Rabbi Burns

Yesterday it was Robert Burns' 247th birthday. And by Scots all over the world, that day is celebrated by having a Robert Burns' Supper. The ritual was started a few years after Burns' death, as a tribute to his memory. The usual thing to eat during this night, is the haggis. They all stand around the table when the Haggis is brought in, and one person then recites Burns' famous poem, To A Haggis. Then they all toast the haggis with a glass of whisky. You cannot have a Burns' Night without the whisky! They will toast the Lasses,the lasses will toast the men, they'll recite poems and maybe a few songs, someone will talk about Burn's life and the evening culiminates with the company standing, linking arms and singing Auld Lang Syne . It's such a wonderful way to pay tribute to Scotlands National Poet! If you've ever been to one of these suppers, then you know what I'm talking about! And if you haven't, well, then I suggest you have one yourself! I have, a couple of years, and it's great fun! This year I haven't had the energy to have people over for a Burns Supper, I've had to much on my mind. Right now I wish I had invited to a Burns Supper after all. Oh well, maybe next year........

One of my favourite poems by Burns:

To A Mouse.
	Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an chase thee, Wi murdering pattle! I'm truly sorry man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, An justifies that ill opinion, Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor, earth-born companion. An fellow mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve: What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen icker in a thrave 'S a sma request; I'll get a blessin wi the lave, An never miss't! Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! Its silly wa's the win's are strewin! An naething, now, to big a new ane, O foggage green! An bleak December's win's ensuin. Baith snell an keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an waste, An weary winter comin fast. An cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro thy cell. That wee bit heap o leaves an stibble, Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble. But house or hald, To thole the winter's sleety dribble, An cranreuch cauld! But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes o mice an men Gang aft agley, An lea'e us nought but grief an pain, For promis'd joy! Still thou art blest, compar'd wi me! The present only toucheth thee: But och! I backward cast my e'e, On prospects drear! An forward, tho I canna see, I guess an fear!

What's the matter with him?

My dog is strange. He is weird. I really don't understand what goes on in his head. He doesn't dare cross a cord that happens to just lie on the floor, ie the electrical cord to my laptop. But he's got absolutely no problem having the same cord over him when he's on the floor by the sofa where I sit and write this entry. He's terrified of tings on the floor, if we move a chair for instant. He looks like he thinks it can fall over him every moment and chrush him like a flie. But he doesn't mind squeezing in between a chair, a small table and a bike, preferably with an electrical cord or two in the front, so he can be completely surrounded. It acutally looks like this makes him feel safe and secure. Go figure!

It's so sad...........

Today I went to my grandmother's with WB and my mother. Gran is permanently placed in a nursing home. And we had to clear out her apartment. Mum rented a container to throw everything away. All Gran's furniture, except an old piece she inherited from her sister, an antique sideboard. We threw away clothes, bag and bags of old clothes, old bed clothes, towls, blankets, pillows, her bed, her big, handmade coffe table, her sofa, her dressing table, her bureau, all her chairs, the dining table and every other piece of furniture. And then all of her possesions. All the knives, forks, spoons, glasses, cups and saucers, plates, pots and pans, dishes, decorations, vases, bowls, candlesticks, lamps and mirrors. We threw away her pictures, ornaments, table cloths, embroideries, olld hats, old coats, old gloves, pieces of fur, record player and bits and pieces. We only kept the photographs and papers and 22's and a couple of books and a few other pieces we thought she wanted with her. And if there was anything we would like to keep for our selves, we kept that as well. It's so sad, seeing her whole life being thrown away as garbage. My brother evenually came to help, and there was a few things he liked to keep. But nothing much was kept.

When we cleared out Gran's house a year ago, we filled nearly three containers, and my mum kept boxes and boxes of things, just THINGS. Things that you don't know what to do with, things you just can't get yourself to throw away, things you think you should keep, things that take up a lot of space. We thought we wouldn't have so much to do this time around, but there was still a substancial amount of THINGS! OMG, the things you collect during a lifetime! Not to mention all of my grandfathers papers..... They were everywhere! And since I am the oldest grandchild, I have said I'll take care of them, go thru them, read them and sort them, throw away the ones that are not woth keeping, keeping the ones that are, and giving everything concerning veteran sailors and NORTRASHIP to the National Archive or the archive of the Labour Movement. It's a monumental task, it's something I could use years of my life doing. Gran always thought I could write something about it, give my grandfather the posthumous reputation he deserved. I guess I have to start reading some of the papers soon....

