Last Sunday Musings For April

~ beetleypete

If one word can sum a week, then that word is COLD. I have felt cold all week, and the heating has been on in the house for 14 hours a day, every day. Some days have been dry, but walking outside felt like winter, in a biting wind all the way from Norway sweeping down the east of England. The weather is set to warm up next week so they say, but with that comes ‘occasional heavy rain’. Hard to believe it is almost May. The front Beech hedges are still bare branches, and there are not many leaves on the two Oak trees.

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I am still coming across people who don’t know that Ollie died in February. Recounting the story of his last days yet again keeps the pain of the loss going, like twisting a knife in a wound. But people are only being kind and sympathetic, so I have to endure it.

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Julie had two extra days off during the week, and used them to good effect by baking cakes, bread, and savouries. I featured that in a post earlier, but since then we have also enjoyed some scones she made on Saturday. She certainly has the ‘Baking Bug’, buying lots more flour over the weekend, and constantly looking for ideas in her recipe book.

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My mood is still up and down. I tried to start reading again, and chose a new book on my Kindle. But I only managed 15 pages before giving up. I might go back to it, though I have no idea why reading books suddenly became so difficult fro me during the pandemic lockdowns. If there is such a thing as ‘Reader’s Block’, I definitely have it.

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It is raining heavily here as I type this, though the temperature has jumped to a relatively balmy 10C. (50F) I hope the weather is more pleasant where you are, and that you have the kind of Sunday you wish for.

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82 thoughts on “Last Sunday Musings For April”

  2. It’s been pretty cold here as well (as in I went back to the winter coat after having put it away for the year), and it is still colder than it would normally be at this time of the year, although, at least we’ve had some much-needed rain. The weather should improve towards the weekend.

    It is very painful when you get reminded of a loss, especially when it feels as if it’s been quite a while and everybody should know by now.

    I know what you mean about readers block. I experienced it during the first lockdown for COVID, and I could only read pretty short stories at first. Thankfully that’s gone back to normal, more or less, but I have much less tolerance for TV series than I used to.

    Take care, Pete. Slowly, slowly.

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  3. I always look forward to you Sunday musings and I really don’t know why other than they summarize some of the most important things in life; feelings, moods, weather, and activities. I know you don’t believe but I continue holding your in prayer and hoping your heart is able to heal. Hugs, C

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  4. The weather here has been rather a roller coaster ride … we alternate between opening the windows to catch some cooler air, and turning the heat on (after closing the windows, of course.) I feel your pain about Ollie, and in fact I felt tears welling as I was reading this. It’s so hard to lose a beloved family member, whether the furry sort or not. Heck, Pete … I miss Ollie and I had never met him. As you know, one of our moggies is named Ollie (short for Oliver) and I find myself giving him extra loves ‘n pats these days. I thought I was alone in my inability to focus on a book of late, but apparently you have that same bug. I have at least 7 books started, but I just cannot seem to stay focused on one for more than 30 pages or so. My head is just pulled in so many directions, I think, that I have lost my ability to focus … temporarily, I hope! Sunday is long gone now and it’s Tuesday, back to the routine (I am a creature of routine, so it’s all good for me). I hope you have a good week, my friend.

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    1. Thanks, Jill. From some of the comments, I have discovered I am not alone in my inability to read books these days. Perhaps one day we will discover why some of us are affected by this, who knows?

      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. These are trying times all ’round the globe, Pete, and those of us who are thinkers cannot help but be affected by it all, I think. If we care about the planet, about humanity, then the wheels in our minds are constantly turning, I think. As Thomas Paine is credited with saying, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” (And women’s, too.)

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  5. I know about that wind in East Anglia. I used to live there in the 70s. It can be bitter. We had snow in June, one year.

    The reading thing is strange. I seem to have this bug, too. I’ve started a book recently, but then I’ve put it down and can’t manage to pick it up again.

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      1. I suppose that’s possible. However, my aunt was in her late 90s when she died. She read several books a week. I think it might be something to do with the decreased attention span brought on by phones, tablets and even TV. People scan and don’t read everything in blog posts. That’s why we’re told that lists are good.

