About Me

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Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Born in the year of the Coronation, I'm a Baby Boomer. In April of this year I decided I too would have a Diamond Jubilee celebration and completely change my life and that of my Husband's in the process

Saturday 17 September 2005

What's It All About?

My first month of Blogging! I've surprised myself in that I've kept this going for so long. I'm not really a 'stayer' I soon get tired of things and lose motivation. Maybe that's why I've been married three times. No, I don't think that was the reason for the first two failures.

Life at school has been busy, at home it's been manic!

I'm very into family history, it's a fairly recent  hobby that I started two years ago and has given me some of the best times of my life.

Tuesday night saw us off to a local history group, run by my second cousin who I found at the start of my research. It was his grandfather's picture in a book that really got me into all this. I can't tell you all the bizarre, unbelievable coincidences that have helped me on the way. I think one day I shall have to write a book about it, you really couldn't make half of it up.

The talk this month was about 'Bastards and Sons of Whores', never think this stuff is dull!

On the way there I collected a huge boxful of ancient papers from a local medieval farmhouse. Some of the papers related to my own family. I have taken on the task of sorting and transcribing them on to our local website, where we have people from all over the world and many still local, researching their roots, or just keeping up with the local gossip.

Some of the tales told by these papers made me very thoughtful, the sad tale of the loss of a horse when a farmer was made to take her to the Worcester Yeomanry Review in Worcester, back in the 1860's. This was a journey of around 25 miles. The mare wasn't well but the Sergeant Major said they must take her. Sadly she died as a result and this was a great financial hardship to the family.

Other papers tell of court summons for none payment of bills and others for hotel bills and new boots and suits showing that sometimes money was available.

My wealthy branch of ancestors made a fortune making Ramrods for the British Army during the American War of Independence and built a grand new house called Ramrod Hall out of the proceeds. The last member of my family to live there lost the family fortune and another fortune inherited by his wife and in the early 1900's hanged himself on the farm.

The farm no longer exists, it's under a housing estate, as is most of the area now. That's why I feel it's so important to record these peoples lives while I can and to be handling papers that haven't been touched for over a hundred years is a great privilege.

Most of us struggle through our lives, taking the highs with the lows and get through it. Not many of us feel things are so bad that we chose to end it all. I always think things will get better, I can't imagine giving up hope. Which leads to my question, What IS it all about?

My great Uncle Albert, seen at the top, wrote to his wife, just before he died, saying the next day there was to be a major push and that many of them would not survive. He didn't. God knows what awful sights he must have seen in the trenches in Ypres.

Albert's sister, my grandmother, took great comfort from her Strict & Particular Baptist Chapel and read the bible every day and attended services every Sunday.

When we lived in Cardiff one of the Manic Street Preachers came into my husband's studio for an interview. His name was Ritchie Edwards. My daughter was a huge fan and sat chatting with him for nearly an hour while he was waiting to be interviewed. Afterwards we gave him a lift back to his hotel. He was charming and polite, not at all like his public image. In 1997 his car was found near the Severn Bridge and he has never been seen since. He had a wonderful life style and plenty of money.

So what are the rules of suicide? Obviously it's not just down to lack of money but it can be. I know it's silly but I always feel I should have been able to pass on to Ritchie my optimism, the thought that things WILL get better, unless of course you're my great uncle Albert, when obviously they didn't!

I'm no nearer the meaning of life, or why some people chose to opt out of it.

Thursday saw us at the press launch of The Walsall Lights. This is a rescue home for unwanted lights from the Blackpool Illuminations. Why did it have to be the only wet night for months?

We took Mum and Step Dad, they are both approaching 80 but neither of them had been before. I've been going for 32 years. This tale was picked up on by the council Press Office and explains why the three of us could be seen out in the pouring rain, doing a 'Singing in the Rain', dance routine for the photographer. I'm hoping none of the local papers print it, talk about looking an idiot! You never wake up in a morning and think, tonight, I will do a daft dance routine in the pouring rain for the local press. Well you don't, do you? 

