THE CHILD WITH NOWHERE EYES

 

THE CHILD WITH NOWHERE EYES

I see the child with nowhere eyes

I hear the child with no voice

when it cries

I see the child with nowhere eyes

trying to tell the truth

while others believe the lies

I see the child with nowhere eyes

asking where is my family

everyone has one

why not me

what have I done so wrong

I see the child with nowhere eyes

trying so hard to fit in

to be like all the others when his body

just won’t do

what it is is supposed to

I see the child with nowhere eyes

able to do what others find impossible

yet his words are dismissed

as fantasy

or he’s told off for taking things too literally

I hear the child with nowhere eyes

as they turn the key

as they lock him away

as they don’t know what to do with you

crying their lonely tears

with no-one to hold them to love them

to say you’re okay

special in your own way

Now I see the adult still trying to fit in

still the child with the nowhere eyes

I see them clearly

when I look in the mirror

for you might understand

the child with the nowhere eyes

is me

©merimaat Kev.T. Brown 2022

Spring Tides By Fiona Gell, a personal review of a book I loved One of the greatest Manx books of our time

 To be honest I had heard of this book and had seen it in my favourite book shop, the only one that I use. I was asked if I wanted a signed copy, but said no, because I was only really getting it to add to my Manx section and didn't really think it would go beyond that.  Oh, boy wasn't I incorrect in my thinking on that and very, very wrong on that. Hindsight has a wonderful way of tanning your backside for you doesn't it.

I will start with the only negative thing I can say about the book and that is I wish there had been some colour photographs in it as that would have made it more likeable to me and perhaps highlighted things a bit better.  That aside, the book has a nice print size, the paper quality is very good and the pages turn easily which means you never miss a page out and have to go back and find it as I have found myself doing so many times. It might seem a minor thing, but these things can either add or take away from your enjoyment of a book.

To be honest I don't know much about the sea around our little home and don't really give it much thought. Yes I get excited at seeing the dolphins as they pass and the one occasion I saw the fin of a basking shark. The sea around our home mainly means Kippers and Queenies and going up to the fishmongers for other delights. It sometimes means sitting for what seems hours watching the birds on the shore line or loving the waves crashing onto and over the sea wall and the road closures. It also is something we cross over on a ferry to get to the other island.  It is now just something that surrounds us, which could be, because it has always been there all my life.  Yet what Fiona does in the opening parts of this book is take you back to your childhood and the magic of going to the shore and rock pools when you found everything exciting and new.  She does through her own experiences and I love the family and personal stories throughout which weaved with the Manxness , if there is such a word, into the science bits as well so you don't really realise that you are learning as you go along. 

I was left wondering after reading this book, why I had personally never taken much notice of the things described in the book and the fight to get to where we are now and the real danger of just sitting back and doing nothing is not an option for us any more. I thank her for the ways and there are many that she gets us not just to think, but feel differently about what is happening now for if we don't then future generations will never forgive us. 

Thank you Dr Gell for a great, readable book  I think it deserves wider publicity and is perhaps one of the great Manx books ever written, certainly one of the greatest and most important for our time.  

My review The Red Sea Scrolls How Ancient Papyri Reveal the Secrets of the Pyramids - Pierre Tallet Mark Lehner

 The Red Sea Scrolls How Ancient Papyri Reveal the Secrets of the Pyramids

I would not have purchased this book, if it had not been suggested to me by my local book shop, Bridge Book Shop, as I didn't have a particular interest in the Pyramids and thought well we know everything don't we.  How wrong I was on the last statement and how grateful I am to Angela for suggesting this book to me. 

Pierre and Mark take us on a journey of discovery, right from the start and teach us to do away with what we think we know or what perhaps we were taught so think there is nothing more to know.  Their collective writing brings the past to life in a way I have not seen, should that be read, before.  We learn much about the work of Egyptologists that don't make headlines, these are not Indiana Jones types, not the work of some Hollywood script writer, bur dedication people working in Egypt and making discoveries or hoping to make discoveries, not for personal gain, but mostly for the love it and to enable to us to gain greater understanding of the one place on earth we all fascinated with.  Their love shines through on every page and because of that you are wanting more and you get that, with every page.

This is not a book for a quick read, nor should you read it quickly, for if you do then you will miss so much.  It took my time to read it and because of that I got more enjoyment out of it and I also think in doing so, I had time to digest the information and think about it.  As a direct result not only did I enjoy the book more, but I my appreciation for the Pyramid builders and associated workers leapt.   

What I really loved was that they supplied the commentary which in turn meant that  rather than distant historical characters, using the Papyri, these people were given their voice once more.  This meant that are reminded that history is not made by just a few whose names we know, but of the millions who pass unknown to us and whose names only come to be known to us by discoveries such as this. 

There is more that I could write, but that might spoil the enjoyment of others who come to read this book and I hope that is many.  

Finally Pierre and Mark, leave  us with the understanding that our knowledge of Egypt is far from complete, it is evolving and expanding all the time and while Temples and Tombs are the most visible signs the real treasures lay buried and are the Papyri and other things yet to be discovered like ports and town and villages. 

