I remembered my Write Edit Publish bloghop Caged Bird post from five years ago … into which the new theme could fit with some obvious changes – from closed to open … I need that closed one for another prompt next week … but …
… then this week I remembered something I could write about for a prompt and a memoir note on an open door incident that happened in the mid 1970s … 'killing three 'birds' at once' …
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| A rather too posh dormer window mine was definitely plainer |
... this probably happened in the very hot summer of 1976 when I lived in Arundel Gardens –which I wrote about in 2020, link below – when my sitting room balcony doors would have been wide open onto the tiny balcony of my card-house flat – up five storeys …
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| I lived at the top - where those three bedroom windows appear - the balcony is on the south facing side |
I had no idea what to do – call the police, let him out, send him further along at five storeys up … so for a while we talked – I cannot for the life of me remember what about … I was bemused!
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| Graphic story about Giorgina Anzulata from the book by Penelope Bagieu - more to follow soon (see link below) |
Anyway in the end after some time I let him downstairs … presumably by then he could evade the police … and I never saw him again – nor did I have another interloper high up in the skies above Notting Hill …
Here endeth this post … to solve one of my problems – another easy one after my fables … which yesterday claimed another thought process – when someone produced a dictionary of proverbs … and wondered about the term 'Belling the Cat' – attributed as a fable to Aesop – but set under Mediaeval attributions outside the Aesopic canon.
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| 'Belling the Cat' - painting by Breugel (1559) |
I'd never heard of it … yet Gustave Doré created an illustration (1868), as too Peter Bruegel in his paintings of Netherlandish Proverbs (1559).
My sortie into May … gosh I waffle on – things might come straight sometime soon – if I'm lucky and all being well …......
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| Congo submarine canyon, west Africa |
Welcome month of May and in the northern hemisphere some sunnier, warmer weather – well for us in the UK at least … I hoped!
Penelope Bagieu - illustrator and comic designer ... see Wiki ...
My earlier post on Portobello and Ladbroke Gardens estate in west London ...
Caged Bird - Write Edit Publish post ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
31 comments:
I love the variety of your rabbit holes. Glad you are back hopping into weird corners of the world.
I am laughing a lot at your "interloper" story. Glad he was just trying to escape and not looking to give you trouble. I admit, I'd have been asking him questions, considering what had happened. He would have been eager to escape ME.
Happy Wednesday! Be well and I'll send sun and heat your way.
Hari Om
Oh the adventures that appear when we aren't seeking them! YAM xx
That's scary. Five floors up and someone appears? Yikes. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as that could have been. (And it's always strange to see my last name in the wild, as it were. Arundel doesn't often come up as a place name.)
You did well to remain calm. It could've been ugly.
It is crowded in your head. And in mine.
Glad that your interloper was into avoiding rather than creating trouble.
That's quite a story, Hillary!
Oh my gosh, Hils. That's a stunning story.
Fifth floor sudden uninvited guest!? Wow! Makes me hope he got away.
My mind is full of rabbit holes--lol!
Never apologize for your rabbit holes, Hilary. They are some of the more fascinating posts in the blogosphere.
@ Joanne – I'm afraid they are so varied … and there's more – my brain is in constant daunting mode (if that's possible!). 'My interloper' was more worried about being caught than concerned too much about worrying me …
Remember … were you as strong then as you are now … I know I wasn't … almost a little meek thing if you can believe it?!?!?!
We've got some sun and it's warming up slowly – thank you ….
@ Yam – I know I was having a peaceful evening enjoying the warm weather in my sky high pad! Still 49 years on … it's provided a good story!
@ Liz – I know … it was a bit of a surprise to put it mildly … still all well ended well - and he went off into the night of Arundel Gardens (street side). Lots of Arundel connections here in Sussex – the town is not too far away either.
@ Alex – I don't think we were in that era yet – ugliness came in later on … yes there were the gangs, but it tended to be in specific areas, not all over. Life has changed.
@ EC – my poor head must empty some of its tales very soon … help you with yours too. I'm glad I was safe – I never felt threatened … it was just strange at five floors up!
@ Karen – glad you enjoyed it …
@ Sandra – a fun tale to remember from the old days …
@ Rita – good to see you … oh I know five floors up – and the only way in was via the rooves and balcony … strange but true. I'm sure he got away – he was quite respectable looking and speaking …
@ Jacqui – thanks so much … muchly appreciated – my posts are certainly varied that's for sure. Just glad I never settled on one subject … and can let my writings wander along!
Thanks so much for being here – cheers to you – I'll be along shortly … Hilary
I'm sure that encounter must have caused the adrenaline to flow. Perhaps he was more worried about you - and the police - than you were about him.
Belling the cat is being brave, even when the risk of intervening seems high. I would never be a life saver in a rugged surf beach, for example, because of the inherent danger.
