Just got home from babysitting our two lovely granddaughters. They didn't wake up in the four hours that we were down at their house. It is a nine minute walk away from us. Frances and Stewart wanted to go for a birthday meal at a new Italian restaurant on nearby Oakbrook Road. When they returned they reported their dinner had been very good.
Tomorrow I am going to a football match over at Hull. The Tigers are playing Cardiff City who sacked their manager last weekend. They are languishing at the bottom of the Championship table with only one point so we stand a good chance of beating them. However, I certainly would not take that for granted.
I hope to set off early in order to make a detour to my home village - where I was born and raised. It's two years since my younger brother Simon died from cancer in Dove House Hospice in Hull and it is almost a year since a simple gravestone was erected in the village churchyard at great expense above his grave.
Trouble is I haven't seen it yet - just a couple of photographs from the monumental stone mason who followed my instructions to the letter. I am also going to take a plant pot containing coloured heathers to place in front of his headstone. Tomorrow's forecast is good
Naturally, I often think of Simon and how he lived his life. He was a difficult character and when my mother was still alive, he often came back to her - stressing her out, sponging off her and even making her feel frightened to sleep in her own bedroom. He wasn't certifiable but he didn't fit in and often found solace in cannabis and marijuana. These so-called recreational drugs sparked a few psychotic episodes and by the time he reached twenty he was much changed from the happy-go-lucky lad who entered his teens in 1969.
Over the last three days, I have observed the progress of Hurricane Helene from afar. It moved relentlessly across the Gulf of Mexico before bearing down on "The Big Bend" south east of Tallahassee. Blogmate Mary Moon lives just east of there and I was hoping that by now she might have reported on her situation. However, there may have been issues with her electricity supply and local telecommunication masts so it's no big surprise that we have not heard from her yet.
One headline in "The Tallahassee Democrat" says "Hurricane Helene skirts Tallahassee, leaves minimal damage" so hopefully Mrs Moon and her entire family are safe and sound. It seems that they may all have suffered a near miss. Sadly, initial reports suggest that Hurricane Helene has taken over 43 lives in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Millions of homes remain without power.
I am a new fan of Mary and am watching for any news that she and her loved ones are all ok. I haven't known of her very long but feel we would get along just great over a hot cup of tea and a cookie.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy that we don't get hurricanes here. They would be far to stressful.
ReplyDeleteI have just come from Mary's blog and they are all fine. A tree branch through the windshield on one of Mr Moon's trucks is the only damage.
ReplyDeleteAlready two years since Simon died! You were very open with us about his story, and the impact his drug use had on himself and your family. A sad story. I think it is good to use the opportunity to visit his grave and leave a potted heather.
ReplyDeleteHurricanes are scary even just reading about it. Hopefully, all our blog mates and their loved ones are safe.
Learned from one US blogging friend that another friend in Bradenton Fl is "ok" but their yard badly trashed, no power, and they can't get their cars out...
ReplyDeleteThe September storms remind me of the reasons I moved out of Florida.
ReplyDeleteI like to pay my respects to those I know when they finally get their final resting spot set up, i.e. tombstone installed. I don't know why unless I just hope that perhaps they know that someone is still thinking about them.
ReplyDeleteLuckily for where I live in Virginia, we only got some steady rain, and some gusty winds, but that was it. The description of your brother, Simon, reminded me of my older son. Fortunately, he has turned his life around.
ReplyDeleteAs I was finally able to report last night, we are all well. The storm did skirt us bringing minimal damage (power still out where I live but we have a generator) but there is devastating destruction east of here and up into Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
ReplyDeleteAren't cannabis and marijuana the same thing? I always thought so.
ReplyDeleteIt seems Helene is hitting the Appalachians harder than Florida, with all the flooding in Tennessee and the Carolinas.
Cannabis describes cannabis products in general. Marijuana specifically refers to cannabis products that are made from the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant.
DeleteMarijuana is not as innocuous as we once believed, just as alcohol isn't. For most people the occasional toke seems ok, just as it is with alcohol, but for some it sends them down the road of addiction. Long term use of alcohol and marijuana can lead to pyschosis. Jack's mother would hallucinate and had cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome at least once.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your mum had to deal with that, it's not easy, I know. Not for siblings either.
I'm glad Ms. Moon is safe and her family is safe as well.
Yes, I would dub that storm Horrible Helene. Many flooded areas here though not the worst by far. Thanks for your visit. I'm sorry about your brother.
ReplyDeleteYes, Mary Moon said a branch went through one of their vehicle's windshields but apparently they had no significant damage otherwise.
ReplyDeleteWe lost power thanks to Helene for about 14 hours yesterday, and had some branches come down from the trees, but other than that we are safe and grateful. Lots of other folks in our area, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida didn't fare so weel.
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