Penny's Jottings

Happy birthday once more, what a life you have had

A long and a happy one, for that we are glad

You have seen three Kings and a Queen in your life

Seen the Empire shrink through trouble and strife

You’ve seen Hitler rise and then fall through a fight

Watched suffragettes struggle to achieve women’s rights 

Seen Wall Street crash, heard Churchill speak

Saw Elizabeth crowned and married to a Greek

Saw rockets on the moon and jet planes soar

Cars that can steer and so much more

You watched Brexit with interest and thought it a farce

Lived well through Covid though company was sparse 

You’ve travelled the world and embraced different cultures

You’ve loved gardens and art and many strange sculptures

You rise with the sun with a project in mind

A painting, a photo, your ‘hearings’ to find

There’s never a day when you’ve nothing to do

It’s exhausting to be in the same house as you!

What a life, what a woman, what a wonderful day

One hundred and seven, what can I say?

Happy birthday dear Mum I just cannot wait 

To be here next year when you’re one hundred and eight

My sister dear was born today

Well, a few years ago I have to say!

My mentor my idol, my senior by five

My perfect goal to which I strive

Held up to me as an idol to follow

(Not always an easy pill to swallow)

‘Look at your sister, she’s pretty and nice

Follow her closely’ was the constant advice

She’s clever and quiet and lovely to see

And so much better when compared to me

everything she does is exemplary

With a kind approach packed with empathy

Even though in comparison I don’t make the grade

I love my big sister, and I’m quite undismayed

She’s intelligent and funny and always ready

To keep my thinking clear and steady

We live far away, and I wish we were nearer

Cause I love her to death and want to be near her

My friend Liz died today

such a popular woman, kind and warm

she died of breast cancer, insidious, ugly disease

she was in palliative care with her loved ones around her,

caring for her

loving her

till she took her last breath

we didnt meet often over the last few years

when we met it was as if we had never parted

my friend Liz

had many friends

when we spoke she told me she had been a good woman

she hoped that she would meet her son Aidan when she died

I hope so too

I am crying for my friend Liz

I had a dream I was given a hat

not a Melbourne Cup hat

but a real fancy hat

a smart hat, a clever hat, but light as a feather

a hat that instinctively protects from the weather

a hat with a miniscule oven installed

with sausages and buns, now don’t be apalled

an empathic hat. it knew what I was thinking

played a little light music, encouraged my drinking

when it rained it closed up and a brolly emerged

in the sun it sprayed sunscreen without being urged

I woke up this morning and I felt for the hat

gone, not a trace of it, I was quite flat

I loved the feel of that hat on my head

the comfort, the fit, the thinking ahead

Tonight I might dream of a comical cat

or a robot that speaks or a sweet talking rat

but deep in my heart I hope its not that

I hope its my clever, empathical hat

I am still in my sleepwear and its well after two!

My hair is unbrushed! Oh what a to do!

I’m unshowered, ungroomed, unshod and unclad

I’m a little ashamed and feeling quite bad

In my defence I may say that I was feeling quite weary

my life is quite full, and a book made me teary

Playing games till the wee hours made my eyesight quite bleary

Though an occasional win made the losing less dreary

so I crept out of bed, after a hot cup of tea

and sat in a chair with the dog on my knee

checked socials and emails and played one last Wordle

gazed at the clock and felt my blood curdle

I am still in my sleepwear and its very nearly three

Well…. I think I’ll have lunch and a nice cup of tea