(aka Bike) Part 1812 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad
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Picture courtesy of wikipedia: Napoleon's retreat from Moscow by Adolph Northen
“Whoo-hoo,” a yell filled my ears, thrusting me into wakefulness whether I wanted it or not. In the background the radio muttered away and in front of me Simon, clad only in his underpants was doing his version of a highland fling.
“What’s going on?” I glanced at the clock, it was just after seven.
“Andy Murray, he’s won the US Open.”
“And?” I asked angrily.
“He’s the first Brit to win a grand slam tournament for 76 years.”
“So?” I said throwing myself back onto my pillow although I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep again.
“The first Brit to win a grand slam for 76 years.”
“What about Anne Jones and Virginia Wade?”
“What about them?” he asked.
“They won Wombledon.”
“Yeah, but they’re women.”
“Oh, I see, women don’t count,” I said loudly and immediately wished I said it quieter.
“Not in the men’s matches, no.”
“But you didn’t stipulate men’s matches did you? You said the first Brit.”
“On are we?” he said sarcastically.
“Don’t be ridiculous, you know that’s not possible.”
“I know that on average about once a month, you get incredibly crabby just like my pain in the arse sister.”
“I’m not crabby,” I had to pause to get my breath, “I’m merely pointing out a terminological inexactitude.”
“What?”
“You’re wrong, buster.” I threw a pillow at him which caused me then to have a coughing fit. It did save me from having one thrown back at me, but I think I’d have taken the pillow every time given the choice.
“You all right?” he said walking round to my side of the bed.
I sat there trying to get my breath, he handed me the inhaler and I took a couple of puffs. It helped, the steroid opening the bronchioles to their maximum enabled me to get a decent breath of air.
“I think you need to see the doctor again.”
“I’m all right, as long as I don’t need to shout or talk too much.”
“Go and see him!” Simon commanded.
“Bugger off,” Was my response, “I’m seeing the consultant in a couple of days.”
“So you’re going to put up with this continuing breathlessness are you?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Have you tried the girls healing you?”
“It doesn’t work on me, does it?”
“Have you tried it?”
“It won’t work.”
“Have you tried it?”
“No, but I’ve had the girls stand very close to me.”
“But they weren’t trying to heal you?”
“No–they don’t have to, it works by itself.”
“It might with you, but not with them.” Before I could say anything else he called Trish into our bedroom. She came skipping into the room. “See if you can heal your mother’s chest,” Simon said to her.
“Okay, mornin’, Mummy.”
“Hello, sweetheart,” I croaked and coughed.
She climbed onto the bed and put her arms around me and kissed me.
“I feel better already.” I said then blew it all by coughing again.
“Hush,” she barked and put her one hand on my back and the other she moved across my chest. “Here, I think,” she said and placed a cold hand on my skin which made me jump.
“Is it working?” asked an anxious Simon.
“No, her hands were cold,” I said, and started laughing which resulted in coughing. Trish shoved her hands on me again and this time her right hand became very warm, in fact uncomfortably so.
“Jeez, your hand is burning.” I said, but she clamped it to my chest while Simon in the background started singing, ‘Your little hand is burning–nah–it’s got to be frozen.’
I could feel the sweat starting to roll off me, but still Trish held her hand to me.
“It’s okay now, darling,” I said to her.
“Not yet–I’m doing this not you, Mummy. You wait until I say so.” I sat still and felt very hot.
I looked at the clock, but it was only ten past seven–goodness time seemed to have stopped, or maybe just the clock. Finally she pulled away. “That should feel better, Mummy, there was a small bleed but I’ve sealed that off and started re-granulation of the damaged tissue, you should feel better in a couple of minutes.”
“What did you say?” I asked her.
She stopped and turned around, “I dunno, what did I say?” She’d been in a trancelike state.
“Never mind darling, get yourself washed and dressed and get the others, up will you?”
She dashed out of the room and yelled at her sisters.
“Feel any better?”
I wiped my forehead and nodded, “The pain has gone, and I feel able to breathe a little easier.”
“I don’t know why you didn’t think of that earlier?”
“I did, but it didn’t seem to work for me. Phew, I feel exhausted.” I lay back down.
“Okay, you stay and rest. I’ll ask Tom to take the girls to school, he’ll be happy because Murray won.”
