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Wednesday 26 September 2012

Plenty of hair, too much nose


I’ve been told it’s time I showed off my Rhine barge captain’s cap. Here it is, but more prominent is my Roman emperor’s nose. In profile its outline appears to be a continuation of my forehead. Previously I’d always reckoned my nose to be the only worthwhile feature of my face. Now I realise this was a delusion and my looks are encapsulated in a well-known hymn:

Change and decay
In all around I see
Oh, Thou who changeth not
Abide with me.

I had in mind to re-shoot this pic since that bulky redness couldn’t surely all be me. Alas it is. Thus, as my Grannie said, it is better to tell the truth and shame the Devil. So publish and be damned.

I am seen contemplating my two brothers, down in Hereford for a short visit. Non-blogging Nick, in the centre, is not well but I was intensely moved to see him, to talk to him. Con, who blogs as Sir Hugh, had done a monster chauffeuring job, setting off from Arnside on the fringe of the Lake District, driving east over the Pennines, picking up Nick from Harrogate in North Yorkshire then down south of the city of Hereford where I live.

On such occasions one scrabbles about in the shared past. Our father – half uncaring parent, half satyr, half curiosity – figured prominently. Profoundly deaf he compensated with a very sharp mind and left a trail of worthwhile quotes behind. Most of them require a context and I’d be underselling him if I reproduced them baldly. He was unpopular in different ways with all three of us, but his death and our advancing age tends to soften the memories.

Mrs RR and I had a bottle of Taittinger awaiting a worthwhile occasion. Last night fitted the bill.

9 comments:

  1. As an avid Asterix and Obelix reader in my childhood, I have always appreciated a good solid nose! I had to look up Taittinger ... a fine choice for brothers together. There's a dry Riesling in my winerack awaiting the weekend. Time spent with family is good for the heart, enhanced with a bottle of wine shared.

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  2. May I be so bold as to request that you wear the cap next time we meet so that I can salute you in appropriat fashion.

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  3. See my post - "walking in the rain" - conradwalks.blogspot.com

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  4. Well, well. Returned to look around my favourite blogs and I find you are no longer "anonymous" and have published!

    I have downloaded to my Kindle and will let you know.

    I, too, like barge caps. In fact I must get over to Whitstable for a new one as mine begins to fade to white in places.

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  5. RW (zS): I'm not so sure it is solid. Closer up it looks as though it might break off. Which will, I suppose, allow another photographic opportunity.

    Plutarch: Should I wear it through the meal?

    Sir Hugh: Passed on your thanks to Mrs RR.

    Avus: I assume a long silence may be taken as bad news.

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  6. No bad news RR, but thanks for the thought. Merely life getting in the way and blogger's block - feeling that I have explored most of the things I enjoy and wish to share.
    Must be careful, in advancing age, of not repeating myself and my experiences.

    (Don't these affirmation words get harder to read - or is it my eyesight?)

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  7. Well, Hallo RR (but you will always be BB to me!),

    You and my Pa have a nose in common. Very roman, both.

    Love the hat and the red jumper.

    Herhimnbryn

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  8. Avus (The real Avus): I expressed myself poorly. I meant if if I didn't hear from you for a long long time it would be the equivalent of thumbs-down for GT.

    A solution for blogger's block. Lower your sights. Consider a shorter blog on some smaller matter: your coffee mug, an amusing glitch at your wedding, beds you have known, a neighbour you detested, why pork pies shouldn't be trusted. Repeat by all means, but change the style. You may be leading a full and rewarding life but the view from my side of the fence of your pleasures is simply silence. Thus ominous.

    Yes, WV is getting harder.

    Avus (The Perth variety): And that's why Bryn is always Blue Dog. A pity you're four hours away. The average cash value of individual bottles in the RR cellar is rising as we speak. Something went out of my life when your star was crossed by clunker technology.

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  9. Like the red top -liked it when I bought it too - goes well with the cap

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