Talking last night about the emotional effect of having everything we have gathered over the decades on display all at one go. There is rather a lot, and despite being good, it's rather potent magic for us. Conjuring up all our ghosts at once.
As mentioned, three items from Gulf War I.
The brownish scarf, under the cat, (who has hogged all the woolyness, the red wool blanket once put on me as a child when I was ill. And the sheepskin.)
The tablecloth, now serving as a curtain.
And the earrings, that I cannot imagine wearing in my ears. But they jingle pleasantly.
Years ago, Elizabeth my cousin assured me that life begins at 50. She is happy, surrounded by love and friends, how could I not just believe her? This sense of acceptance and peace has been coming over me. It is a big number, an irrelevant one. Eternal now is a tangible idea, I can palpate it in my palm, feel it pulsing in my heart. A great turning has completed, and I move forward in all directions.
*Has anyone else ever heard of red wool to heal as a folk belief? Or did I just decide that when I was small, and this blanket was mine whenever I had a bad cold?
11 comments:
Red flannel scarf, or just a long piece of it, was wrapped around my neck when I was a very little kid, to heal a bad case of tonsillitis, or that fungal infection, the name of which I cannot remember.
That fungal thing gave me white patches at the bak of the throat, and made tonsils and other glands swell to the size of hen eggs. Used to get it quite often as a kid, but it disappeared when I went through puberty.
Loving House the Home, by the way. It is beautiful.
Crow,
Glad it's not just a faulty childhood memory. I thought it was a genuine folk belief.
Dunno about the throat thing, other than that kids get lots of 'em. Viral usually. Strep sometimes, best just left to run their course. Although when we were kids, it was antibiotics all around and plenty of it.
Life begins at 50. Hmm, I'll have to think about that. I'm not too certain about being employed between 53 and 64, at least not what I'm doing now.
Yes, having the room to spread out can reawaken moments long thought lost.
The two of you have not been faring especially well, lately. I hope Moby takes care of you.
All the best earrings jingle.
Yes, red flannel cures earache and sore throats better than antibiotics. Has to be red, has to have high wool content, and probably works best in childhood.
Contentment and awareness of the eternal are great gifts. Life goes on getting better after 50, 60, 70.
I understand that red flannel petticoats and drawers were considered 'warming' in victorian times. 'The Railway Children' certainly thought so!
Yes, HHnB, I'm always ready to whip mine off if there are problems on the London-Hereford line.
Do I have to separate you two?
(snigger)
Red flannel definitely!
Isn't the fungal thing that gives the white patches Thrush/an excess of Candida Albicans?
gz,
I think you've nailed it. Yes, a fungal infection, and very difficult to get rid of.
Red anything, but especially wool and flannel. As RR says, especially for children.
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