May....ing

Another chilly damp morning, rather typical of this year’s disappointing May.  Here’s what I have been up to.

Puppy rearing.......which is hard work.  We have an arrangement.  If Alfie wakes in the night, and he usually does, Paul gets up to take him for a wee and settle him. Then I let Paul sleep when we are woken again around 6am and do my shift.  Just like having a baby to care for. He’s growing fast and into everything. 

Adding ‘organic matter’  to my newly dug borders. As my own compost is still full of bits of half rotted veg and intact avocado skins, I purchased a bulk bag from a local supplier and was surprised at how expensive it was. My father would be horrified at how much I spent on what resembled the contents of the dung hill (pronounced duch- ill)  on our farm in Ballyronan.  There are lumps which are distinctly horse poo shaped.

Enjoying the relaxation of the rules.  I’m not that bothered about shops but it so good not to have to shiver outside any longer when meeting friends for coffee.  And I’m very happy that Storyhouse, our local library/cinema/theatre is open again.  I’ve booked to see this play next weekend.  Not that sure what it is about but it has had good reviews. 

Reading Ishiguro books.  I read ‘Remains of the Day’ a few years ago along with Kate who studied it for A level and wasn’t terribly keen on it. I wasn’t either but thought it was well written.  There’s been a lot of hype about his latest book ‘Klara and the Sun’ so I got it from the library and also borrowed ‘Never Let Me Go’, which friends had recommended.  Both of these are kind of visions of the future - the narrator is an AF (Artificial Friend) in ‘Klara’ and a cloned ‘donor’ in ‘ Never Let Me Go’.  He doesn’t really write full Sci-fi though as the worlds he creates are not that different from our own. He focuses on exploring the emotions of the characters, especially the narrators.  I read an interview with Ishiguro in which he said that he feels he writes the same book over and over again. Initially there seems little to connect ‘Remains of the Day’, the story of a butler in England in the 1930s, with ‘Klara’ or  ‘Never Let Me Go’. But thinking again he has a kind of formula.  First person naive narrator, lonely and isolated and disappointed in love/friendship, victim of uncaring society/ corrupt regime, prepared to sacrifice his/herself for others,  I enjoyed ‘Klara and the Sun’ the most, finding Kathy the narrator in ‘Never Let Me Go’ a bit irritating with all of her dull digressions.  Klara, with her good girl, uncomplaining,  people-pleaser behaviour and her naive faith in the healing power of the sun, is a more appealing character to me.  A bit like me actually,  I suppose. The characters in all three novels seem to accept their fate rather than fight for what they want and this makes the books ultimately rather disappointing.  

Celebrating from afar, my youngest sister’s 50th birthday.  Displaying her indifference to advancing years, she completed an ultra-marathon last weekend. That’s 35 miles.  Pretty impressive. She was born on my mother’s 40th birthday so, if she were alive today, this would be her 90th birthday. I’m sure she would be very proud of her youngest daughter if she could see her now, meet her three children and hear about her marathon and her career success.