Tuesday, November 11

Happy Birthday, Daughter J!

Today is our daughter J's birthday. I won't broadcast her age, but she has been both Rainbow, & the pot of Gold, in our lives.







I won't rehash her birth story, I have blogged it before.
She was very late arriving.
We always joke about it, saying she didn't want to leave me.
When she was a toddler she was really Mummy's girl. She was such a sweet child, & such a great little friend.
I cried when she went off to school, with her big brother & her hair tied up.

Happy Birthday Sweet J~L.


November is a busy month for us, natally speaking.

A favourite Aunt had her 81st birthday on 5th.
My lovely nephew's birthday is on 9th, & he shares that with our sweet little Honey dog.
My Sister has her birthday on 15th.
My Beloved Brother will be 62 on 23rd.
Gom's estranged & indeed, very strange sister has her birthday on 25th.
My maternal grandfather was born on 25th also, though he has been long gone from our lives.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

A sketch from the train.....1


Waiting on the platform, watching the crush of humanity emerge from the bowels of the station, up the stairway. Harsh cold steps of concrete, tiled edges, cold rails. Rushing rushing.

It is as if the station is spewing up the people from it's gut.

Large people with large bags. All shapes & sizes.

The Airport line.

Travellers, laden with baggage. Not only the visible baggage, but physical & mental baggage I suspect. Some red eyes, perhaps from tears. Or maybe the foul air of the station bowels. (My physical, a bum knee, & an arthritic foot!)

A tall Sikh, with his carefully wound turban, (really a work of art) his beautiful flawless skin, & his neat clothes. Shoes grubby & scuffed. His huge beautiful brown eyes in his very delicate face.

A sudden grimace! Goodness! what had he seen to cause such a face?? I slowly turn to see, what he may have seen... ??

I see nothing of note. Figures continue past, hurriedly pushing & shoving.

"We are standing in a very awkward spot." I say to Gom & BB. "We seem to be in the way of traffic flow."

We shuffle aside a little further.

My eyes are drawn to the handsome Sikh again & again.

Again & again, I see the same grimace. His eyes appear unfocussed, distant. An unfortunate facial tic.

I wonder if I have such a thing.

As we take our seats in the carriage, the Sikh is opposite us, & alongside, a woman who has the most down turned mouth I have ever seen.

Her scowl is so severe, it is the only thing I see. I think I stared a little, transfixed.

I swear she has never smiled in her life, & the deeply carved down lines reinforce that impression.

I try a tenative smile. Recieve a sour glare in return. Glance at the handsome Sikh, smile a little. Another grimace!

BB & I exchange quick glances. We know what we are both thinking, have always had this ability to read each other's minds. It is hard not to burst out laughing at times.

Ms Sourpuss gets off at the Domestic Terminal.

I find myself hoping she sees someone who can turn the scowl around.

Mr Grimace turns sideways, puts his feet on the seat. I look at the slightly curled, dusty, scruffy, squared-off toes of his shoes. Somehow they don't fit with his neat clothes, & I suspect there is a loving mother, who takes care of those clothes. The trousers, carefully creased, just so.

When we reach the International Terminal, we all alight, & the Sikh man does so also. I watch him hurrying along, with his backpack, & his grimace. I wonder at his destination.

BB & I wonder aloud to each other, what could have caused Ms Sourpuss to be so scowly? We swear she has never, ever, smiled, let alone laughed!

How sad, to contemplate a life unlaughed!

Bob Dylan, Tangled Up In Blue.

27 comments:

Lee said...

Everyone needs a rainbow or too and the odd pot of gold!

meggie said...

Thanks Lee. All my children mean as much to me, really.

Catalyst said...

Could be just a little gas!

Strider said...

You're family favors November....our family seems to favor October in births. Strange...how that works

Mike said...

Happy Birthday J.

My wife's birthday is the 30th of this month. It's easy to remember here in Michigan because that is the last day of deer hunting season.

ancient one said...

Happy Birthday to J.