Even for you, Hilary, this one exceeds most stories! As a fetching young thing back then you must have had at least momentary concerns about an assault on your virtue, but I guess he had other pressing matters on his mind at the time! I am quite sure that few of us would have had a chat and let him out the door. It’s not hard to figure that he probably told this story a few times too! Hugs from Ontario - David
@ Janice - I was just totally taken aback ... and I'm sure the adrenaline was flowing ... but thankfully he didn't cause me any problems - I suspect we were both a bit non-plussed - but all's well that ends well ...
@ Hels - thanks re Belling the cat fable ...
@ David - I don't think I really took in what was happening - certainly not something I'd ever considered with the only entrance via the roof! - unless an invitation was extended: the usual way. I think we were both quite glad when it was all over ... both safe in our own worlds again!
Oh well - back to normality of 'elderly age' here! - cheers Hilary
What an adventure! You seem to have handled it with aplomb.
He wouldn't have stayed long as I would've yelled. Loud. And then grabbed my gun!
I remember the summer of 76. I think some of the heatwaves in recent years top that summer for sure, but nothing can beat the unexpected visitor five floors up!
Rabbit holes are wonderful places to escape down. I love them. I enjoyed your escape story too. That man must have been pretty bemused as well. I’m glad he wasn’t a thug!
@ Anabel - thankfully it was over easily and fairly quickly ... but 'fun' to remember all these years later ...
@ Diane - we don't have guns hanging around in England - I have to say I'm glad that's the way it is ...
@ Ian - I'm not sure about the 1976 heatwave being superseded ... it didn't rain for 5 months - but no doubt the numbers can be made to reflect whatever the weathermen or media tell us about! You're right - I've never had another visitor over the roof line ... I'm glad to say
@ Val - I think my interloper was very happy to have turned up at my balcony ... not where someone else lived ... but now I must get on with other rabbit holes.
Thanks to the four of you for visiting - we're still in Spring weather - so I'm going to enjoy it ... cheers Hilary
Another post worth reading, Hilary. Peter Bruegel (a cameo in your post)--a odd duck and fascinating person.
Great story, Hilary. Love the "Belling the Cat" painting . . . Cheers, Denise
@ Jacqui - thank you ... the Peter Breugel connection came from a friend who comes to a group I belong to ... via the Dictionary of Proverbs ... and Belling the Cat - I saw her yesterday - and forgot to mention it - still next week.
Now looking a bit further - you've stirred my thought processes into drafting another post based around the Breugels' art works ... interesting to put it mildly ...
@ Denise - lovely to see you here. Thank you re Belling the Cat - obviously the proverb stirred a lot of memories ...
Cheers to you both - happy summer days! Hilary
That intruder incident would have been such a scary thing. Anyway, you handled it very well.
Waffle on, we don't mind! I live four floors up with an external staircase, and sometimes get an uninvited guest when I leave my front door open - a fox!
Wow what a story, I have no idea what my reaction might of been. Think I would have probably thrown a fit. I am amazed that you stayed calm and had a chat them let him out of the door. Well done I am sure you did the right thing. Keep safe, Diane
So to make sure I knew what I thought I knew:) I looked up belling the cat:)
Have a great one, Hils.
Hope you're having a grand day, Hils. Cheers,
@ Pradeep - it was certainly unexpected and I'm sure I was scared - I managed thank you, especially once I realised he wasn't threatening ...
@ Keith - thanks ... I do/can waffle ... oh yes ... we haven't had a fox up here - though could possibly as they're around; but had a pigeon in last week, and then a cat - which belongs to another flat owner ... the cat and we were surprised to see it! A fox I'd be somewhat agitated about ... but they don't much like humans!
@ Diane - well it's one I haven't told ... so now it's coming out - all my horror stories of times past! I couldn't see any point in having a heart attack or similar - why I don't know ... I'm not that brave usually ... we both went our separate ways - sensibly for us both, I think.
@ Sandra x 2 - I've had a couple of feedbacks from friends here re the 'Belling the Cat' story ... now I know! Actually I finally do feel better ... more improvement to follow I hope.
Thanks for your comments - I've thought of other oddities where bravery or stupidity on my part came into play ... I might post - but plenty of other interesting topics first ... lovely to see you all - cheers Hilary
Thanks Snowbrush - this was 50 years ago (or so) ... so we didn't have mobile phones - my phone was attached to the wall on the landing. Thankfully all was well - and he was really running from the drug police ... it was that era - and Notting Hill was a hot spot back in those days. Cheers and thanks for coming by - Hilary
Planting reeds to shore up the bluff'. That's both amazing and fascinating. Seems like there's a lesson there.
Happy weekend, Hils.
Hi Sandra - yes nature can control things - given the right environment ... lots of our dunes (yes we have them ... small maybe, but there) are 'secured' by reed grasses ... cheers Hilary
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