In Greenery Street

This isn't going to become a pregnancy/baby blog, however there are a few pregnancy quotes that I've collected and as this is in many ways an indirect document of my life occasionally they'll be posted.

'In Greenery Street, you see, we approach this matter of parenthood with a kind of fascinated reluctance. In a way the idea certainly attracts us, and though we resent its being put in that way, we have every intention of ultimately doing our duty by the State. But not just yet, if you see what we mean. For after something like quarter of a century when we have incessantly wanted it to be next week, we have suddenly reached a stage where all this impatience has left us. We want Time to stand still now; we have found what we have been looking for, and intuition tells us to avoid any experiment which will so inevitably start him off again. We have an impression, too, that everyone is watching us; that they are expecting us to have a baby, and that they won't leave us alone until we do. This puts our backs up. What  has it got to do, we ask, with anyone except ourselves? We know perfectly well what we're up to, and we're not going to be hustled by any amount of hints or questions.' Denis Mackail Greenery Street

love

We need to talk about....

I shall also remember this summer for the books I read. The one which will place itself most firmly in summer 2010 is 'We need to talk about Kevin' by Lionel Shriver. When it was first published it just did not interest me. Over time, mainly through reading interviews with Lionel Shriver I've thought that perhaps I would like to read it. I'm so glad I have read it and I'm so glad that was when I was ready for it, not when there was all the hype. I especially liked the beginning part of the story where she and her husband are thinking about whether or not to have children.

'"I love to talk about other people. Not peoples. People I know, people close to me - people who drive me crazy. But I feel as if I'm using my family up... Honestly Franklin, maybe we should have a kid just to have something else to talk about."
"Now that... is frivoulous."
I stayed your hand. "It's not. What we talk about is what we want to think about, is what are lives are about. I'm not sure I want to spend mine looking over my shoulder at a generation whose lineage I'm personaly helping to truncate."' Lionel Shriver We need to talk about Kevin.

What did you think about this book/story?

ps. No picture today - I'm not sure what image would be appropriate.

This matter of parenthood

Sorry, this is long but I hope you think it's worth it.
'...we approach this matter of parenthood with a kind of fascinated reluctance. In a way the idea certainly attracts us, and though we resent it being put in that way, we have every intention of ultimately doing our duty... But not just yet, if you see what we mean. For after something like a quarter of a century when we have incessantly wanted it to be next week, we have suddenly reached a stage where all this impatience has left us. We want Time to stand still now; we have found what we have been looking for, and intuition tells us to avoid any experiment which will so inevitably start him off again. We have an impression, too, that everyone is watching us; that they are expecting us to have a baby, and that they won't leave us alone until we do. This puts our backs up. What has it got to do, we ask, with anyone except ourselves? We know perfectly well what we're up to, and we're not going to be hustled by any amounts of hints or questions. It is, we repeat, entirely our own affair.' Denis Mackail Greenery Street

Oh how true this is - and will it ever change? Will we ever stop trying to hurry life on for others? We meet someone and it's 'Is this the one?' We stay together and we're asked 'When will you get married?' I couldn't believe how soon after the wedding the question of 'children' is asked. And then I guess when you have one child you're asked about others. What will be will be.

And there ends Persephone quotes. I'm looking forward to next year already.