Tuesday, March 18

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.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find that some days are worse than others in the noise department. I have days when the slightest noise just sets my nerves on edge and makes my ears hurt inside. Other days it doesn't worry me at all.
Our sky to-night was bright red. I have never seen it so bright before. I must post a picture of it next blog.
The temperature has dropped in the last hour or so too. We can breathe again!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

I understand your complaint re: noise, all sorts. Honestly, I don't know that it's age so much as society and culture at large... we're bombarded with noise everywhere we turn, we need to make conscious efforts to find quiet places and the accompanying calm and peace those places can provide. Best wishes; well said.

Mary said...

Mum got to the point where she loathed noise so much that it drove her into a depression.

Fortunately now she lives somewhere much quiter.

As for me there is nothing I like better than to have the house devoid of all noise when the kids are at school. It is amazing how loud the birdsong becomes!

Stomper Girl said...

Ha! I hate shouting at my kids outside because I worry about the neighbours hating us. And there is a very annoying dog 2 doors down that is actually fine 95% of the time but when it barks it goes on for HOURS!!

Noise pollution is one reason I would hate to live in a flat.

smilnsigh said...

Hate all kinds of noise. Certainly including the damn cartoon voices. And one of those noises, on which I fixate. Bahhh humbug. >,-)

That is one compensation for loss of hearing. Some things don't get through. But, at times, not enough things don't get through.

Noise pollution is a horror. Akin to artificial light pollution. Did I say bahhh humbug? Yes, I did. But it bears repeating.

Mari-Nanci

ancient one said...

As I age I prefer less noise... My neighbor about 5 years older, keeps her television on all the time but has it muted. She reads the news that crosses the bottom of her screen.

I wish I knew how to write poetry! I admire those who can! And you definitely Can!!

Ragged Roses said...

What a beautiful sunset, fantastic colours. I love quiet days and am happy pottering around with just the sound of Radio 4 in the background, I rarely have music on when it's just me at home
Kimx

CONNIE W said...

I have a complaint akin to the TV cartoon one that you have (which I also share, I find them whiny and dislike them) is the TV so-called news shows that have a live audience in the street, or in the studio, and the screaming they make absolutely drives me nuts. I refuse to watch the morning TV network news anymore for that purpose. DH watches in the other room and when I hear it I cringe. I don't know why they find it necessary to do this but it seems popular and I suppose I'm in the minority. Such is life. Also agree on the cars with the bass booming and rap...keep me as far from it as possible, please.
OK, off my soapbox now. ;-)

The Sagittarian said...

Haha, my husband likes the TV, stereo and anythingelse all going at the same time. It drives me insane. On the very rare occasion when I am home alone, I have no sound at all for about 2 hours, just like hearing the wind in the trees the cicadas....then when I have had my fill of nature, I might let Edith Piaf rip or Mr Springsteen - depending on my moods!

Mike said...

I'm bothered by any kind of rhythmic noise--dripping faucet, ticking clock, etc. I seem to get caught up in the rhythm and can't concentrate on anything.

I am certain that is some form of craziness, but I just haven't bothered to look it up.

Unknown said...

You know I used to wonder whether an intolerance to noise developed as you get older, maybe it does, but I have to say that when we had our three children unlike DH who begrudged them his lie-in on a weekend the one thing I really missed and felt aggrieved about not being able to have was the opportunity to take a few minutes silence when I wanted to, rather than when the hiatus in their noise occurred as they napped or whatever. Mind you even before the children came along I've always been the sort of person who couldn't cope with two different noises at once, say the tv and radio on briefly together, I always had to turn one off before switching on the other even if the overlap had been seconds. I have always said the best way anyone could ever torture me would be to put me in a room with two separate appliances playing and no way of switching them off

riseoutofme said...

Being surrounded by male, noise-loving individuals, I have come to the conlusion that us females are most definitely the superior of the species ... we can actually hear the silence.

Off to play catch-up on what I missed!

Tanya said...

The meowing of cats and barking of dogs are the only noise I can think of that sets me off. Isn't that ridiculous? With all the cats and the dog that I have! I "hear" cats and dogs begging for help and I go panicky.

Anonymous said...

I don't really hear noise much. I have music on in the background most of the time but I don't really listen to it (quietly - i don't blast my neighbours out!).

I suspect my children annoy the neigbours by being noisy too. I remember being equally annoyingly noisy as a child and being shouted at to shut up. I always drag my children into the house if I need to shout at them - by the hair if needs be!!!

Linda G. said...

Years ago, a neighbor who lived across the street from me had three little girls named Faith, Hope, and Charity. She was always screaming things like Faith, get your A..in here or G..D... you Hope! It was annoying, but ammusing too:)

Kitty said...

I'm lucky with my neighbours at the moment, but used to live next to a family with a teenager who played constant loud 'music'. He called it music even though it had no discernible melody or 'tune'. In the end his mother took the electric plug off his CD player. :-D x

Rosie said...

I am fussy about noise too. Luckily we can hide from each other in our house, and the neighbours are far enough away...Hey, have I just said something good about living in the country?

molly said...

When I'm alone in the house I turn off all sources of noise, even music, and just enjoy the peace and quiet. The world is so full of noise these days silence is a luxury!

molly said...

When I'm alone in the house I turn off all sources of noise, even music, and just enjoy the peace and quiet. The world is so full of noise these days silence is a luxury!

Unknown said...

You could be me. I currently have feral neighbours. They are awful. I may blog about them after reading your post, just to tell you more.

I am now alergic to doof doofs, car engines, horn honkers (I HATE horn honkers) my telephone and anyone who parties after 10 PM. Unless it's me.

Lucy said...

I think people with small children just get a bit desensitised to the racket and annoyingness of them, it's probably the only way they can stay sane. I think the only thing worse than screaming kids is parents screaming back at screaming kids, but if I had them I'd probably do it too. I occasionally scream at the dog.

Teodo said...

Meggie, the noise I hate the most is when I hear my neighbour, who lives downstairs, screaming against her children and they cry.

About the other post.... I like thnking back at the time of my teens. I have tousands of postcards printed in my mind, I like them so much and sometimes I tell about them to my children.

The flower on the top of your blog is wonderful.
ciao, ciao

molly said...

I forgot to say yesterday how much I like the new look!

Pam said...

One's own noise is fine (children, cats, music, chatting, singing). It's other people's that's annoying...

Tanya Brown said...

"Feral family" - I love it!

Unfortunately, it sounds like you've got another one living near you now.

RE: SG and the cartoon voices, I'd never let my son watch commercials but recently unfortunately let him see a preview for Tim Allen's home repair sitcom, whatever it was called. Now I get requests JUST TO SEE THAT BLANKETY BLANK COMMERCIAL and each time he imitates the stupid noises AND the laugh track. ARGH!!!

Gina E. said...

Ditto to all the above..we have a 'single mother' (I hate this description)next door with 3 teenage girls who used to swear loudly like the proverbial troopers when they had friends in the back yard pool. When the two oldest girls reached late teen/early twenties, they calmed down somewhat. But the youngest is making up for them now, so we still have a few years to go before we have a bit of peace, but you tend to worry about who is going to live there if they move. Better the devil you know....

Kapuananiokalaniakea said...

I, too, would prefer to hear the silence. Unfortunately, all of the people with whom I live, live for noise. My children fall asleep to noise, wake up to noise and fill every moment in between with noise. They cannot understand my need for quiet and have chalked it up to another strange quirk of their mother's.