Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “difference.” Whatever the word “difference” conjures first in your mind, write about it. Enjoy!
What a difference a day makes.
That is a line from a song, yes, but it also holds such a lot of truth in it, too.
Take yesterday, and today, for example. (forgive me, I write this on Friday evening, so it is ready for Saturday.)
Yesterday, I woke so early, at 3.30am, so I could be present for the funeral of my uncle, who passed away in Australia. So, time difference pending, I was up at the crack of dawn, armed with my phone and laptop. I connected with the family via WhatsApp video call, so I, along with my parents, and my other uncle and aunt in Kenya, and other key family members, could be there when Mamaji (my uncle) was brought home, as is the custom with our final goodbyes. We were present, but not, if you know what I mean.
Still, it meant a lot that we were able to attend this occasion in a way that a few years back, would have been nigh on impossible to .
After, that I switched from phone to laptop, so we could follow the live streaming at the chapel of rest, where the cremation was going to take place. Again, another miracle of technology allowing us to hear the words spoken about Mamaji, and to see the rest of the family who were there.
By 6.30 am, I was shattered. Emotionally, mentally and physically, I was drained.
So, after a cup of tea, and some breakfast, I climbed the stairs and joined the rest of the family in a couple of restless hours of sleep.
The rest of the day drifted by, as I tried to get my energy up, not with much success.
Fast forward to today, a day later.
I slept solidly, last night, for a good eight hours. I had no alarm to wake me, as it is Easter break. And I woke feeling positive, energetic and happy.
That one day, filled with sadness, but also, relief that Mamaji was on his final journey, so different to today, where I feel at peace.
I sat and looked at photos of him, today.
Mamaji wanted none of that extended mourning that is typical of Indian families. He said, specifically, “Cry for me, if you have to, for a couple of days. After that, smile. Remember all the good times. Don’t be sad I’m gone, be happy we were together”. He even requested that everyone should wear bright colours at the funeral, not the whites, creams and muted tones that are the norm. “Celebrate my life. I had a good one.”
Yesterday, those photos came with tears. Today, I could look at them with a smile on my face.
See, what a difference a day makes.
I do love this Tony Bennett version of this song, so I’ll share it, with you all, too.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “start with who/whom” Begin your post with either “who” or “whom” and go from there. Have fun!
Who's that, What's that?
I don't know what I'm doing
So I
Text her, WhatsApp,
Telling her to come through
And then I
Copped a Big Mac
Milk Shake and some large fries
It cost £4.50
Take the gherkin out of the inside...
Nico B
So, these are the beginning lyrics to a song that came to mind as soon as I read the prompt.
I remember the first time I heard this, on the radio last summer, as we travelled to one of Lil Man’s first Men’s Fifth Team matches.
The day was hot, so hot. A men’s match isn’t a couple of hours, rather a whole afternoon, bleeding into the evening.
This song came on, and the lyrics caught my attention as he was talking about a Macdonalds, and gettign a Big Mac without the gherkin…
I marvelled at the lyrical prowess of the newer artists. Actually, I laughed.
The song made no sense to me.
Why on earth was he singing about Maccy D’s?
It wasn’t until a few months later, when the song appeared on a compilation CD that I bought for Lil Princess, that I had a chance to listen to it, properly.
It seems to follow the story of a girl he got with, who ended up a bit of a psycho, and then he plants drugs on her so she gets caught by the police…
Still doesn’t explain the Big Mac sans gherkin, though…
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with cal.” Use a word starting with the letters “cal” as your prompt word. Have fun!
Calligraphy is going to be my word of choice, this week
I have always had a huge fascinataion with the ornate writing style, marvelling at the people who use those strokes to create such beautiful handwriting.
My own handwriting resembles a spider let loose over a piece of paper after stepping in an inkpad.
I’m not joking!
You’d think, as a teacher, I would have really neat handwriting. Well, I really don’t! I have to concentrate so hard to write my notes and feedback in children’s books, legibly, but when I aam just writing for me, there are times I forget what I actually wrote, and I can’t even read it back!
That can be a real pain when I can’t, for the life of me, read what I had written on a shopping list!
So, in lockdown, I decided to invest in a couple of courses, to learn the art of calligraphy. I got the pens, and everything.
I love the flow of the ink, but I am the one with a permnently ink stained finger, after clumsily filling the ink well!
After learning the basics, I found I was much more mindful of my writing, but the ink thing? What a faf!
Instead, I decided to learn how to brush letter, or hand letter, and I have had much more fun with that!
