Wednesday, May 7

another progress report

After yesterday's refreshing sleep on the office floor, today I was firing on all cylinders even without any bliss tea. Chopped back several trees/shrubs; painted some more of the kitchen; re-read The Cement Garden. I don't know why people say it's a horrible book. The last person I lent it to, returned it to me the next day saying there was nothing at all she liked about it.

I also had some computer success. After using XP for about 5 years, I have finally stumbled on several ways to improve its snail-like speed. It's not difficult and I wish I had done it sooner. I've even managed to resurrect XP on the partner's 10-year-old PC. I should busk for weissbier as a computer guru.

Tonight I've had the first glass out of the Erdinger bottle, it really is the king of beers. There's nothing on TV so I'm free to do whatever I want. After phoning the old dear for her anniversary I might read some more. She's been feral recently, but on reflection I realise that'll be because she spends all day cooped indoors with an ailing hubby who sleeps 16 hours a day, and when he's awake watches TV. She must be a bit lonely and scared. Tomorrow, mothers' day, we've to meet the boy for Chinese brunch, aka Dim Sum or Yum Cha. I haven't seen him for months, and it'll be nice to catch up with his impressions of university.

Life, despite being very different to what I imagined when I was the boy's age, is pretty damn good, I may even drain the Erdinger bottle in celebration.

7 comments:

  1. I say!

    According to the Wikipedia, "In The Cement Garden, the father of four children dies. His death is followed by the death of the children's mother. In order to avoid being taken into custody, the children hide their mother's death from the outside world by encasing her corpse in cement in their basement. Two of the siblings, a teenage boy and girl, enter into an incestuous relationship, while the younger son starts to experiment with transvestism."

    It sounds like a tale of everyday life in Bellshill, if you ask me.

    The movie featured Charlotte Gainsbourg. I remember her mother quite well.

    MM III

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  2. When you put it like that, it does seem a bit dodgy, but for me, the book makes all the events seem pretty normal developments.

    How come I missed the film? It might have helped.

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  3. The only book I read by Ian McEwan (?) (He can't be a called that!) was the Cement Garden, which I thought was a fabulous book, and beautifully written. He didn't get the Booker for it, and they said he'd come around again. The worst bit was the boy humping his sister. Obviously, the author being a public schoolboy knows bugger all about sex. Humping virgins is nothing like that, even if they are your sister. Not as good as Bright Lights, Big City (?) the Jay McInnerey debut, but good for a joe from a writing course. BTW I read that Sharman MacDonald is Keira Knightley's mother. It seems she was in Atonement. Olly was playing the guitar in a dramsoc skit show with her. Sharman was too good looking to speak to and, therefore, missed meeting moi, although I saw her putting on her eye make-up backstage once. Far too middle class and gorgeous to be any good at anything except being dead successful. Better looking than her daughter, but maybe her daughter can act. I've only seen photies!

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  4. Hotters. It's a deal. You can have the old dear and I'll just have to make do with the daughter.

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  5. Hallo! My favourite Ian mcEwan is his early (?first) slim volume of short stories, 'First Love, Last Rites'.

    Unusually alcoholic posts recently from you! How was the laddie? Does he seem to have grown up in the months since he left to live independently? Sorry to hear your step-dad isn't doing so good- sleeping so much isn't a good sign, unless it's floaty opiate dreams. I'll send some good thoughts his way, and to yer ma.

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  6. ion - agreed (and there was another called I think Between The Sheets). I suppose there's no money to made writing short stories, but he was great at it.

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  7. Ion - I seem to have only read your initial sentence, first time round. The boy who until he left home couldn't blow his own nose unaided, has turned into the main organiser and accountant of his student household. We've obviously been holding him back all these years and ought to have kicked him out long ago. And I'll see the stepfather's condition myself soon enough. He and the old dear have had 30 years of doting on one another, what good fortune!

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