I have a granddaughter, a son, son-in-law, two sisters, and a cousin all born in November.

Enjoyed your sketches of the people you saw at the station. I catch myself looking at people now imaging what you'd say about them.

Joyce said...

Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter.

molly said...

Happy birthday to your lovely girl!

Mary said...

She is beautiful - happy birthday to your J - rainbow and pot of gold!!

Laughing at Catalyst's comment!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Your daughter J is very beautiful!

Happy birthday to her, and a happy November to all your family.

fifi said...

Perhaps we crossed paths at the airport???

I was so glad to back back amongst my own kind in lovely liberal, tolerant, multicultural, gay, lesbian gothy, metro, everything SYDNEY!

That I was thoroughly entertained all the way home by my taxi driver, who regaled me with tales of Lahore, in his native Pakistan, and suddenly felt that Sydney was just the right place for me to be.

Not that I will feel like that, say, tomorrow, but still....


Happy Birthday to your dear Girl. (Such lovely hair.)

Kitty said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter. We have 'busy' months in the family - February and October.

I love your sketch from the train. I can picture Ms Sourpuss so well - you write beautifully. x

Pauline said...

adding my felicitations to lovely J -

a life unlaughed - a dreadful prospect. We never know what hidden lives others live, no matter what we see on the surface. Your people pictures are wonderfully descriptive.

Thimbleanna said...

Happy Birthday Daughter J -- what a beautiful young woman you are!

Meggie -- I've enjoyed your travel tales. Sorry BB had to leave -- I hope it won't be too long before you see each other again!

Pam said...

Happy birthday, J. She's lovely - you're a very good-looking family.

The Sagittarian said...

Lovely girl!! you must be very proud.

I like that Dylan song by the way!

meili_lo said...

i remember my mom... because of your blog, i miss her much more. were miles away from each other but she's always in my heart. you call your J a rainbow, my mom calls me her angel =D

anyway, I saw you in one of the blogs that I visited and thought of inviting you to take a look at my blog. would appreciate it if you can share your views there. got some survey questions =D

http://shewritesyouwrite.blogspot.com/

thanks!

Anonymous said...

Aw happy birthday to your daughter. It is my daughter's birthday tomorrow and she was very late too (16 days).

Time goes so quickly doesn't it?

Marja said...

Hi Meggie First mof all congratulations with your daughter and all the other brthday people. Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous.
Loved your pondering about mr grimace. You can put down a real character. I love airports and train stations and watch people
Anyway I am back again. I missed you too much

Anonymous said...

I've just caught up with you again and as always you made my day with the tales of the railway station and people watching. Hope your daughter had a lovely birthday also.
One thing is certain Meggie, Coon Cheese will never ever ask your brother to advertise their product. Pulling a face like that is enough to turn the churn on it's own. I laughed and laughed at him. What a hoot. I bet you miss his sense of humour just as much as you miss him.
Thanks again for making my day.
Jenny

meili_lo said...

hi there!

got a Beautiful Mom Award for you in my blog. do visit, ok?

http://lifeworthremembering.blogspot.com/

=D thanks!

Teodo said...

HAPPY BIRTHDATY!!!!!!
ciao ciao

em's scrapbag said...

Happy birthday to your very lovely daughter. Know what you mean about the rainbow and gold. After three sons, who are the sun and sky my daughter is definately the rainbow and gold.

Margaret Cloud said...

Happy birthday to J, hope her day was a good one.

Tanya Brown said...

Your daughter is beautiful! Takes after you, naturally.

Poor Mr. Sikh. I wonder who peed in his Cheerios?

There's a child at my son's school who I worry about at times. She almost never smiles, and often looks as though she's bitten into a lemon. I wish I could wave a wand and make whatever is troubling her better.

Stomper Girl said...

Happy birthday to J. You write such loving things about her.

quiltmom anna said...

Meggie,
I hope that your daughter had a wonderful birthday- She is a beautiful girl - just like her mom..
Regards,
Anna