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    2. 30C is about as hot as I am comfortable with in England. I would like it to be about 24C, I don’t need it any hotter than that. It is only 12C this morning, but feels really pleasant compared to last week.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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  13. (1) It’s sunny here in Las Vegas. The forecast for the next ten days is for temperatures in the 80° to 90° F (26° to 32° C) range. We did get a bit of rain last Friday. We welcomed it with dusty umbrellas.
    (2) I’m sorry you have to keep on informing people that Ollie has passed. Shouldn’t they have kept up with your blog?
    (3) The Baking Bug has never infected our household. But we do have Gnasty Gnats. I have to put out small bowls with a mix of apple cider vinegar, sugar, and dishwashing liquid in warm water to attract them, trap them, and kill them. The “traps” work great, but the gnats keep on reproducing…
    (4) When it comes to reading books, you’ve been around the block. For various reasons, I haven’t read a book in two years (the last one was Les Misérables, in the original French language). I hope to get back to reading this summer.
    (5) Yesterday, we walked around a familiar upper class neighborhood. One of the houses is the “Thriller Villa” once leased by Michael Jackson. As for today, I think we’ll get out for a walk somewhere, perhaps in the desert.

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  14. Can’t imagine life without a book to read. I don’t get readers block but I do get too much choice block! Anyway hope you will one day get your reading mojo back. Went out photographing with Sophie today, it rained the whole time until we got home. 🥴

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  16. A lot of things to process this week Pete, that’s for sure….it was my wife’s birthday so I took her to a really nice dinner and then we saw Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden…it was show #146 of his 150 planned before he calls it quits….the arena seats 20,000 plus and every show he has done has sold out…he was terrific, his voice flawless, his band energetic and he played some fun covers as well – a really great 3 hours of music!

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  17. Brrr… It’s nice to hear that Julie has been doing much baking. I’m so sorry that you have to tell people about Ollie time and time again. As to reading, may I suggest hardcopy books? It can make a world of difference in reading. The library might become your new hangout. Best to you, Pete.

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    1. I have been trying to read a hardback autobiography that Julie bought me ages ago. I really like the person who wrote it, but I have still only got to around page 40 of a very long book. I also have a dozen or more large hardbacks ‘resting’ on the bookshelf not even opened yet.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Thanks for letting me know. Maybe a short book? I have one I’d love to send you. It is 88 ages. Hubby says it’s the best book he’s ever read, and he is a voracious reader. The Poet’s Dog. Let me know. Best to you, Pete.

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  18. It hasn’t happened lately, but there have been periods in which I also could not read. I wanted to as it is something I have always enjoyed a great deal but during those times I also could not get beyond the first few pages. I can’t account for it, nor how I managed to break out. It’s possible that it was a book I picked up in an airport once, looking for a way to entertain myself on a flight. It was the Stephen Kinng book “It”. One would think being not able to read might be due to distraction but these days I seem to have two “sides” running simultaneously, one that reads and one that thinks of sick cats, world problems etc. Occasionally I have to go back and re-read a page, but not often. Weird, eh?

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    1. It is weird. I was a regular reader from the time I learned to read and right up until the pandemic, when it just stopped for no reason I can fathom.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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  21. Baking makes the house smell wonderful…..We are staring into the days of Summer our highs are in the 80s these days…..I know what you mean I seem to have the same ‘reader’s block’….have a great Sunday chuq

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  24. The rain is persisting down here, Pete, to put it politely 😉 and it’s only 6°, according to my phone. I’ll have to be out later, after lunch, so I fear I’m going to be battling the elements. Cheers, Jon.

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      1. I can read okay with reading glasses, but then I don’t have your condition of course. I couldn’t get on with audio books either, as it was hard to find ‘my voice’ among the narrators.

        Best wishes, Pete.

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  27. Julie should bake an “icing” cake & send it back to the Norwegians. You can start up the beetley maypole dancers on Wednesday. I expect a report on here.

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  28. I have always read since I learnt how and I often carry a book with me just in case there is time to read. (The joke was that I would take a book on a date as a teen in case the date was boring!) But when I went through a very stressful time a few years ago, I could no longer read. I couldn’t concentrate and had to keep rereading the page I had just read. It was scary. Once I got through the stressful time, I could read again, but it took awhile. We are finally getting some rain. I can’t complain as the drought conditions were getting bad. The dogs don’t want to go out. Enjoy that baking. I made apple turnovers the other day. Hubby was pleased.

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    1. That’s exactly what happens. I read a few pages, seem to lose the thread of the story, then read them over again. After a couple of times, I just give up. It has been going on for over 2 years now.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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