Saturday, December 11, 2010

49 articles

Herhimnbryn, who is the queen and the onlie begetter of many a good list, started this, some time back.  Zhoen and Fire Bird and the Polish Chick took it up and rattled off some which were so good I couldn't imagine adding anything to them, check on the links and you'll see.  But I started saving them up, reckoning that by this point I might have collected an adequate 49, for my span, and I have.

I have passed the time richly with friends, and will go on doing so.  We'll may be go up the coast tomorrow, just Tom and Molly and I, and I've a thing or two to open

~~~

49

1.  Don't forget about music

2.  Wine really does taste better if you don't drink it every day

3.  You weren't so good as you thought you were then, no reason to suppose you're as good as you think you are now.

4.  You weren't so bad as you thought you were then, no reason to suppose...

5.  Limes are so much more than green lemons

6.  Let yourself be nailed to the sofa by a warm spaniel while you can.

7.  Prepare for a lonely old age.  Then if anyone does show up, it'll be a bonus, and you'll still have the stores you laid by against a lonely old age.

8.  Eat all the veg you like, but mind the butter and mayonnaise you put on them

9.  Walk by woods and water.

10. Let Tom take out the recyclables and make coffee.

11. Sometimes you don't have to relax with something, you can just relax.

12. Good practice will sometimes desert you, it's just too bad.

13. Blue for summer, red for winter.

14. Don't be disloyal.

15. Brown paper bags are lovely, and often filled with good things.

16. Things change fast, it doesn't mean you were wrong.

17. Sometimes you will irresistibly crave the taste of Jerusalem artichokes, but remember, everything has its consequences.

18. It's a fine line between procrastinating and prioritising.  You aren't always guilty of the former.

19. Wear a scarf.

20. Thank them, even and especially the ones not there, you owe them so much, and they won't throw it back in your face, stamped with reproach.

21. Count your blessings.

22. Don't  take every offer of help as a criticism.

23. Look into the fire, stay awhile.

24. Exercise won't make you thin, but it will make you feel better.

25. Stroke the alabaster swan.

26. Don't lose heart.

27. Colours are too important to be mere adjectives.

28. Luxuriate in fatigue.

29. For fried egg sandwiches, it doesn't matter too much if the yolk breaks.

30. Blues seldom clash.

31. Don't be greedy.

32. More things than you think take less than an hour.

33. More things than you think take more than an hour.

34. Keep taking the magnesium.

35. Come on, don't be shy.

36. Always remember to pack the battery chargers and leads.

37. Take the long way round sometimes.

38. Though it is better to light a candle, there's a time and a place for cursing the darkness.

39. Make stock, take stock.

40. Make sure the bruise gel is always handy.

41. There is no bruise gel for the spirit; you just have to wait and watch the colours turn and fade.

42. Never underestimate the restorative power of hot water and toothpaste.

43. Don't expect people to be amenable to having vicarious amends made to them.  If they are, beware.

44. Try not to flinch.

45. Have something warm across your shoulders, an arm, a shawl, the sun...

46. The wrong you've done others hurts more than any wrong done you.  In this you may well be fortunate.

47. Make patterns, break patterns.

48. Kippers and balsamic vinegar.

49.  Light, light, light.

~~~


22 comments:

tristan said...

hurrah !

a great challenge ... i'm on the case

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! I love #3, #4, and #32 especially. And I'm intrigued by and musing on #46.

Zhoen said...

I love 3 & 4 as well.

Tom will take out my recycle? Cool.

I do try not to flinch.

Kelly said...

7, 11, and 18 hit right where I spend way too much time thinking. That is a great list, thanks for sharing it.

HKatz said...

Especially love #s 7, 9, 15, 18 (though I still think I procrastinate too much), 24, 35, and 41. Thanks for sharing this.

herhimnbryn said...

Happy Birthday Lucy!
Grand list.
2
6
9
24
35

zephyr said...

Oh my...so much richness here to mull over.

The Crow said...

Happy birthday, dear Lucy; happy birthday to you!

These still humming in my mind:
3
7
14
21
26
38
41
49

the polish chick said...

i so agree with 5. also, i am curious, what are the consequences of jerusalem artichokes?

and thank you for the link.

Roderick Robinson said...

5. The difference between a plebeian and a regal G&T.
7. Or let it overtake you while you're still doing something you like.
17. But always in soup.
33. "I could dash 100 words off in 30 min." BECOMES "Coming. I'll just get the car out."
36. And put labels on the little buggers.
39. But Knorr-Swiss is OK - honest.
44. Especially when a pheasant lurches out in front of the car.

Fire Bird said...

lovely lovely. I especially love 38but already looking forward to reading again later. should we tell polish chick you think?

Happy Birthday dear girl!

wv - person - makes me think of Woman on the Edge of Time

Sabine said...

For whatever reason the wisdom of your no.17 has to be rediscovered time and time again.
Happy birthday!

Rouchswalwe said...

♪ ♫ Hoch soll sie leben! Hoch soll sie leben! Dreiiiii maaaaal hoch!!! ♪ Sweet Lucy, I'm glad I've made your acquaintance in this coiled world. Thank you for #26. I am in awe that you think of limes the way you do. Which leads me to think of gin and music, which is number one for me, too.

Setu said...

Today is "Sainte Lucie". Bonne fête!

YourFireAnt said...

I immediately resonate with "Luxuriate in fatigue".

Now I'm going to make my own list.

Tha nks


T.

Dick said...

I've been away too long. Happy birthday, late, late, late. And I liked them all. They read like a tall, narrow koan. I must have a go.

Rosie said...

You have inspired me, i will get onto it for my own list.

Magpie said...

#32 is oddly true. also, more things than you think can be done before the water boils.

happy birthday.

Avus said...

Belated Birthday greetings, Lucy.
Number 6 gave me a broad grin. In my case it would be "stapled to the armchair by the front paws of a heavy German Shepherd".

Lilacs said...

thought provoking

JMartin said...

16! 22!!

So wish that that bruised spirit did turn colours, that we were surrounded by Saturn-like mood rings.

And re importance of colour (#27), I'm enjoying On Being Blue: A Philosophical Inquiry, despite its inherent William Gassitudes.

Bee said...

I'm not sure about #48, but otherwise, YES! I am currently feeling a bit 28ish, but I'm not allowed to luxuriate as we have promised to attend a drinks party in a few minutes. I will try to be more 35ish about it.

Most of all, very happy returns on what is still your birth-month! xx