I felt myself drifting off to sleep and when I awoke a couple of hours later I was alone. The clock read nine fifteen. I took a deep breath and for the first time in a couple of weeks, I felt no pain. I struggled out of bed and into the bathroom, my chest seemed okay for the moment, and definitely better than it had been. I crept into the shower and emerged some twelve minutes later feeling much better and cleaner.
I went downstairs where Stella and Jacquie were talking, “How long is she going to be like this?” asked Jacquie.
“I have no idea–you should have seen her when she was stabbed originally. She very nearly died.” Stella was speaking from her first hand experience–she was there when it happened.
“Why did he stab her? I presume it was a man?”
“Yes, he had a thing about women cyclists. He’d assaulted several, but he kept the worst till last and stabbed her as she rode past.”
“How did they catch him?”
“Simon nearly beat him to death. He slashed at Si, who picked up his bike and tried to shove it down the bloke’s throat, broke his jaw amongst other things.”
“Wow, a bike sandwich.”
I walked in on them. “Am I too late for breakfast?” I said blithely.
“Hi, Cathy, I was just telling Jac how you got stabbed.”
“Yeah–I think I’ll go to talk with David about some food,” I said and walked on.
“Tea?” asked David as I walked into the kitchen.
“Please.”
“What would modom like to eat this morning?”
“Any toast, Monsieur le chef?”
“Eh oui, madame, assois-toi, s’il vous plait.”
“Merci, monsieur.” I said as he drew out a chair for me, just about exhausting any French I’d learned in school–no linguist me.
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Comments
Why couldn't...
Why couldn't he have just pulled the chair back and held it for her ladyship... I mean, what good is a hand drawn (on paper with pen and ink, perhaps?) chair. or, was it a glass chair that he drew... Nah, nobody said they had the right kinda oven for glass blowing...
But, back to the story. Ouch. Sounds not nice, what was going on with Cathy... Wonder when reaction will set in that Trish got "taken over" there a bit... She may not be happy.
I did hear the news about there now being 4 guys on top of the men's tennis scene... Two "old men" and two "youngsters"... One brit. :-)
Thanks,
Annette
So...
Shekinah may now be able to work directly through Trish rather than via Cathy, and although the goddess can't usually interact directly with males, perhaps she managed to nudge Si towards getting Trish on the job...
As for the episode number, if only it wasn't ten to eleven at night, I'd be playing the overture at top volume :)
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
A joyous conjunction of events
1. First, Andy Murray Won the US Open! Fantastic! This certainly has been a terrific year for all of Britain, and especially for Scotland.
2. Trish! Wow! She has been of immense help in the past, but she seemed to draw her power from Cathy. Now, she seems to be developing her skills separately. This could bode well for many characters and situations in ensuing chapters.
3. Yes, it was a bad year for Napolean. It wasn't that good a year for America, either. We'd won the war to gain our independence, and were engaged in a second to keep it. As the British fleet sailed towards Baltimore, a Scot stood inside of Fort Henry, awating the bombardment. As British shells rained down, he penned the immortal lines, 'Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming." When set to the tune of Ode to Anachreon, it became America's national anthem.
What a joyous conjunction of events!
Red MacDonald
War of 1812
Well, the Americans did invade Canada in 1812 and they burned down Toronto. The British retaliated by burning parts of Washington, including the white house. It's not like we started that war, we just beat the bastards back.
Significant dates ...
... are legion in the 19th century but I'm waiting for the significant one in the 20th ... like 1940, the year I was born.
I think 'Clementine' might be suitable for 1849 but sadly you've highlighted the insignificant retreat from Moscow rather than the more important birth year of Kirk Patrick Macmillan, the inventor of the pedal cycle, for 1812 :) Just on the day when the Tour of Britain finished in Macmillan's birth place of Dumfries.
Just teasing, and thanks
Robi
Bernard Montgomery always said...
Rule 1, on page 1 of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and it is no good. That is the first rule.
No linguist? .. Maybe ..
But a woman on her a way too recovery well that seems more certain, And about time i'm sure Cathy would say...
Just a little surprised Simon with his Scottish ancestry did not mention that Andy Murray is a proud Scot something a certain James Bond was quick to point out after Murray's early morning victory... Still after the summer of success that the UK has enjoyed i guess we can forgive Mr Connery that :)
Kirri
Och...
