This is Highgate Cemetary, a few minutes from where I live.
This may be quite depressing, but it's a slice of life in a quite ordinary tree lined avenue in a very quiet place 3 minutes from Parliament Hill. The houses are terraced, Edwardian, and each house is different to any other in the street. Some are on three floors, some on two. There are small patio gardens, and front gardens, small but well cared for and always flowering, except for mid-winter.
I have lived here for 30 years. I wanted a smaller place in Primrose Hill, but ny father hated it and said my desk wouldn't fit. He was right, and he found me my present home, telling me I'd be safe. The ceilings are high and I have many books.
Returning to my subject.
My neighbours have mostly lived here the same length of time as I have. We are a mixture of teachers, a lawyer, architect....two wonderful men, Wally a former taxi driver, and Bob a former builder....both fought in 2nd world war. Lovely wives. Slowly, slowly they have sold their cars, have the odd day out in Brighton. I see they have more difficulty walking year by year. Most use walking sticks now, and I remember them as vigourous men.
Next door a well known art teacher.....slightly barmy wife, who had a nervous breakdown in my home. Her very handsome husband would be drinking and cavorting locally with admiring young ladies. One day wife found him on floor after suffering major stroke. So their roles were reversed, he was in hospital for months, and then helpless at home. However slowly he began to walk very slowly with a stick and was soon awarded an MBE. He was painting again, he was making progress. Last year, at night, slowly crossing the main Highgate Road....he was run over and has been on life support ever since. That was about a year ago. Meanwhle his wife has had several malignant tumours removed.
Across the road lives a wondeful man called Del, he still works as an upholsterer. He had 2 small sons. The youngest Ian, washed my car, he grew up and went to Australia, married and had 5 childen. Del has another son who lives nearbye..he has 2 sons now and Del acts as Grandma and Grandpa, as his very sweet wife died a few years ago.
In the past 2 years people who I saw and spoke to passing in the road have vanished. Wally, who knows everything told me 2 have died, and one is in a home.
Jill was a successful teacher, she started to limp badly...she needed a hip replacement...she had to wait nearly 2 years for the op. which had been postponed time after time. Because of the long wait the op was a failure and had to be re-done. Because the extra weight on her good hip...well that that is now collapsing and she needs another op on that one.
Another neighbour was stabbed to death by her mentally disturbed neice.
Dogs have died, cats too. Everyone is getting visibly older. I find it extrememly upsetting, and I haven't told you half of it.
Three other neighbours have died in the past 5 years. My next door neighbour on other side is an alcohlic, married to a lawyer, who lost most of his money with Equitable Life, so is still working. He spends hours polishing his shoes in his patio every morning.
I could go on and on, but I'll stop now.
I keep wondering who will be next. |
Comments on "GOD'S WAITING ROOM"
Rupe, thats so interesting, as you say, it's rather sad to see people get older, but you've made so many good friends.
A microcosm (sp?) of life. Fascinating to read, Rupe.
I walked through Brompton Cemetery the other day (after the CFC v Spurs game) en route to Earls Court tube station.
Am I right in thinking that Beatrix Potter got a lot of the names from her characters from the gravestones in that cemetery?
It is incredibly sad seeing people change and age; but is, as my father would say, part of "life's rich tapestry".
Adding to Curmy's comment , Rupe :- . . . and we all hope you've made more friends on here .
xx.
This may sound rather sad but I love visiting cemeteries. They are usually such peaceful and beautiful places, full of flora and fauna and where the atmosphere is just right for appreciating it.
Daughter appears to have inherited this rather weird trait of mine and we tramp off together to enjoy each others company somewhere where there are no interruptions or distractions. She has a somewhat livlier imagination than me though because she reads the headstones and them makes up stories about the lives of those who lie there.
Thoughtful blog Rupe.
xx
This is Gavin logged as Rupe to test her settings.
Yes, it appears to be working again ;-)
WHIZZO !! thanks to you all
Gav looks great in his Rosie costume , doesn't he , Rupe ??
Hope your finger's getting better !
:-)
Hi Rupe, well I see I'm not the only one to be a bit unblogy lately.
Strange as it may seem I too, like Mags, enjoy wandering around graveyards, also churches in a very unreligious way, however they do exude peace and tranquility, even in the crowded-in city sites (like Highgate)
In some ways you're lucky because the area where you live hasn't changed much over the last half century or more (I talk of course about the buildings, not the people)...less urban or more rural parts change much more visibly and it seems sadder, to me anyway, re the rest:
"For wete you well the tyde abydeth no man"
p.S. I see that New Labour aparatchik Milliband has caved in and 'voted' Brown...what a twat...what a complete CUNT...and I can assure you Rupe, I do not use that word lightly.
...I mention this because he is a neighbour of yours.................. oh yes..
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This comment has been removed by the author.
Sorry for being so rude, I was more than half-cut when I wrote that...BUT...those deleted comments weren't me! Promise...
That's OK Ows. It was my own two posts I removed as they were almost as rude as yours.
Miliband is a twat.
Isn't he just! Miliband, that is. A complete and UTTER TWAT!