Tuesday, January 20

A ramble in my head

On Sunday morning, we realised we were out of some of life's luxuries, such as bread & toilet paper. So off we went to the local Supermarket.

It was not long after opening, so it was lovely & quiet, & the heat of the day had not yet intensified.

We were amiably browsing along, at a slow pace, discussing quietly, what items we 'needed', as opposed to what items we would 'like', ~as you do.

In came a tall Hyena, with long wet hair. She was accompanied by younger Hyena Mark II. They shattered the cool quiet air, with loud shrieks & barkings....shrilly yaps, in fact!

The loud yaps & shrieks discussed the food. Discussed "What your father likes" "He has to have his chippies!!" grrr.

Then tall Hyena's mobile phone rang.

We were then treated to a verbal tour of her - seemingly messy- house. The caller was looking for some item. Tall Hyena was giving instructions on where to look & how to look. "Look under the pile of washing blah blah..." "Oh I know, Open the blah blahdee blah" " move the mountain" "Pull out the chains". On & on.

Gom & I slunk around the corner beyond the soap powders, & the drinks, & quietly wished she would just. shut. up! Why do people seem to feel it is ok to shout out their boring lives to all & sundry.

As we travelled around the shop we came upon a small child, with an open bag of sweets, gobbling them as fast as she could. Her mother pretended to be utterly unaware. I wondered if they would be gone before they reached the checkout, & if the empty packet would be proffered for scanning.

We hurriedly paid for our groceries & came home for peace & quiet.

**********

Sunday evening friends called up to see us. We spent a very pleasant time, laughing & Gom did his 'thing' & fired up his deep fryer & cooked the boys potato chips- fries if you prefer.

I slipped out onto the balcony to take these pics of the pretty sunset.
It has been awhile since I have taken any.


I like this view, with our badly burnt palm leaves in the foreground. I like the palm trees in the centre of the pic, they are very tall, & when the wind is fierce, I am amazed at how far they can bend.
Yesterday morning the Kookaburras were kicking up a real racket laughing their heads off. They sound quite maniacal at times. They were aross the road on this telephone pole, & this was the best shot I could get of them.


On going into the kitchen this morning, I came across the little lizard visitor. He scampered out the door, before I could snap his pic. He is getting quite bold, & sat on the concrete just out of the back door.
I left this photo wide, to give an indication of his/her size. Just a little one, really.

I couldnt get closer, it was very jittery.

*********************
Have you ever had an ancestor who has fascinated you?
Someone you never met, but who you wish you could meet, & get to know.
This is a photo of my paternal Grandmother's Parents, so they would have been my great- grandfather & mother.
It has often been told in the family, of how grumpy the old Grandmother was. I could believe every word of the tales, when I see that grim face! She was known to think she was pious, adhereing to the Presbyterian Scottish religion of her ancestors. She had a lage Bible apparently, which she loved to bash!




Apparently she was very disapproving of the grandchildren, & she even referred to my favourite Aunt as "The Limb of Satan". I was so shocked when my aunt told me that. I suspect my father was another Limb, in her eyes. It was said the only ones in the family she liked were the eldest 2, a boy, & a girl, who died at 8 years of age, so I suppose she never had a chance to turn into a "LIMB". The remaining 4 children should not have been there, according to "Grandma Grump."


This couple had a house in a city, & Grandpa had a business. I think they were shocked when my Grandmother married my Grandfather, & he took her off to live on a 'godforsaken' bush farm, in the middle of nowhere!


I digress a little. It is the Grandpa I would have loved to meet, & get to know. My mother knew him a little, & she said he was a fine gentleman. He was a very skilled cabinet maker, & my mother said he had made the most beautiful furniture for his daughter. He designed things himself, & she said he always put storage & secret cupboards & drawers into everyday items, to utilise space.


It was rumoured in the family, that the first born son, was not really his son, but the son of his elder brother. Grandma had apperently been engaged to the brother, & had travelled to Australia, to be with him, & supposedly to marry.
No one knows just what took place, but soon after her arrival in Australia, she returned in haste to New Zealand & was quickly married off to Grandpa! Apparently Grandpa might have been the scapegoat. It is all worth a giggle these days, but I would love to know the truth about it all.
Another rumour has it that Grandma was addicted to her 'medicinal gin' which she swigged with a freedom!
What fun it is to laugh about such things now. We have been so lucky to have close family to keep repeating these stories, which possibly grow a little in the retelling!


I wish I could have met Great Grandpa.





34 comments:

Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Amy, and Ms. Monica said...

I love Norah! I was listening to "Come Away With Me" today in the car! Do you have those beautiful trees with the bell shaped purple blossoms on the end. I can never remember the name. Oh I love those Jackaburrow or something?

Kathi said...

I loved your story about your great grandparents. I have some of my own! I don't really remember if I've told my children these stories or not. You've inspired me to dredge through the cluttered mind and pull some of them out!

ancient one said...

I know the feeling... I would have loved to have known my mom's parents...who died when she was so young...

Your sunsets are beautiful !!

Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Amy, and Ms. Monica said...

Sorry, they are called Jacaranda trees.

Coachdad said...

Don't you love how someone's phone call becomes everyone's conversation?

I would love to have met my father's grandfather. He came over to the States with nothing in the early 1900s from Germany and made a quite a life for he and has family in Chicago. I am sure he had some great stories to share.

merrily row said...

A wonderful post. To start with such low points in our human experience and end with a wonderful story of your heritage and home made chips to boot. You are a lovely writer.

Rosaria Williams said...

Lovely story. Then, Norah Jones, one of my favorite young singers. Thanks Meggie.

sixtyfivewhatnow.blogspot.com

Patsy said...

