Friday, June 14
Coming Out
I've decided to 'come out' not in a sexual sense, but about depression. I read a very well written piece (as her's always are) this morning, and it really
spoke to me. I 'shared' it on Facebook without thinking, then when I
did think, I had the thought: “Oh no, that was public, there are
all sorts of people who'll see it, and put two and two together, i.e.
that I have the same condition...that I'll be judged in a negative
light etc. etc. Then I thought “...damn it' – why should I care.
So...here am I 'loud and proud'. Now we
come to terminology...I don't like to say that I suffer from
depression. That's the language of a victim, and whilst it's taken me
a long time to realise it, I'm a very strong person. Maybe stick to
facts, I have had a number of serious depressive episodes dating from
my early 20s. When I say serious, I mean SERIOUS...but I've been
fortunate:
- I have a loving, supportive partner, family and friends.
- I've had excellent medical care (well, there was that South African doctor who wanted to give me ECT, but that's another story [which believe it or not is quite a funny one]).
- Thanks to a very generous pay off, I can afford to work part-time.
Like
anyone who has had a chronic, life threatening health issue, I have
to be careful:
- Get enough sleep
- Eat properly
- Not get too stressed
- Not get too tired
- Not to drink too much alcohol
All
good advice for everyone...but when I let things slip the
consequences can be...serious. So I have another injunction:
- Not to think it'll go away
It's
hard though. I can become consumed by work, a friend's emotional
crisis, not sleep too well or even be knocked flying by a virus, and
find myself struggling again.
Wednesday, June 12
Burgundy 2013 - Quarre Les Tombes
On the way back from Saulieu, we stopped off at Quarre Les Tombes.
The church is surrounded by 100s of empty stone coffins...
...no-one really knows why they are there.
There are lots of theories...
...but you can find some interesting research here - http://rae.revues.org/5926 .
The church itself isn't that exciting...
...this dragon being choked by a cross is really distasteful...
...although the reflection is nice.
Shame about the car...
...this mural is fun...
...these kids were having a great time!
Burgundy 2013 - Out and about in Saulieu
We had a little trip to Saulieu, one of its famous sons is the sculptor Francois Pompon.
The local estate agent had made a brave show in their window...
...we had lunch at this lovely cafe, which is run by a lady from South Cave, near Hull (where my Dad's cousin Jo lived for many years).
Luckily, it wasn't Accordion Night!
I spotted this little chap outside the cathedral...
...the Pompon Museum is next door.
I was able to commune with this polar bear.
We spotted this rather fancy cinema...
...interesting grafitti...
...and great door furniture.
Tuesday, June 11
Burgundy 2013 - Bibracte
When it rains in Burgundy, it certainly rains...
...so we went to the museum at Bibrachte.
The museum has lots of interesting things to look at...
...including this fab helmet.
I love this wheel as it's proof...well, that no-one reinvented it.
Did I mention that it was raining?
These poor kids were on a school trip, they must have been feeling the cold!
Burgundy 2013 - Pontigny Abbey
Sometimes...
...a place is so amazing...
...there just aren't the words...
...to describe it.
That's how the Cistercian Abbey at Pontigny made me feel.
It was founded in 1114, and not one...
...but three Archbishops of Canterbury took refugue here...
...Edmund Rich (St Edmund of Abingdon, the first Oxford don to become a saint), St Thomas a Becket and Stephen Langton.
The community was suppressed during the French revolution...
...and it's said that the local reverence for St Edmund's relics kept the church from being destroyed...
...and it continued as a parish church.
What a place to have as your parish church...
...sadly, I don't think it is now.
These chaps were from Rentokil - after termites I think.
We all left...
...feeling...
...rather impressed...
...by the place.
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