...I heard today that the Brits claim Andy Murray as their own when he wins and leave him to Scotland when he loses.
Love, Andrea Lena
Re: Och...
Greetings
The people of Britain include the Scots, English, Welsh and Irish plus many other peoples from countries near and far.
Reminds me, was going to watch a television programme about the Viking influence on the British people.
Brian
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1812
I think that it was only when Simon called on Trish that Cathy got healed because Cathy was blocking it, and was overpowered by Simon and Trish.
May Your Light Forever Shine
1812 was busy for you Brits.
Here in the Colonies, we are taught that the War of 1812 was a big beef between us and the UK. Lately I find out that there was some sort of civil war in the UK at that time and also this frackas with Napoleon. Was the whole world at war at that time? I wonder if the Chinese and Japanese were up to it at that time also? Sigh !
Gwendolyn
The Civil War ...
... was in the 1640s so Ang has missed those dates already.
However, she just has a chance to commemorate the last armed uprising in England - The Pentrich Rebellion of 1817. A band marched from the Derbyshire village of Pentrich east towards Nottingham but they were betrayed and violently suppressed at the site of what is now a big IKEA store (there may be connections :) ). The ringleaders were executed and others were transported to Australia.
Robi
1812
Ah it must be one of your favoured pieces of music as well.
Nice chapter Ang, so glad Trish could do her stuff.
Thaks,
Bev.
OXOXOX
The War of 1812
Is largely not taught in the US schools, as are a lot of events that happened before the Revolution and what led up to it,
and a lot of history between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War such as:
What started the War of 1812? When did the War of 1812 end? What happened two days after the war ended? Who was the leader of the force?
What was the cause of the duel between Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton?
Why was Aaron Burr put on trial, and what was the result of that trial?
Who was Aaron Burr, and what did his family do? What University was founded by Aaron Burr, Sr?
Who trained Aaron Burr in warfare? Why is this important?
What led up to the Massacre at Fort Mimms? Was it ever avenged by the US Army? Who lead the attempt to avenge that massacre?
Was Andrew Jackson the seemingly invinciple general? How vicious was he?
Why do native americans not like the $20.00 bill, and use it as little as possible?
Were all the Presidents from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln, the do-gooders that todays 'history' seems to teach?
Which of the first 14 presidents kept slaves?
There is a lot more that happened between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War that is rarely talked about, if at all, and each had their part in creating the United States. It is a part of our History, and sadly enough, it isnt taught, and usually not even in college/universities. It' a shame....
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
1812
The Americans beat the Brits in New Orleans two weeks after the war had ended...
The Americans invaded Canada and got a very bloody nose...
The Brits stopped pressganging yankee sailors...
And we burned Washington, the Prez's house having to be whitewashed to hide the soot marks. Hence its name. And we had a war-ette with Buenos Aires.
Wasn't...
Wasn't there a cow involved there somewhere? (In #2)
Important to note that that BIG THING we colonials called the "War of 1812" was a minor side show to the British Empire. The war in Europe was MUCH more important and far bigger... And, given the way history is taught (either World History OR American History), most Americans don't get the links/over laps.
Oh, and we didn't loose ALL of the battles that occurred in the war (other than The Battle of New Orleans), just most of them.
Annette
P.S. For anyone who'd like to know what was going on elsewhere in the world - when something was going on in one location that seems important - I'd recommend finding a copy of "Isaac Asimov's Chronology of the World". It's not a small tome, but it does put many things in perspective. (Basically a moving timeline - in prose - from the beginnings of recorded history through 1945...)
Battle of New Oleans
Wasn't that the one Lonnie Donegan went on about when I was a teenager soooo long ago?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umcEYz9LJm8
Robi ( a one time Lonnie Donegan fan)
Lots of other renditions...
Lots of other renditions... And, that is the battle that took place after the peace treaty had been signed... Disadvantages of the slow communications of the time.
Johnny Cash
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Jimmy Driftwood
And, many more... :-)
Annette
Loved Trish's command to Cathy
“Not yet—I’m doing this not you, Mummy. You wait until I say so.â€
8 now, just wait till she's 13!