Sunday 11 December 2011

Icarus & Daedelus

There's not been much of a peep out of us this week in blogland. Our apologies for that but things over-took us to a degree.

fair bit of this
Niall was struck down by a nasty version of the seasonal lurgy but with the added bonus of a cough that would gain him instant admission into any family of gouls! 
and a fair bit of that too!
Meanwhile I have been dealing with a nasty jaw infection. The jury is out whether or not it is the result of something dental or an infected gland. Either way, it  proceded to run riot in the right side of my jaw. Suffice to say that my face swelled up to interesting proportions - as did the pain - and I too could have easily auditioned for a: "scare your local kiddies competition". Pity it wasn't Halloween time. All of the which necessitated visits to A&E for medication -- which didn't work -- and to the local doctor, at a more civilised time, for alternative antibiotics which now are doing the trick. Things are on the mend with both of us.

can you spot Icarus?
However, all this means that we have stayed at home rarely venturing out. Not that the weather has offered us much inducement, it has been uniformly grey and dank out there. Today it is, yet again, misty and the sky is covered with an unrelenting blanket of cloud. 

So we have watched far more TV than normal. While the news headlines have been dominated by the Climate Change Conference in S. Africa and Cameron's bluff being called at the EU summit; we have eaten mush food [in Antoinette's case], taken our respective meds and watched "fluffy" TV. 

Icarus & Daedelus
It reminded us a little bit of Breughel's painting 'Fall of Icarus', which so accurately captures life carrying on while Icarus falls from the heavens. We got on with our own little things while elsewhere bigger things happened. 
We are lucky enough to have our own Icarus & Daedelus. A friend and former teaching colleague, Eppe de Haan sculpted them from driftwood and lead. We bought the statuettes at one of his 1st sculpture exhibitions in the 1990's and they have pride of place on our dower chest. We love his work and are lucky enough to have one or two more pieces; do have a look at his website.

In contrast to the EU summit where Cameron just refused to agree and that was effectively that; they kept talking at the UN Climate Change conference.  Let's hope that the compromise agreed upon helps... even if only a tiny tiny bit. 

Of course now's there's a minor panic chez nous. We are behind on all things Christmassy and at the end of the coming week we're having Antoinette's cousin's daughter to stay. Sarah, a junior at Bryn Mawr, has just finished a semester at Athens University in Greece and visiting us before flying back home to Florida. We're looking forward to showing her the sights of the Loire Valley - she's an Art History major.

23 comments:

Perpetua said...

Sorry you've both been ill and hope you will soon be fully recovered. If it's any consolation I read your post with much fellow-feeling as our weather is equally grey and miserable and I'm recovering from a bad cold. Touch wood my teeth are OK.

I do like your Icarus and Daedelus. how lovely to be able to have work by a friend and former colleague.

Enjoy the visit.

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Niall and Antoinette:
Like Perpetua, we are so very sorry to read that you have both been far from well and really do sympathise for these things can be so very debilitating and do somewhat take over.

The work of Eppe de Haan is most appealing and must give you a great deal of pleasure. Such pieces really do lift life to another dimension.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Perpetua - Driech is the word! All the high pressure means we get day after day of lumpy grey skies.

Doc thinks it isn't tooth related but will toddle off to dentist anon to make sure.

Glad you like Eppe's work. Originally, he used to paint but then switched to sculpture and came into his own.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Jane & Lance - thanks for your good wishes. All in all a pain [no pun intended :-)] at this time of year but anitbiotics will sort it.

We do indeed enjoy looking at them every day :-).

Susan said...

I'm pleased to hear that the visit to Dr M. seems to have done the trick. Sorry to hear Niall has had the lurgy. I don't know how we have missed it so far. So many people around us have been hit.

The Broad said...

Oh I do hope you are both on the mend. I am also fending off a cold -- which fortunately was only bad for a day or two a week ago--the aftermath though seems to go on and on! Something like the European economic news! Then there is Christmas coming up and last week the winds were so bad I didn't dare venture out until yesterday. Take care of yourselves!

Diane said...

Goodness with both of you down with different things that sounds really bad. The jaw does not sound good, but glad it is on the mend. As for Niall, I sincerely hope his cough does not go on like mine has for over two months. It is getting better, but nights are still not good! Yesterday I came out in a rash all over, other than my face, no idea what it is, but will see the Dr tomorrow evening if no improvement!
Take care both of you, Diane

the fly in the web said...

I'm sorry you've both been ill...the infection sounds particularly miserable.
I'll certainly go to the website..i'd like to see more.

LindyLouMac said...

So sorry to read you have both been so rough, hope you are on the mend now and have a good time with your visitor.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Susan - Doc M gave me stronger anitbiotics as well as somthing to take the swelling down and (more)painkillers. It is now improving steadily and pain is, thankfully, under control.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Broad - you too. :-)

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Diane - thankfully Niall's cough has responded, albeit slowly, to heavy duty cough medicine recommended by the pharmacie.
Take care with that dreadfully persistent cough. Good you're seeing the Dr. A rash could be a sign of being/becoming over sensitive to a particular medication. I speak from bitter experience - 10 yrs ago I found I was allergic to penecillin given for bronchitis.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Fly - glad you like Eppe's work :-)

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Lindy - we certainly looking forward to it :-)

Tim said...

Sorry mto hear that you've been ill.. we both send you our sympathy and wishes for a healthy run up to Christmas. Especially with a guest coming!!
Look after yourselves...
Is there anything you need?
Just ring if there is.

Jean said...

So sorry to hear you have been poorly. Hope you are soon back up to full speed. !!

I'm hoping my flu jab protects me against some of the nasty bugs going round this year.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Tim - thanks for your kind wishes.

A new jaw would be nice ;-)
Seriously, things are on the mend so it's just a question of catching up on mundania now.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Jean - we're slowly cranking back up to full gear.
Fingers crossed your flu jab does the trick :-)

Tim said...

You can catch up on Mundania on Tuesdania to Fridania!

WV is Panatole... so go and eat some if your jaw will let you....DAMN... I was thinking of panatone!!

GaynorB said...

I'm a bit late with this comment but I hope you are both feeling better and are well and truely on the mend. It will be great having Sarah to visit as i always findthat I see the same things very differently with a young/younger person for company.
Enjoy your time together. I hope Sarah has enjoyed her time in Athens. What a fantastic experience.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Gaynor - she's really enjoyed the experience. We're now planning what to visit; and you're right you always see things differently with a younger person. Just hoping we don't get days of stormy wind & rain. Even the grey blanket would be preferable. There's nothing so miserable as visiting places in the [winter] rain!

John Going Gently said...

get the goose grease out.... I enjoy your blogs so more please!!!

Niall & Antoinette said...

@John - Thanks :-) We'll do our best!