I should know better than to take Mum & Step Dad anywhere, I've only just got over the fact that a big feature was made of them on Sky News last year. It's traditional for Baggies supporters to dress up for the last away match of the year. Last year, due to some Danish player, they dressed as Vikings. The cameras picked them up in their helmets and long blonde plaits and the commentators made a big thing of how game they were, even at their time of life. They even made sporting highlights of the week.

I suppose really I'm quite proud of them and if I'm honest I hope to grow old even more disgracefully, as I said there is no way of knowing where your day might take you, so it's always worth hanging around till bedtime.

I haven't stabbed anyone this week, which is good but there's still time. 

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your comments in my journal which I will reply to later. Any way what is it all about? Everyone says life is for living but if the things in life that you cherrish are taken from you? Is there meaning in any of it than, there are only so many times you can pick yourself up and start again before you reach that finite line.
Andy

Anonymous said...

I do know what you mean Andrew, I've often doubted my ability to bounce back up after yet another blow, so far I've managed it, I hope I'm not tested again,

Do you ever wonder why some people have such any easy life? I think I must have committed a great sin in my last one! It's the only explanation I can think of.

Anonymous said...

Like you I must of commited a sin in the past, just can't remember if I enjoyed it at the time or not. I think I have been tested almost to the point of no return but I have to try and maintain some sort of balance and normality but it is hard,very hard at times. Andy

Anonymous said...

Linda...your journal is a delight to read (fer a girl, that is!)..is there a link to the village site?...the docs you found sound fascinating.

Anonymous said...

Thank you malypense, I think....     what's wrong with being a girl?

It's been a long time since it was a village but there are plenty of people who keep the spirit alive. It has an interesting history, even gunpowder plotters. One of my ancestors (we think, same name anyway) was hung drawn and quartered for harbouring some of them, although he hadn't really wanted to.

The site is http://www.rowleyregis.com/

Anonymous said...

The meaning of life discovered. The answer is simple really. 'Life itself'.

Why do some people opt out?
There are times when you're living life on the edge. The only problem with living on the edge? Sometimes you fall over.

If you do choose to stab someone, and need to get rid of the body, I'd advise a quick call to Dead Dave.....

Anonymous said...

The first month.

The first of many.

Anonymous said...

thanku 4 ur comment in my journal, made me think things always look worse when we dwell on things
http://journals.aol.co.uk/littlemismenthol/LittlemismentholsJournal

Anonymous said...

I'd love to find out about my family's history, I began once but only got as far as a great great grandmother on my mothers side of the family, all info found at the local librbary. I'm quite annoyed now that I didn't take the search further but that's me all over. I may continue my search one day but for now I am enjoying read about yours, it's fascinating :)

Anonymous said...

Hope you keep it going, have just found you. Will be back

Anonymous said...

Hello Linda.

Family History is something I would love to get into, but with all thats happening at the moment I have to keep that in the stalls for the moment, I did try some        cd-rom once I got from a book club and found it very disapointing to say the least. Never thought of joining a group before, I may just do that after the plumbing course.

I used to work as a psychiatric nurse for many years, and have had to deal with people taking there own lifes, there is no reason for it, just that it comes in waves so I am told by people who have tryed and failed only for the feeling to come again and Succeed in the end, they talk of seeing no end to there suffering even well off people do it, (moneys no comfort when you know every one else wants it I was told by a patient)

There is no reason except that the feelings of hoplessness is so  overwhelming and can see no light at the end of the tunnle.

Indiana bones

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your comments on my journal. No it was nothing you said but I think the time is getting near!
Anyway I think you are right everybody needs some secrecy and possibly adventure in there life otherwise we may become just a number and I for one would hate that. This may be a reason why some people can just not take any more and do the unmentionable.
Keep up the journal I really love reading about you and your thoughts and am disappointed that Worcester and Maidstone are so far apart.
Andy
andrewfrnd@aol.com (life)

Anonymous said...

Fascinating stuff Linda. Well done for staying (I'm not normally one for sticking to things either). Keep it up. I love coming over here.
Tilly x
http://journals.aol.co.uk/tillysweetchops/Adventuresofadesperatelyfathouse/