Tuesday, December 16

Unseen Rythms

Isn't Rythm an odd word? I had to check its spelling before I began, as I felt it did not look correct.


As I get older, I find I am forgetting some spelling!


Gom watches children's game shows, where they have to spell, & I find I make a few mistakes!





When we were children, our mother had a huge Dictionary. It was a Westminster Dictionary. It was akin to the Bible in our house.





If we had a query on spelling, we were told to "look it up in the dictionary!"


It was great advice, because, more often than not, I would end up following more & more words, & might be found some time later, still reading the dictionary!





That particular dictionary was illustrated. I was always fascinated with the items chosen to be illustrated. They seemed so random, & some seemed so ordinary & everyday, I wondered why they had been chosen... surely everyone knew what one of those looks like?

Eventually my mother's dictionary fell apart. Though she tried, she never did find another Westminster Dictionary, & had to content herself with Oxford, which she felt to be inferior.

Of course language is a living thing, changing all the time. It was nice to be able to consult Westminster for the definition of a 'Fletcher' or 'Farrier'or 'Hooper'. Old words which ceased to be relevant in the modern world, old careers, which ceased to exist as technology evolved.

My mother would have loved a computer, with all the information available to her. She never stopped enjoying leasrning. She mourned the fact that she had had to leave school early. She would have loved to go to university, & she loved to study up on everything that interested her, which was almost everything.

We used to tease her about her Medical Dictionary though! I think at one stage or another, she must have 'suffered' almost every ailment in that book! Or if she didn't have 'it', one of her grandchildren had 'it', whatever the 'it' of the day might be.

Perhaps it is a good thing she didn't have the resources of the Internet for medical matters!

*********************

I have been noticing fluctuating energy patterns myself. They don't seem to have any ordered rythm. I seem to have 2 or 3 days where I have energy & feel quite able to tackle shopping, cooking, & sewing.

Other days have been a trial to stay awake, the prickly sticky humidity sapping all my physical strength from my limbs, all capacity for thought from my tired mind.

I began to read a book, that Gom had finished, & recommended. It gripped me, to the point I spent a day & half lying about gobbling it up without pause, in greedy great gulps. I even got up at 6am yesterday, & sat & finished the reading. A good start to the day.

I have finished the "Red Square Dance" aka "Red Devil" ! I asked Gom what he wanted it to be called, & Red Devil didn't appeal to him, so he suggested Red Square, which didnt appeal to me, so it is now deemed "Red Square Dance". It was quite a dance to get it quilted on my machine, & I am pleased with the way it turned out- yes, even the wobbly crooked bits where I was too lazy to mark straight lines, at the borders!

I washed it, & tumbled it dry- it was raining, so I felt quite comfortable drying it in the dryer. I am happy with the end result.

When SG saw it, he fell in love with it too. When I told him it was for Gom for Christmas, he said, "Well you'd better hide it Nanna, or he will see it!" He is still very much about surprises, bless him.




His sister had decorated their tree, in a pretty pink & silver colour scheme. Thier dog has decided to make his new 'kennel' under the coffee table next to the tree, & pretty baubles & tinsel comes flying off, as he scuttles under the table! He gets into trouble for that.



Granddaughter came up to bath Leo for us. He is such a fatty now- Gom overfeeds him, but I have given up trying to get him to change! He was quite well behaved, but would not tolerate his feet being trimmed of the woolly 'boots' he appears to wear.

I intended to bath Honey myself, & just. could. not. do. it. I finally got the energy on Sunday afternoon, & she looks all nice & fluffy again. She was happy too, & tore around like a puppy, playing with her toys.



I have begun another project, in the sewing/quilting line, so am hoping the cooler weather we have will last. Also the energy supplies!!






23 comments:

Kitty said...

The Red Square Dance is beautiful - who wouldn't love it? I find heat incredibly sapping where my energy is concerned. It's so easy to become dehydrated, which then muddles my brain!