What an interesting, winding, meandering path, starting with the hyenas and ending with the grandma who bashed the Bible. :-)

You know how to make a person smile. :-)




~Lorna

molly said...

Yup! Those cell phones are a two edged sword!
Your Grumpy great grandmother is a formidable looking woman....I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of her!

Alice said...

Great story, Meggie. Sounds like Great Grandma was no better than she ought to be. So often those with the most to hide were the most critical of others.

You have an astonishing family, Meggie, and the wonderful ability to share them with us all.

Trip to the supermarket is an all-too-often nightmare these days. Glad you have a nice, comfy, quiet retreat to which to return.

Ali Honey said...

Oh , I agree with Alice. The ones who were so critical of others had plenty to hide......the bluster and growl was a cover, so she kept her own secrets!

Try making a whole lot of noise or loud talk near the annoying person with the phone that thinks you want to hear all they have to say.

Anonymous said...

Chips! They are chips! :)

Anonymous said...

Chips! They are chips! :)

Q said...

Dear Meggie,
I cannot understand the need for the cell phones on all the time. Every where you go people are talking away. I just do not have that much to say!
Thank you for sunset and Kookaburras! Fun for this North American to see your flora and fauna. The lizard is great too.
Stay cool...I am staying warm...Autumn will come for you soon..
Sherry

Ragged Roses said...

Hello and happy new year! I have missed my trips here as I love reading your tales
Kimx

Ragav said...

hii... http://ragav-world.blogspot.com/

Strider said...

"On Sunday morning, we realised we were out of some of life's luxuries, such as bread & toilet paper" ...... Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Paper or plastic" when you check out at the grocery store! Have a great week.

Sarah said...

isn't it interesting looking back at our histories; searching all the crevices of time passed. i like it very much myself.

your sunsets are wonderful; it looks warm.

i want to hear a kookaburra just once!

sarah

Link_ said...

I really couldn't agree more about the Hyenas in the supermarket!

Can we safely assume the conversation began with, "Hello...I'm in the supermarket"?

iVan Chong said...

your sunset rocks!!! so beautiful :D

Tanya said...

Lots of sagas going on in the supermarket. I went to save an obviously foreign little boy crying in the aisles the other day. He was calling for his mommy. At least I can speak the child's language. So I called to him but he ran shrieking in the other direction. His mother came running but was not all that friendly. Probably thought I was out to kidnap her child. Or maybe she thought I wanted to practice English.

Pauline said...

reading here is always a journey - it's like sitting at the foot of the bed at dusk and saying, tell me what your day was like and you do...

Ralph said...

I really love the blog. What I'm realizing as I read the Blogs of Note is that there's an incredible array of people from all walks of life who have all of this great stuff to offer to the world.

Plus, you use "&" instead of "and," which I find incredible.

With deep sympathy,
Philip Brightmore,
Champion Dog Breeder,
Excessive Dove Counter

tasteyourmaker.blogspot.com

sequin soupe said...

How funny it is that even across the world, situations and people are the same!
I work part-time in retail (saving up for college)at an arts and crafts store, and I tell you, the customers there never cease to amuse me.
Behind the register I have to communicate with people (ages 13+) who have phones glued to their ears- it's a challenge...really! For me AND the customer. Often times they accidentally direct sentences meant for their 'sweetheart' or 'bastard' to me or vice versa.
Working in retail is crazy, and trying. The majority of the time I saw the worst of people.

I enjoy reading your blog. And this quote
"Gom did his 'thing' ... & cooked the boys potato chips- fries if you prefer."
Is too hilarious to pass up. 'Fries if you prefer' = cultural wit.

Anonymous said...

i enjoy reading your blog

Mike said...

You just reminded me of all the reasons I hate going shopping.

Thimbleanna said...

You're so funny Meggie. Isn't it funny -- we have hyenas here. But not kookaburras -- I'd love to hear them. And I saw you mentioned Kellie's blog in your last post -- I just adore her!

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Thanks for the bedtime story...love to read your blog every evening. Gives me food for thought, perhaps I will dream of ancestors of old as I drift off tonight. kampgroundkapers.blogspot.com

Ian Buchan said...

Hi, I just posted pics of two big trees on Ian's Place, as you mentioned you like big trees. hope you enjoy!

New Yorker wannabes said...

thank you for the great story and the song! Norah is great!!

greetings from Greece

take care now
peace and love
xoxo

Wendy said...

This post made me laugh out loud. More often than not, I'm the mother with the (extremely noisy) child in the cart, desperately feeding him anything off the shelves that will quiet him down. For the record, I do always pay for it!!
I grew up thinking my Mum's family was the nutty side, and my Dad's was calm and relatively normal. But in recent years, all these crazy stories have been coming out, mostly scandals involving babies and their dubious parentage. Our ancestors are fascinating indeed!

CSouthwell said...

would you consider taking part in my February Alphabet Challenge??

Details can be found on the latest post on my blog here.

You will be joining hopefully hundreds of other bloggers, and if you are interested please spread the word.

Charlie
http://laughterminute.blogspot.com

Warty Mammal said...

Bwahahaha at the hyenas!

The lizard pictures are something special. You're getting some interesting interplay between the textures and lighting there.

Your grandma - I wonder if some of her piousness was overcompensating for knocking heels with grandpa's brother and ending up pregnant? I have a relative who acts as religious as can be, there every time the church door opens, gives couples hell if she finds out they're living together or have had premarital sex. Yet at one point she informed me that she'd lived with her husband before they married. Evidently for years afterward he gave her total hell over it and treated her like she was a tramp - as though he wasn't there also!

Act extremely pious, nobody suspects that you're human.

My float said...

I have to say that I'd be very grumpy in I had to wear those hot hideous clothes!! I'd be swigging from any bottle I could find!!