We finally managed to get rid of it all, the place is almost empty now, all that's left is a few things we're gonna keep ourselves. But it got me thinking, it's this all we leave behind? All our erathly possesions, all our things that our family don't even want? The letters you've recieved during your 95 year old life, the Christmas cards, the birthday wishes, the souvenirs you get from your holidays, the books you've read, the paper clippings you've saved, the magazines you bought, the few pieces of jewellery that maybe is worth keeping, the ornaments that you enjoyed seeing in the living room everyday, the video tapes you liked watching and the music you enjoyed listening to, the monkey calendars you collected, every single thing that make your life your own, the thing that maybe defines who you are. And what happens when all those things are gone, in a single afternoon? When your family throws it all away, and doesn't think anything is worth keeping? When they don't want to keep your sheets of music beacues the don't know how to read notes, they don't want to keep the pictures you painted, beacuse they don't like the motifs? When they throw away your carefully collected china, because they aren't worth anything and they don't like the colour? When your family leaves you destitute and empyhanded, only with a couple of things they think you should hold on to. What's actually left of your life then?

I feel so sorry for my gran, and I am so happy she doesn't understand what's going on. I think I would have been absolutely devestated if this happened to me and I was aware of it all. I know that the things you own isn't your LIFE, but it sure is a big part of it!! I think I want to live my life with all my things around me, and get rid of the pieces I don't wanna keep, give away the things other people may want and maybe not end my life surrounded with so many things and so much considered junk by others. It's all so sad, and I am feeling really blue right now. I'm in a funk right now, I didn't enjoy today at all..............

Arrrghhh!! Again?!

Well, I'm back, back lying on my stomach on the floor. Oh, what a wonderful way to spend a day!! NOT! I had just finished walking my dog, and since I had i bit of time before I had to catch the subway, I thought I should be clever and take some boxes with Christmas decorations and carry them up to the attic. Well, that turned out just great!! The boxes weren't heavy or anything, but stupid me thought I could take all three of them at the same time. And when I bent down to take them in my arms, I obviously di d something very wrong. OMG The pain!! The pain in my lower back was just awful, I froze, I couldn't say a word or scream, I couldn't even breathe! I just had to stay in that position until the pain ebbed slowly away. And then I couldn't get up. I just couldn't, my back was not able to straighten itself, I crawled into the living room. My excercise mat was on the floor, because I used it last night. And I hadn't removed it, was that because on some unconcious level I knew I would have great need for it today? I lay down on my stomach and tried to get my back to do my bidding. Not so easy, let me tell you! I managed to get my laptop and phone down to the floor, and here I am, trying to type away. Not so easy, really, it isn't! And there's not a Goddam thing I can do at the moment, and it's really pissing me off. Having a comfortable time while my back is this way, is out of the question. So I just have to spend some time on this mat, I guess it's just what I deserve, beeing so NOT careful when lifting the boxes.... Well, speak to you soon, I don´ t have much else to do today. I can't even work from home, although I have an excellent Internet connection. So I guess I'll just have myself some boring and painful hours now! But y'all enjoy your day!

Well...

Christmas is definitely over, sadly. I think Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, with lots of mouth-watering food, long, cosy nights in the sofa, plenty of time to have dinner parties and to meet of with friends I don usually see as often as I would like. I guess it's time to take down all the Xmas decorations now.

Yeah, I know it's been several weeks since my last post, and I PROMISE I'll write more often from now on. But right now I just have to say YOU'VE GOT TO SEE FIREFLY - the series. It's the most amazing show ever, I'm totally hooked!! I'm gonna watch an episode more tonight, and I'm gonna enjoy it sooo much! I actually think it's the best tv-series ever made. I've borrowed it from a friend, but I really gotta buy it myself. I totally want to see it again! And again and again..... If you've missed it, then buy it and get blown away!!

Happy New Year!