Lonely Cottage

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  “Among the few features of agricultural England which retain an appearance but little modified by the lapse of centuries, may be reckoned the high, grassy and furzy downs, coombs, or ewe-leases, as they are indifferently called, that fill a large area of certain counties in the south and south-west. If any mark of human occupation is met with hereon, it usually takes the form of the solitary cottage of some shepherd. Fifty years ago such a lonely cottage stood on such a down, and may possibly be standing there now. In spite of its loneliness, however, the spot, by actual measurement, was not more than five miles from a county-town. Yet that affected it little. Five miles of irregular upland, during the long inimical seasons, with their sleets, snows, rains, and mists, afford withdrawing space enough to isolate a Timon or a Nebuchadnezzar; much less, in fair weather, to please that less repellent tribe, the poets, philosophers, artists, and others who “conceive and meditate of ple...

Two Songs: "Far Cry" and "Driven" by Rush

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The emotional roller coaster of this year has been dark, swift, full of steep drops and sweeping turns like a hellish version of Space Mountain at Disney World. Since March of this year (the Disney trip aside), it's as if the floor opened up and I've dropped down Alice's Rabbit Hole, only this one has no bottom. Every time I think I can see the bottom and the drop is over, the Hole shows me its surprises--there is more to come. I'd like off this ride, thank you very much. Regardless, life as we knew it no longer exists. Oh well. "Every Storm Runs Out of Rain," as the song goes. Just a matter of time until that happens I suppose.

I am grateful for every family member and friend who has not given up. Some have been quick to sever ties through the changes, others have been gradual. It sucks either way. I am grateful for every encouragement and affirmation from those who stick around. I've been off Social Media for some time due to my account being cloned, which has not helped. At least there remains this blog--my apologies to any readers for my lack of posts in recent months. It's just that life has been demanding too much attention. Those who truly love have remained close and that is true gold. I have hope and hope remains. Always have and always will.

Two songs by the greatest band of all time ever (Rush) come to mind. Might not mean much to anyone else, but they keep me going.

"One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel
And the next it's rolling over me
I can get back on
I can get back on"

and

"It's my turn to drive
But it's my turn to drive"

TTFN

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