerable cause of noise, of varying types. My daughter & I used to be endlessly entertained by a feral family who lived next door. The brightly coloured language was an education, & the inventiveness of insults quite impressive. We would sit quietly out in our pool, or on the back terrace, & just listen. Of course we never let on that we heard any of it, & we would mutually exchange cordial greetings over the back fence next day.

We are lucky where we live now. Apart from some industrial-type noise of compressors- I think- at one neighbour's, & a barking brainless mutt or two in another yard, there is not much to ruffle our feathers. I am mindful too, that our dogs can on occasion bark, but we do endeavour to shut them up, quite quickly, if possible.

However, there has been a shift in the balance. One neighbouring property has a family with children living there. We have been told by the usual resident, that they are only waiting for their own house, newly purchased, to become available. We wouldnt mind, & we really like the owner. I think he has moved out while the family are there. Who can blame him.

The children seem to be particularly given to shouting in the morning, & heated shrieking exchanged between their mother & them, has shattered the quiet, still, morning air. Desperate hissed threats, rising in volume are issued. Their father is not so given to keeping it subdued. His threats are quite often very loud, & quite colourful. I feel sorry for the parents, though it is mostly the mother who has to deal with it, alone.

The children like to show off. They like to play on the terrace, which is above the area where we sit in our backyard. Flying balls, & thongs- the footwear type, not the knickers- have come hurtling down amid our quiet reading or conversations. I was so startled I offered to lay the thong around the young boy's bum. I hastily laughed, & said "Only Joking! Haha!"

Of course all this frenzied activity sets our dogs off barking, so we have to shut them inside, to keep them quiet, as much for our sanity, as anyone else.

We have had our Small Grandson here a few mornings for Brekky before school, & today we had to collect him from his bus until his mother finished her Course at 6pm.
SG likes to watch Cartoons on TV. I really dislike them, & part of the dislike are the stupid voices! I can't stand the whiney distorted sounds they make! Why dont they just use normal voices?? I try not to let it show, but SG knows I don't like them, & today he said, "S (his sister) hates the commercials, Nan, & you hate the Toonies!" I even hate all the noise effects they use in the Cartoons too.

We went to a Garage sale, & man had a very nice little Stereo system for sale. He said they had bought it for his mother, & she had just got to the stage where she couldnt stand any noise at all, not even music!! I hope that never happens to me.

There are certain noises, that pass for 'music' - rap springs to mind- & I can't abide those. I really loath loud motorbikes, & thumping doof doof radios in cars.
Extra loud bass on music systems annoys me. We really are lucky, we dont have neighbours who have all night parties, or play persistant loud music.

The last time Gom & I went to the Club, we both commented on how noisy it seemed to be. The loud music the poker machines made, & loudspeaker paging people, the chatter. We both concluded we must be getting old.


This was the sunset sky this evening. A flame orange. We have had a hot day.

Ten minutes earlier it had been a lot lighter. Clouds almost always indicate that it is humid, at this time of year.

lllllll

Betrayals.

My body's betrayed me, it makes me feel trapped,
It aches & it pains me- it seems to be clapped!
And it's size now seems to be 'free'!
My weakness exposed, is this supposed,
to be how my life was changed?
The grey head of hair, the wrinkled old face,
A mind on occasion- deranged!

I thought I'd grow old and erratic,
And have fun, while years fled away.
But reality is, (and it hurts me to say)
A pain in the neck- and the ar*e,
And points in between!
And the fun factor's not automatic!



Simon & Garfunkel, The Boxer.