I share your love of dictionaries and as a child spent many a happy hour just reading 'words'.

x

Peggy said...

Love the quilt! Glad you are feeling better

Jellyhead said...

Your 'red square dance' quilt is wonderful..... lucky GOM!

It's been a bit cooler here the past few days - hope the same is happening where you are.

Joyce said...

I really love the quilt. It makes me want to do something red.
My Grandfather was an avid cross word puzzler and he had a huge dictionary that stood on it's own lectern in their parlour. I wonder what ever happened to it?

Pam said...

Beautiful quilt. It would look lovely in my sitting room - just in case GOM doesn't want it (!)

Catalyst said...

I must agree on the Red Square Dance quilt. Gorgeous!

And I, too, lived in the dictionary and still do. We must have a dozen of different languages around the place.

Warty Mammal said...

Meggie, your quilt is brilliant! It's deceptively simple-looking at first glance, then complexity reveals itself as one studies it.

Strider said...

There is a song that goes....I find I'm moving to the rythms of Your Grace, Your fragrance is intoxicating in the secret place....Your love, is extravagant.

It's a song about God. Thanks for the post, I haven't thought of this song in quite some time.

Granny J said...

I used the dictionary a lot -- but was always troubled by the logic of looking up a word one couldn't spell -- if you couldn't spell it, how were you supposed to find it??? On the other hand, a dictionary made wonderful reading -- and I still love the old line drawings used in the classic dictionaries to illustrate certain words, especially those complicated explanations of just how a gear train or chemical mix worked.

PS -- the red quilt is gorgeous!!!

Ali Honey said...

The Red Square Dance is SO lovely Lucky Gom!

Dictionaies get plenty of use around here and eventually fall to bits like your Mum's one.
But I agree if you really can't think how to spell some word you probably will have trouble finding it. Ours is used more to solve arguments!

Kate Quilts said...

That red square dance quilt is lovely. As usual, your blog is a joy to read. :o)

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous. I really do envy you talented people. Have I mentioned that before?

The Sagittarian said...

That quilt is fabulous, you are super clever Meggie!

Teodo said...

Your Mom was a great woman!!!!!!
Now there is the Web Dictionary...................
Fantastic your husband's quilt.
ciao ciao

Mary said...

Yep _ I loved reading the dictionary too ...

And lucky lucky GOM

and wishing you soothed nerves and greater energy Meg

Anonymous said...

The quilt is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

Anonymous said...

does it not have another "h" in it? After the r?

I find I cannot spell if I write a word in capital letters. And some words I can't spell without checking - the orange root vegetable that rabbits like to eat and the word beginning with d which means the squits. Neither of those words looks right however I spell it so i have kind of given up.

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

I love your Red Square Dance, you could always name it the Rhythm of Life! Christmas greetings, Meggie!

LBA said...

I remember thinking the same thing about those illustrated dictionaries - "why that word?"
Very random.

One of the first gifts I got from my husband was a dictionary & thesaurus. We used to love playing Scrabble, and I was so pleased to havea brand new shiny set, rather than my old beaten ancient hand-me-downs :)

Mary Johnson said...

I love this quilt Meggie! It's gorgeous and will be a wonderful Christmas present.

Tanya said...

You are getting so much done! I am envious! (And also reading backwards on your posts). This is just the greatest! You said you rarely wear red and that surprised me because you seem to have a lot of fire in you and I would think your dark hair would look wonderful in red. Wrap yourself up in this quilt and show us a picture!!

kanjiqueen21 said...

I, or more specifically my mother, still has a HUUUGE illustrated dictionary we (that's me and my 2 siblings) refer to as the Blue Oxford. My brother still likes looking through it re the simple fact that it is illustrated! :-)
By the way, I think the quilt is simply gorgeous. (I can't quilt at all!)
Irene (the Kanji Queen) from http://irene-wtd.blogspot.com/

P.S. Is this just me being obsessively pedantic, but isn't rhythm spelt, well, "rhythm"?

zuveena said...

thats just spectacular...