Thank you, Pierre Tallet and Mark Lehner,  for a wonderfully written book and to anyone who reads this, I say this, ADD IT TO YOUR COLLECTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, YOUR MIND AND SOUL WILL THANK YOU FOR DOING SO.  

DAD

 

DAD

Dad

I am an old man now

just like I thought you were

when I was a lad

My old bones creak

and my muscles

are getting weak

I have to try and find

the words before I speak

What a fool I was

back then thinking your

ways were out of date

and things had changed

and how

I could show you how to live

in the now

I never realised

that you were teaching me

how to be the man

I am now

Dad

you gave me my love of words

my love for knowledge

taught me how to think

to get the answers

not just be told them

I never realised

that you were teaching me

to be the man

I am now

Your patience

Your gentleness

Your mild amusement

Your knowing smile

Dad

I am an old man now

growing roses

like you taught me how

I hear your voice

as I walk around looking at each one

as you used to do

I never realised

that you were teaching me

to be the man

I am now

Dad

I hope you look down

and smile

at this once rebel

with the long hair

and see now

it’s short and grey

and slowly drifting away

I never realised

that you were teaching me

to be the man

I am now

Dad

There is so much more

I want to say

Perhaps my heart

can only find these

words

Thank you

for I am the man

I am today

because of you

©merimaat 2022

FOR MY DAD RON

The Child with far away eyes -

 

THE CHILD WITH FAR OFF EYES

THERE’S A CHILD WITH

FAR OFF EYES

I SEE HIM

IN THE MIRROR

AND WATCH THE UNCRIED

TEARS FALLING

DOWN HIS FACE

THERE’S A TEENAGER

WITH FAR OFF EYES

I SEE HIM

IN THE MIRROR

AND WATCH THE UNCRIED

TEARS FALLING DOWN

HIS FACE

THERE’S A MAN IN HIS TWENTIES

WITH FAR OFF EYES

I SEE HIM

IN THE MIRROR

AND WATCH THE UNCRIED

TEARS FALLING

DOWN HIS FACE

THERE’ S A MAN IN HIS THIRTIES

WITH FAR OFF EYES

I SEE HIM

IN THE MIRROR

AND WATCH THE UNCRIED

TEARS FALLING

DOWN HIS FACE

I HAVE SEEN THIS SAME MAN

IN HIS FORTIES AND FIFTIES

I SEE HIM NOW

IN HIS SIXTIES

THE SAME FAR OFF EYES

AND WATCH THE

UNCRIED TEARS

FALLING DOWN HIS FACE

THESE ARE MY EYES

MY UNCRIED TEARS

FOR I ACCEPT

MY HISTORY

OF WHAT WAS ONCE

WILL ALWAYS BE

UNCRIED TEARS

©merimaat 2022 -for Suzi from little brother 

Fellas we need to talk about WEE

The title of this blog has been inspired by personal experience and it got me thinking why the hell we fellas don't talk about wee and problems down there? 

Okay, if you are a fella when was the last time you talked openly about problems down there, apart from to a doctor, if you have really had to do so? Be honest, I never did and accepted that as I grew older then I would experience dribbles  after I went to the loo and that was that, just part of growing older and nothing to worry about. 

The thing is we have a thing called the Prostrate gland which as we get older it gets bigger and that can cause us problems by doing so which we need to be aware of and most of us aren't. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-problems/

Further reading can be found here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-enlargement/

Now it could be that as it gets bigger then we might need to wee a bit more, but if this is the case then perhaps this page here could help https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/

Another link https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/smelly-urine/  also offers good advice on things.

 We also need to be aware of bladder problems if we have problems with our wee, this might mean we have a bladder or even kidney stones.

I have had kidney stones in the past and they are very, very painful and so I have taken as many precautions that I could to prevent myself from getting and I would suggest that it a good idea for others to take a look at ways of doing so.

Previous to my passing my last stone I really didn't take any notice of the fact that it was taking me longer to wee and it would take a few times until it completed nor did I really take any notice of the fact that I was dribbling a bit afterwards until my wife mentioned it and I became aware of the smell. I just thought it was me getting old and normal.  It was only after I passed the stones that things really changed and I had to look at things. 

Accepting that I had a problem with the dribbles I sought a solution, one was to put toilet paper in my pants, which didn't work as it just got soaked. So then I thought I wonder if there is such a thing like Tena Pads for men and there is, but not that you'd know it as there is a total lack of advertising here in the British Isles, not sure if it is the case elsewhere in the world, https://www.tena.co.uk/men/products others do them as well but you have to search for them online to get them.  These are fine, but personally I found them uncomfortable and a bit pricey.  So I thought what about the pants they show ladies having surely they would be a better more comfortable thing?  Yes there are and I found them in my local supermarket and recently in my local chemist as well and they cost less than £10:00 and often just over £5:00 for a packet of nine I think it is.  These work wonderfully and are comfortable to wear and don't leak and you just dispose of them in the bin after use. No smells and no leaks. The only thing you need to be aware of is that it can be a bit hot down there so make sure that you shower regularly and don't use perfumed soap in that area. I also found out that there are https://www.boots.com/safe-and-sound-extra-unisex-urine-bottle-1-litre-10167304 for the times you can't get to the loo, which also make it easier to check the colour of the wee ( Mine actually caught a stone which I had passed which I wouldn't have known about if I had used the loo). While not shouting about them, they do make life easier and less worrisome for me.

