A Haven for Vee

Monday, July 27, 2020

Good Advice from C.S. Lewis



This is an essay written by C.S. Lewis in 1948. He was discussing the "new normal" of living with the hovering threat of the atomic bomb. For those of my generation, we remember it well because "they" scared us to death with that threat every week of our school year with bomb warnings and drills. Under the desk, under the windows, to the halls, covered with coats, curled up in balls...

But enough of that. See if you think, as I do, that this could also relate to our current circumstances with Covid-19. 

In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. 'How are we to live in an atomic age?' I am tempted to reply: Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.

In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.

This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds...

— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948) in Present Concerns: Journalistic Essays

Comments are closed. Busy week; Enjoy yours! 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Secret Ingredient

Outside


I try to begin all posts with an attractive average photo. Sometimes blogger has messed with my plan and tossed in one of their own choosing. That's not all they're messing with. My disposition is another.



Inside on a Sunny Summer Day

There is not a whole lot going on around here so I keep busy watching what is going on beyond my windows. 

You may imagine my surprise when, one day as I was waltzing through the house in my nightshirt, this dude was right outside my window by the fence. 
I watched him like a hawk as the top of his head bobbed along my fence and down to the end of my property. He did a lot of hand signals to some invisible someone over in the forest. He seemed to be taking measurements, but I didn't request any surveying. Oh well. He better not come back because, if I'm dressed, I'm going to march right out there and ask him what he's doing. 


There's been excitement during the very stormy days we've had in the past month. My neighbor's ancient trees are falling apart so every storm has meant more limbs down. The last time it thunder stormed, the entire tree came down. I have been telling folks that this is doing my heart a lot of good...all that jumpstarting for free. I was actually using my camera to video a bird on the deck railing when the first part of the tree came down with a thwump. It startled me so much that I dropped my camera and then, like a pro, picked it back up and continued to film. I staggered to the window like Carol Burnett in a Mrs. Wiggins' skit to see what had happened: tree down in a wind storm. 


🌳🌳🌳





Let me rescue this post (hey, I never promised to be fascinating) by sharing a secret I learned while watching Kent Rollins on his You Tube channel. Egg salad sandwiches are among my favorite things in all the world to eat so when he mentioned a secret ingredient that would add the perfect extra something to deviled eggs, I decided to try it for my egg salad sandwich. Yessum. It isn't necessarily pretty, but it sure is tasty. Just a tablespoon or two will be enough. Now here's a question for you: do you make your egg salad sandwich with mayonnaise or Miracle Whip?


Double screen cap

Kent doing his dance while Beag steals a deviled egg

Hahahahahaha...


If you visit Kent's channel, you will find that there are many videos from which to choose with lots of secret ingredients and fun ideas. I really enjoy them.


And that's it you'll be so happy to know. Thanks for reading!



Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Independence Day 2020

Before more time slips away, I wanted to share my Independence Day. I had thought that, since my daughter would be working and my son and his family would be up Bangor way, I would spend my day alone. Nope! I spent the day with my sister and part of her family.


A 4th of July Welcome

 One niece spent her time hiking. Hiking? Who hikes on the 4th of July?

The rest of us were far more sensible and stayed home eating and holding the baby.




This little girl was the center of attention. She's two months old now and staying awake longer and longer.

First Cousins Once Removed


Laurel was on her way to work an overnight shift and had just enough time to hold the baby.


I really like the photo above and below. The one above shows my sister looking on all smiles and the photo below shows where her lips usually are when she's holding her grandgirlie. ☺



I did not snag a picture of my brother-in-law Steve (who did all the grilling) nor of Anneke's big brother. That I will remedy by popping in a video of him meeting and greeting a turtle, shared by his mom. I have never seen a turtle run so fast!


It was a wonderful, enjoyable day. God is good. 

Twelve years ago today, John and I eloped. He was one of the best decisions I ever made. After he passed away, after only such a short time, I questioned myself. Today, I can smile and thank God for allowing John to be a part of my life. He was a love and so very good to me.


Thank you for your visit.