Apothecary

You may already know that I am a fan of the Word of the Day” and am often intrigued by some of the words they use. Some are quite ordinary and still in common usage, some quite interesting although somewhat rare, and others are just so plainly never in common usage in today’s English. And others just seem so archaic to us Aussie’s (Australians).
On our recent Rivers cruise of Europe, we came across one such seeming word, which in my mind is now, my word of the Year. And that word is “Apothecary”
I called it above, a seeming archaic word. That is because here in Australia, it just isn’t in common usage at all. However in Europe it is so common that it is plastered almost everywhere.
I suffer at times from headaches and so like to have some Aspirin or Panadol handy at all times, but with Drug enforcement so strict, I didn’t want to go through the fuss of taking some with me from here to Europe on our trip, and so decided to wait till we arrived in the Netherlands and then nip out to the nearest Chemist shop to buy some.
However upon arrival there could not find a single Chemist, or even a Pharmacist sign anywhere. Found out a couple of days later that they don’t have chemists or pharmacists in the Netherlands or indeed in Europe at all. No! What they do have though are, yes you guessed it, “Apothecaries”!
Thus armed with this information I was able to buy some Panadol. (Trying to ask for Panadol in English, where English was not spoken was another issue, but that’s another story.)
Just recently I was reading the Book of Ecclesiastes, in my King James Bible. And when I came to Chapter 10 verse one, I nearly fell out of my bed. For there, in my very own Bible, was the word Apothecary.
(Upon doing a word check I found that it is also used another half dozen times in the KJV.) However as I don’t normally use the KJV regularly, and in the modern translations they use the more broader meaning “of mixing of herbs and spices” and use the word Perfumer, which in Australia at least is not a particularly popular or common word either.
So that is my uncommon “Word for the Year”: so far. What are some uncommon words that you have found recently, that are more common than you originally thought?

Not well.

There I was, standing at the counter to hand my purchase and my money over, when the young lass on the other side, cheerfully said ”And How are you today? “ So I cheerfully replied, "Not too bad thanks!”
Then I wondered to myself, “Well that was both a stupid question by her, and an equally stupid, not too mention, incorrect answer by me.” After all, if I were well, would I be in a Chemist (Pharmacy/Apothecary) paying good money for medication for myself?
Yes, silly indeed, but how often do we all answer blithely and without thinking, the questions of others? Even to the point of saying, all is well, even when it is obviously not?
Just a little reminder to all here, and especially myself, that next time, before I speak, I stop, think and mean what I say! Will you try that too? Good for you!

Daffodils, Dad & Wordsworth

At the beginning of this month, I wrote the following on my Facebook site: “Way back in the 1950's, dad brought a dozen King Alfred Daffodil bulbs. Although it is over 4 years now since His passing, the descendants of those original 12 bulbs still bring me great joy and remembrance of Him, as I sit here watching their blooms toss in the wind through my window.”

Today, a fortnight later, the same blooms are still giving me great delight and not only reminding me of Dad but also of a great poem I was taught in primary school, some half a century ago. It was by William Wordsworth and although all about daffodils, is actually called, “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”

Anyway, here it is, for your pleasure as much as mine I hope.
“ I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing daffodils;
Along a lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

The waves besides them dance, but they
Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: -
A poet could not but be gay
In such a laughing company;
I gazed – and gazed – but little thought
What wealth the shew to me had brought:

For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood.
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills.
And dances with the daffodils.”

Now, I have actually been to England, but sadly never made it to the Lakes District and seen these descendants of Wordsworth’s daffodils in all their glory. Nor have I quite seen ten thousand blooms dancing in the Breeze at any one time, but I have seen the massive and glorious golden masses of my late father’s daffodils and thus, I too, like Wordsworth, can often look back and remember these “Golden Memories”.

What are your golden memories and how often do you look back on them? Just something for you to think about, as I now think about “Daffodils, Dad & Wordsworth”.

