tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post967232588025150976..comments2024-03-17T11:17:53.826+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Remembering The Relay by Julia JonesKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-41443987487536738602015-11-10T11:12:05.508+00:002015-11-10T11:12:05.508+00:00Julia, this is a truly lovely and very moving post...Julia, this is a truly lovely and very moving post. I've had contact with my own mother's dementia years back and now a close family member is dealing single-handedly (with shameful - though, through 'Austerity', partly excused by having no money - lack of support from the local authority and the NHS) a similar situation, so I recognise a lot here. Allingham's book sounds important and still relevant. One for Golden Duck? I agree with Enid. A marvellous, unexpected yet strangely fitting conclusion. Only an accomplished novelist could manage that!Dennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781139870037634374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-82913201133057680942015-11-09T19:05:01.574+00:002015-11-09T19:05:01.574+00:00I've nothing much to add, Julia. I can only re...I've nothing much to add, Julia. I can only repeat: a beautiful post. So moving.Mari Biellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221256993468150226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-47257392263895785482015-11-09T17:50:08.719+00:002015-11-09T17:50:08.719+00:00Have you read "ELIZABETH IS MISSING"? An...Have you read "ELIZABETH IS MISSING"? An amazing piece of writing with a totally unexpected ending - so clever. Have you also picked up on some very recent research re- champagne (no, I'm not joking). An occasional glass of cheapish bubbly might be passed off as fizzy lemonade...Enid Richemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218197995089241666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-34786205506490411172015-11-09T16:44:51.401+00:002015-11-09T16:44:51.401+00:00Such a beautiful post, Julia, with so many insight...Such a beautiful post, Julia, with so many insights. Personally, I would be very interested in The Relay, and I think Penny's idea is good - I would definitely want to read it!<br />Sending warm thoughts.Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-40331663597960663042015-11-09T16:35:00.274+00:002015-11-09T16:35:00.274+00:00What a lovely, moving post - and your boat looks l...What a lovely, moving post - and your boat looks like such a great haven for both you and your Mum. I think Penny's idea is brilliant - I hope it inspires you to do something along those lines. We all need those relays, passing on thoughts and experiences and sharing wisdom. Thank you!C.J.Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12288574235370421625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-60823632437343086242015-11-09T14:45:48.500+00:002015-11-09T14:45:48.500+00:00Oh, lovely...and it reminds me so much of my dear ...Oh, lovely...and it reminds me so much of my dear Mum and her valiant ways in the handling of old age and infimity. Thank you, Julia and good luck with the book!Sandra Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01761260568729338471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-81651396223891917692015-11-09T14:38:54.183+00:002015-11-09T14:38:54.183+00:00Beautifully written and considered piece Julia, an...Beautifully written and considered piece Julia, and a very moving celebration of your redoubtable mum. People like your mum and mine who remain verbal for a relatively long time give us a glimpse, sometimes tragic, sometimes a joke we can share with them, of how they see the world. It's interesting that she is still creating new shortish term memories (eg about Our Baby) and attempting to fill the gaps in her memory with made-up lives. it sounds like your Allingham book idea could turn out to be a cracker and something very different from other books about dementia. (It's become 'the new aspergers' in literary terms with novels narrated by or about dementia sufferers proliferating.) In the meantime, your mum still enjoys much of her life it seems and there's plenty of 'her' left for you to enjoy and spar with.Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-58499992596296867822015-11-09T13:39:10.490+00:002015-11-09T13:39:10.490+00:00you are, jul, you are. xxxxxyou are, jul, you are. xxxxxJan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-68640897788711330422015-11-09T12:21:07.246+00:002015-11-09T12:21:07.246+00:00Thank you all so much. Feeling a bit blitzed after...Thank you all so much. Feeling a bit blitzed after mum had one of her esp bad days and the amount I could do was so limited. Poor woman really cannot read now, she holds up a loving message and can make nothing out of it. Just squiggles. This is a very low point - especially as she is aware that she can't do it. <br />Thank you particularly Penny for the structural suggestion. I had a bit of thinking time while mum fell asleep yesterday and realised that Allingham's concept of old age as being like the handover phase in a relay, when for a certain period the two generations are running along together (ideally) could perhaps be applied to what The Relay is doing for me as Allingham passes across various "batons" of insight. I feel almost ready to put fingers to keyboard and experiment.<br /><br />The support of AE is real and appreciated and I'm sorry I'm not handing much back at the mo<br />julia joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09773900100240758504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-67846565083349755982015-11-09T10:32:40.585+00:002015-11-09T10:32:40.585+00:00Julia, this is such a beautiful, sensitive and hau...Julia, this is such a beautiful, sensitive and haunting post: practical, elegiac for a range of past times, and a picture of your mother seated where she is happy and content, if for a while. <br />The Allingham book does sound as if it should be published. Maybe it would work as a "blend", a book where you intersperse her chapters with your own words, both about the caring you are doing now - as anonymously as you wish - and about the sea and past times, as well as linking in to Allingham's life & work? The "Reading X in Y" sort of format? Apologies if that squidges too much uncomfortable together. It's just a suggestion, but one that this post makes me think could be possible.Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-69444519127476512652015-11-09T09:55:24.886+00:002015-11-09T09:55:24.886+00:00I can only agree. A beautifully written, thoughtfu...I can only agree. A beautifully written, thoughtful and moving post - thank you, Julia. Given all you have to cope with, I am always amazed at the quality of the post you give us.Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-61915201154452713462015-11-09T09:52:25.829+00:002015-11-09T09:52:25.829+00:00Just to echo Jan, Julia. A beautiful, tender evoca...Just to echo Jan, Julia. A beautiful, tender evocation of the way just sitting on board a boat changes perspectives, brings us back in touch with the important things.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-33947268316913751582015-11-09T09:19:03.887+00:002015-11-09T09:19:03.887+00:00Ah Julia, Julia. Lovely and beautiful and moving a...Ah Julia, Julia. Lovely and beautiful and moving as ever. Thank you.Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.com