The Old Man By the Sea

A poem for all those over seventy who are stuck at home self isolating. watching the world go by.

THE OLD MAN BY THE SEA

The sound of the sea on the beach

The  swish, slap, swish of water 

Rushing in and rushing out

Like life, ever moving, never still

Elbow on knee, fist under chin 

A man sits lost in his thoughts

Hearing the sounds of the sea

Breeze stirring his grey hair

Thinking of life and liberty?

Of philosophy and beliefs?

Or daydreaming of times gone by.

Memories of things that got away.

He sits wondering at lost dreams

At meandering paths wandered 

And thinks deep in his soul

Life’s a bugger when we get old.

From my book of poems Poems and the Sea obtainable from Amazon.

Self isolating 4

I have been not leaving the house and garden for such a time now that I have started to organise my life.
I have found some exercise sessions for the over 60s on you tube and put myself through one of these every other day. If it does not get me fit at least it makes me feel I am doing the right things.
There are performances streamed by the Natinal Theatre and the Royal Opera House which I have started to watch. Last week One Man Two Governors and Cosi Fan Tutti. Next it is Jane Ayre.
It was a shame that church was shut. It is not the same watching a service via you tube especially Easter Sunday. That said I have nothing but praise for the service streamed on you tube.
Keeping in touch with the family is difficult. Face time video phone calls and messenger are helpful. At least we see our families especially the grand children.
I still watch people walking by and wish I could go out. I am sticking to the resolution that people over 70 and with health problems should not go out. As I have said before, at least we have a garden. The tomato seeds I planted are growing as is one corvette but my beans are not showing any signs of sprouting. I hear you say patience Edmund, patience. The seed potatoes I have p,anted a few weeks ago ate starting to show.
Having a routine Takes me back to when I was serving in the British merchant navy as chronicled in my book Tales From The Sea.

Self isolating 3

I watch people walking their dogs through the window, others jogging by and some walking for their daily exercise. I am stuck at home and wish I could go for a walk. Of course with me I live on a house with a garden which I can walk around in the fresh air. Even cutting the grass and digging my vegetable patch means I am getting exercise. I have to feel really sorry for those who live in apartments with no access to the outside.
My seed potatoes are on the windowsill chatting up. When they are ready to plant I hope the cold snap is over. I have planted some French beans in pots to bring on. My daughter gave me a pack of seeds with different plants like striped tomatos and purple carrots. I will plant these in pots soon.
Every day I undertake the exercises I was given by the heart smart medics after my heart attack. I hope this is helping keep me fit. I have been weighing myself regularly and do not appear to be putting on weight.
On Sunday it was strange not going to church. We watched a service which had been posted on line. It was different without a congregation. It reminded me of a paragraph in my novel Running After Maria. James has been through a really bad time, he suffers from depression and lashes out at anybody who tries to help. One day he goes to church something he has not done for years and hears this passage from the bible:

" Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

It makes him see life in a different light. Maybe we all need something like this to help us through the  times we are enduring.

We have wonderful neighbours who are shopping for us and bringing us cakes the girls have baked. And a friend who has fetched my repeat prescription from the pharmacy.
Ha well back to watching people walk by!

Helping the self employed

Helping the self employed

Now those self employed who worked for cash so they did not pay VAT or other taxes are feeling the pinch. When they told me I was a fool for refusing to pay cash, I reminded them that their taxes payed for the NHS. Now I hope they regret their actions!

Then there are those so called celebrities who used all legal and non legal means to cut their tax bill until they were paying less than the PA Y E people. Do they have any regrets about not paying their fair share and now seeing the NHS struggle to cope because of the cuts to their budgets. I suppose they do not care because they can go private and not have to mix with the dirty masses.

Finally there are the financial operators who helped them set up these tax avoidance schemes. Do they regret what they did? Are their parents struggling to find medical help because of their machinations.

Shame on you all.

Self isolating 2

No church today because it is shut. Missed it terribly this morning especially meeting all my friends. Listened to the Archbishop of Cantebury instead and wondered why he was so miserable. He is supposed to be giving us all hope and up lifted spirits. The only problem was his message might be full of hope but it did not up lift me at all.
I was cheered when Jenny and Paul delivered the food shop they had ordered and picked up on our behalf. What a contrast to the selfish people who are grabbing what they can without any thought for other people. I have met many people like that in my long life but then you are suddenly confronted with somebody who does something out of kindness with no thought of reward. These are the people who deserve our admiration.
It is a blessing that be weather is dry and I can go into the garden. Not like people self isolating in flats with no outside.
Oh my lottery was fetched for me by a friend but unfortunately I had no numbers. I was not using my lucky pen though my daughter laughs at the suggestion of a lucky pen as I very rarely win any thing.
Trust everybody is following the advise and keeping their distance or staying away from other people. Our friend is on a nursing home but we cannot visit which is a shame.

Self isolating

Day three of self isolating
It is Saturday and the restrictions are starting to come home to me. Tuesday was supposed to be my Heart Smart gym day which was cancelled. Wednesday a trip to the cinema was not possible. Thursday I was not able to play darts which may have been a blessing because we are second bottom and playing the top team! Then Friday my creative writing class was cancelled. Today there is no football on the television or at the King Power stadium. Tomorrow will not be the same when we have no church to go to.
On the bright side it has been dry and I have been able to cut the grass and help Anne start to tidy the garden. Also my book of short stories  The Cigar and Other Stories the proof copy has arrived. I will have plenty of time to make sure all is correct.
We are blessed with neighbors and friends who have rallied round to do shopping and get my lottery ticket. People are so kind in contrast to the savages who are hoarding food and stripping supermarkets. How much of this food will be thrown away? How selfish can people get? Even more worrying are the reports of younger people pushing old people out of their way to grab food. Is this a product of the me first age which comes from so called celebrities.

Poems and the sea by Edmund Gubbins

Poems and the sea by Edmund Gubbins

These are poems written about the sea and my connection to the sea. They are a companion to my semi autobiographical novel Tales From The Sea. Many were composed during exercises in my creative writing class. Available from Amazon.