dailyprompt

I have been having a bit of a writers block recently. It’s not been a great year. My 48 year old son was diagnosed with throat cancer in December of last year. Life slowed down and a lot of time was taken up with visits to hospital for chemo and radiotherapy. Some days I was in the mood to write almost as a distraction but it depended on how my brave son Paul was coping. He was I might add, an inspiration to both me and his dad and the rest of the family and to all who followed his cancer journey on Instagram.

He has in the last few weeks been given the all clear and is cancer free. I can breathe again and think of other things and get down to writing again.

I did carry on my daily diary on Facebook which I enjoy doing. I didn’t have to think much just honestly record how I was feeling and what was happening day to day.

So I’m hoping some topics will come up here and I can start writing again.

I’ve changed my mind on a few things but there are two that come to mind. One is the moon landing and the other social media and the internet.

I’m not convinced about the moon landing.

I used to be quite convinced that men had landed on the moon but now looking at images of the landing I find it hard to believe and I wonder if was all a set up to make Russia think that America had beaten them to it.

Also if they were able to land on the moon in 1969, why have they waited so long to go back ? I’m not convinced.

I’m also rapidly changing my mind about the internet and social media. I used to think it was the best thing ever but seeing the damage it is doing I’m not so sure.

Instead of being an informative medium I feel it has become a dangerous place with misinformation leading to where we are today. It has helped to change the world order and turn America into a dystopian society with a dictator in charge.

So yes, I have changed my minds on some things.

It has to be music from the sixties. I lived in Belfast in the late sixties and before the troubles started all the big groups visited here .

I’ve been to see most of them although the Beatles were just before my time. But the Beach boys, Roy Orbison, the Kinks, Van Morrison, Tom Jones, Manfred Mann I could go on, I saw them all.

Great music that has survived over 60 years. Some artists survive as long as their last record but this genre lasts and lasts.

https://youtu.be/xUNqsfFUwhY?feature=shared

I’m not an authority on anything but I have gained a lot of knowledge over my 76 years so I could probably join in a conversation on many different subjects

There is an old saying ‘Jack of all trades, and master of none’ and that’s where I see my self.

Some say this is a derogatory statement but I feel it suggests that it is a good thing to have a broad knowledge of many subjects rather than being confined to one.

How boring would it be to have lots of knowledge of one subject but lacking knowledge on more important topics.

So I’ll be happy to take Shakespeare’s quote as a compliment rather than an insult.

I suppose it depends on the situation.

I would usually buy flowers or chocolates. I have on occasions baked something like a fruit loaf or a special desert. If it was something really special I might treat them to lunch or a spa day.

I would also send a card or a text expressing my gratitude. Offering to be available should they need something in the future would be another way of showing gratitude.

Unfortunately I have had surgery many times. When I was 7 I had my appendix removed. When I was 10 I had adhesions and had a small part of my bowel removed.

At 18 I had my tonsils out.

At 23 I needed a D&C after a miscarriage and again after another miscarriage when I was 25.

I had a procedure when I was 40 to remove a polyp from my cervix.

This isn’t going well you’re thinking. This must be the lot.

No

I needed my heart shocked back into the sinus rhythm after having Atrial fibrillation.

When I was 72 I had a pre cancerous tumour removed from my bowel.

And after all that I’m still here. Amazing!

Aren’t doctors and nurses wonderful.

Unfortunately the tragic plane crash in India dominated the headlines. So sad to see lives of so many gone in a matter of minutes.

Those on the ground going about their daily lives gone too.

So sad to see the young gay couple who had sent a video from their hotel before boarding the plane. They spoke of how they had such a great time in India and talked about their plans to make a blog with the highlights of their trip. 😢

The trouble persisted here in Northern Ireland with riots targeting immigrants who were living peacefully in the communities. Police being targeted and families being burned out of their homes.

A leisure centre attacked and fire bombed on the erroneous assertion that the evacuated families were there.

What has happened to humanity ?

So all and all a notable day. Lives changed in the blink of an eyelid.

It’s hard to come to terms with these happenings.

I think I’d change it to something that would make people laugh.

Imagine being in a queue and lots of bored people waiting for their name to be called. Imagine their faces when I was called with my new name Daisy Duck.

No more plain Ann Allan. Well you did ask 😂

My dream chocolate bar will be one that tastes like a Mars Bar but has no calories.

So a moment on the lips won’t be a lifetime on the hips.