Having found one solution, again taking the advice from the trustworthy NHS site shown above I started taken buferons also known as Ibuprofen to try and ease any swelling down there which may have been caused by the stones and the prostrate.  I also took notice of the colour and the smell.  It was only when the pain when I passed water didn't stop that I went to the Doctor and after having a talk and being checked out, with a urine test I got some Antibiotics which are helping to clear up what is an infection - more information on them can be found here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/antibiotics/uses/ if these don't work then I will go back and see what other steps can be taken to help.

I know this is my personal journey, but it made me think, why didn't I know about pads and pants for men when they are advertised for women?  Are women more open about these problems or is it just a sexist thing that we have have to hide the fact that men suffer (and suffer is the correct word) from the same problem?  

So fellas we really need to talk about wee, we need to get rid of any macho ideas about it not being a thing to talk about, IT IS A HEALTH THING THAT IS ALL and really it is not something to hide away like it doesn't exist. I was surprised when I started talking to other fellas about it how many of them were going through similar problems and how common what I thought was just me isn't. We need adverts to help us get things like the women have so we can get them if we need them.

So come on fellas let's talk about wee, because we really are stupid if we don't.

 

 

 

Toyota C-HR 1.8 VVT-i-icon A real life review

 We are lucky enough to be eligible for a Motability Vehicle, because of my disabilities and recently came to change from our wonderful Hyundai Ioniq, because it was too low for me to get in and out of as my hip is now very painful and so I needed a higher car, that is higher from the ground.

As with most people our starting point was to look on line at the Motability web site and then look at the reviews of the cars that were available in our price range as well as asking friends what they thought of their car. 

We were torn, between a VW and Kia and a Ford, so we went to the Ford/Kia dealer and the service there was terrible so we walked out without actually seeing any of the cars. We then went across the road and looked at a VW from another dealer/Motability centre. We liked it, but weren't sure and came home to talk about things as well as contacting Motability to see if we could end our contract to change cars. Having been told we could do and other things,  we went back to the VW dealer to sort things out. 

What happened next was a complete surprise as the person we dealt with Ian, told us that the VW wouldn't at this time be practical for my needs and suggested a Toyota, which I could sit in to see how easy it was for me to get in and out of. It was very easy for me and Ian then allowed us to have a test drive in one, similar, but not the same as we ended up with, to see if it really was practical. To cut a long story short it seemed to be, so we went ahead and ordered one. The one we ordered and now have is the Toyota C-HR 1.8 VVT-i-icon.

Now if you were to take notice of the reviews on line, you could well be put off it, but even our son who knows more than we do said it was better in real life.

Okay it is not going to win any awards for tech things inside, but how many things do you actually need and use,  being our age we don't need or use most of them and we don't need sat nav, living where we are (you can connect your mobile for that stuff) . We do miss not having the beep beep reversing thingy, but the rear camera is good and for the most part all round vision is very good which we weren't expecting from the review, not perfect but nothing is. 

The boot is great with more than enough space for us and what we will carry in it and should I need it, it would take a folded wheelchair.  

The back seating area, is small and not really good for a family in all honesty, but that doesn't bother us as it more like a parcel shelf.

The front seats are great, while there isn't much room in the cabin as a whole, we haven't had any problems and the vision in the front is very good.  I have found the seat to be very comfortable and I am able to get in and out of my side easily.  We both found that being able to connect our mobile phones to take telephone calls great. 

Being slightly higher up, I found the views in the front very good, far better than the Hyundai and from a driver's point of view my wife tells me that it is better seeing when coming to junctions. 

There is no lack of power given the 1.8 and battery engine thingys and over taking is easy as is going up the Sloc and the Mountain. Slightly noisier than other cars, but not that much and after a while you don't notice at all. The electric motor part cuts in at low speed more often than it did with Hyundai and as most of our driving has been small journeys and around town,  we are averaging about 60 miles to the gallon which is only about 7 or 8 less than in Hyundai which was very good on MPG, but again these figures depend upon how you drive. We also have found it is better with road noise due to the 17 inch wheels.

My wife tells me that it is a delight to drive, as she doesn't have to think about doing so with it being fully automatic. At night the lights dip automatically, (although it didn't at first and doesn't always recognise tail lights if they are further away) which is one less thing for her to have to do.  

You do feel very safe in the car and it is hard to explain that, but you just do as you know it will protect you.

In real life most of us aren't going to race around in our car and all we want is a good reliable one which the Toyota C-HR is and it is a bit different to others on the road and I think it is very stylish as well.  There are a few in the range and each has slightly different specifications, which you can find out about from the Toyota web site.

So to sum it up, it is good if not great car, good for many Great for me and if you are the motability scheme and are not ready to go fully electric or plug in hybrid then this is well worth considering.