The way I was brought up was to use humour to belittle an atrocity. Like a coping mechanism. For example: a man was caught in cross-fire between NI terrorists and army, locals would make light of it. It was a common thing to hear and allowed the most troubling of incidents to penetrate our consciousness superficially only. 2009 was our worst year, and we have had some really bad ones. However, the combination of economic fall-out, ill health and uncomfortable family obligation triggered full hilarity. Humour definitely aided our passage through the mire. My wish is that you will read and benefit from the distant insight, helping your own self to cope with adversity.
The recession of 2009 hit us hard. We lost everything. Business was liquidated, house was sold, we were forced to live off the equity. We took the opportunity to move closer to my home and begin our own business. That's where we are now. The house we rent has a view of the Lough, the open sea is visible from the hill behind us in an awesome panorama. The walls are so wide and dense with stone that wireless signals can't penetrate. The Aga has developed a love/hate relationship with us. We are learning that we cannot wash after 2pm if we want to use the hot oven for dinner. So if you come for dinner and we serve oven chips or make pizza - you know we haven't bathed or showered. The village charity shops have the former season's Paul Costello, Jaeger and French Connection, not bad for under a tenner. The beaches are 5 minutes' drive away, uncrowded, clean and perfect for a run or walking the dog. That is, if she could manage to travel in the boot without expelling her half-digested bowel contents. Doesn't smell that bad, it's just the bother of having to clean it up after arriving and after returning home. The gardens are huge, unkempt and full of surprises. We were here four months before we discovered the souterrain. The secret garden is the children's favourite spot. I like boat watching from the windows. The tall ships were here with full sails and we had the perfect view point. It was awesome, made me pine to be a pirate. I now watch the Pirates of the Caribbean films just to see that Bounty again.
During the summer of this most difficult year, my father (D) got married. The vicar's wife eyed me up very accurately with her poignant opener, "This must be a difficult day for you", to which I agreed and explained it was especially so because it was his third marriage. She hadn't known that, thought it was his second, apparently. I wonder if the vicar knew. I wonder which marriage he had mentally erased. It cost me £400 on flights and car hire and I did not buy a gift because we were threadbare and penniless. My husband came down with suspected swine flu, the day before, so renaeged his obligation very graciously with his medical travel ban.
The recession of 2009 hit us hard. We lost everything. Business was liquidated, house was sold, we were forced to live off the equity. We took the opportunity to move closer to my home and begin our own business. That's where we are now. The house we rent has a view of the Lough, the open sea is visible from the hill behind us in an awesome panorama. The walls are so wide and dense with stone that wireless signals can't penetrate. The Aga has developed a love/hate relationship with us. We are learning that we cannot wash after 2pm if we want to use the hot oven for dinner. So if you come for dinner and we serve oven chips or make pizza - you know we haven't bathed or showered. The village charity shops have the former season's Paul Costello, Jaeger and French Connection, not bad for under a tenner. The beaches are 5 minutes' drive away, uncrowded, clean and perfect for a run or walking the dog. That is, if she could manage to travel in the boot without expelling her half-digested bowel contents. Doesn't smell that bad, it's just the bother of having to clean it up after arriving and after returning home. The gardens are huge, unkempt and full of surprises. We were here four months before we discovered the souterrain. The secret garden is the children's favourite spot. I like boat watching from the windows. The tall ships were here with full sails and we had the perfect view point. It was awesome, made me pine to be a pirate. I now watch the Pirates of the Caribbean films just to see that Bounty again.
During the summer of this most difficult year, my father (D) got married. The vicar's wife eyed me up very accurately with her poignant opener, "This must be a difficult day for you", to which I agreed and explained it was especially so because it was his third marriage. She hadn't known that, thought it was his second, apparently. I wonder if the vicar knew. I wonder which marriage he had mentally erased. It cost me £400 on flights and car hire and I did not buy a gift because we were threadbare and penniless. My husband came down with suspected swine flu, the day before, so renaeged his obligation very graciously with his medical travel ban.