The Great Man

Back in our Missionary days in South Africa, we started corresponding with a couple from Western Australia and have continued to do so since our return to Australia some 8 years ago later this year, but had not met them before.
This changed last week when they came over to Melbourne to watch their son, who lives over here, run in a 24-hour Marathon in Coburg.
Being about 40 kms away across town we are not that familiar with that side of Melbourne, but had heard of the Harold Stevens Athletics Track where the event was being held, before, as back in the early 70’s there was a local controversy there when it came to naming this then new reserve. Some wanted to name it after a former famous Olympic Gold medallist who had done some training there, while others wanted to name it after a local son and member of their club, Coburg harriers. And so in 1971 the local son won out and so it was that the other day my wife and I went to the Harold Stevens Athletic Track, to meet some friends and see their son run in the race for a short time.
While there we had a look in the clubrooms and saw lots of pictures and memorabilia and even some photos of the great man himself. Thus later when one of the competitors, when passing where we were, and looking past us, shouted, Hi Harold”. We were able to ascertain, when looking ourselves, that this was the great man himself.
Now looking at the shambling old man hanging on to his walking frame and gasping for breath, it might seem that I am being sarcastic when I call him the Great man, but considering that he is into his 70’s and has spent half of this year in Hospital at or near death’s door, it showed the man's greatness and dedication to his club, to at least be in the Clubhouse when events are on. I was also touched by how people from the club rushed to help with genuine love and concern for Harold and His wife June Showing.
At this time I decided I should go over and say hello, so went up and spoke to his wife June, who just happens to be one of my cousins, but one I haven’t seen for a few years. (Just thought I should put that in as some sort of public discloser.) Now back to Harold. Even though he cannot do much these days, he has still set himself the task of collecting replica uniforms from the clubs 100 plus years in existence. Yes, he does need help even with that, but still he is helping and contributing to his club, and not resting on his laurels and past achievements as a top runner in his prime.
So yes Harold Stevens is a great man and one worthy of having a ground named after him. But again what about us? We may never have anything named after us, but will we continue to contribute to our community over and over, throughout the years? Or are we just going to be Flashes in the Pan? Maybe doing some thing worthy for a little while and then not able to do anything else because we are too busy living in the past.
Let us learn from this truly great man and just keep on contributing to our community, even if it is a little less than we could last year.

Walking and swimming

Went the other day to see a young man run in a 24-hour marathon and met his main support man, who was a Walker himself, but was only getting back into walking after a long layoff through an ankle Injury, (so was not competing himself that day in the concurrent walking event).
Tell me, what would you have been doing in the meantime if that had happened to you? Sitting back and moaning about it and putting on weight.
Well this young man did put on weight, but intentionally so. For you see, as he could not walk for too long on his ankle, he took up swimming to strengthen it again. And obviously not being one to do things lightly, he set himself the task of swimming the English Channel.
To do this he had to put on the extra weight to give himself some body fat protection against the cold, and also had to find a support team and money etc. But the thing is, that when he found he could not do one thing he loved, he didn’t whinge and complain and sit back and expect sympathy. No! He simply changed his focus, albeit at considerable cost and effort, and set himself a new target. A target that he also met, and he has also since lost that extra weight and is now back easing himself back into His first love of Walking again.
So again what about us when obstacles and set backs present themselves? Do we just give up and sit back and moan and complain?
Or like this young man, do we just adapt and change our focus for a short time, even if it is uncomfortable and costly, and set and meet other objectives, and returning if possible, to our original goals when and if possible later.
Again something to ponder on for today.

Walkers & Runners

Recently went to see someone participate in a 24 hour Marathon out at the Harold Stevens Athletics track at Coburg. They actually had 4 separate events happening at the same time. They had men and Ladies groups running and Men and Ladies groups walking around the same course at the same time.
These people supposedly run/walk for fun but are also very competitive. Yet, can still co-operate together. The runner we went to see, had as his main support team, a Walker who had been injured and is only now getting back into walking again, but was not competing here but satisfied to help someone else and a runner and not a fellow walker to compete and to give of his best.
What about us? Are we as prepared to help others when and where we can, or we so competitive that we will not help anyone and especially someone outside of our own discipline?
Just something to think about for Now!

Have you ever created a Neologism?

Some, not so nice people, might argue that some of my spelling attempts might almost qualify as neologisms, but sadly none of my creatively spelt words have ever become neologisms. At least not to my knowledge, that is. So what exactly is a neologism you ask?
Well, according to the Word of the Day for Monday, April 12, 2010, neologism is one of the following: 1. A new word or expression.
2. A new use of a word or expression.
3. The use or creation of new words or expressions.
4. (Psychiatry) An invented, meaningless word used by a person with a psychiatric disorder.
5. (Theology) A new view or interpretation of a scripture.
Usually with the creation of any new word, it takes a while for it to, not so much for it to come into common speak, but also to be accepted as a worthy word acceptable to all, and not just some common vulgar slang expression.
So what neologisms do you use? Note, I didn’t ask what neologisms you invented, but which neologisms do you use?
In other words, do you use new words all the time and thus regularly expand your vocabulary? Or do you still use a minimal vocab, because you are afraid to use new words for fear of sound precocious or pretentious, or even some other reason like fear of spelling it wrong?
Again you and I may never invent or create a neologism, but that should never stop us from using them either. So what say you today? What neologism or new word to you will you introduce into your common vocab now? Over to you for now.