Most runs around here end up with one last slog up this winding hill. A number of cycle clubs use it for races. The British Universities use the hill for their national road race championship. The 25% twisting ascent is a real leg sapper.

But on the bright side it’s a rapid, helter skelter of a descent. On one cycle decent I lost control and ended up in the farmers field. Still not as bad as one cyclist you apparently was rescued after being found face first, stuck in the roadside hedge. You could only see his legs sticking out. That would have cracked me up. As Monty Python would sing – Always look on the bright side….

Over the last couple of years I’ve learned the importance of laughter. It really has been a life saver some days. Really dark thoughts have been broken by a random laugh. A few weeks after my partner and my mums funerals I was as low as I have ever been. But a random chance encounter with Python’s Holy Grail movie lifted my spirts. It was bizarrely the scene where Eric Idle was collecting the dead bodies on the cart and John Cleese tries to get rid of a ‘not’ dead old man. It just touched a nerve and I laughed a lot. It just seemed to brake the spell.

Yes laughter breaks the spell. It’s distracts me. In computing terms it seems to reboot my system. The problem is that often when you need that reboot the most. At your lowest ebb. The hardest thing to do is laugh. The mindset is that your not allowed to enjoy a bit of life. Laughing is just not acceptable. Almost as if it makes you a bad person. Really. For me the two of the nest things I’ve learnt about grief

  • It’s really ok to cry AND
  • It’s really ok to laugh as well.

The news is unremittingly grim at present. Nothing like a pandemic to bring out the worst in our leaders, our media and sections of the population. Today the media was full of misinformation and photographs of empty supermarket shelves. Panic buying has started. So with some trepidation I ventured into the supermarket for a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread. What a pleasant surprise to find a well stocked shop. Then one last gift. With a sense of humour the store was running a promotion on Corona Beer. Clearly with shoppers loading up with the stuff that it was selling really well. Certainly better than in some parts of the world. It’s a shame that I’m on the wagon and that I never liked the stuff anyway. But it did get me thinking – maybe the World Health Organisation should continue naming viruses after products. Especially if it leads to heavy discounts. Maybe the next pandemic could be called the Cadbury’s Cream Egg Virus. I look forward to that discount….

Always look on the bright side of life….

101 thoughts on “Laughter”

  1. Exactly and it all right to laugh. And right now the amount of fake news ??? MY GOD and 6 dead in Seattle. ^? That is an epidemic. The hell with the thousands dying from malaria et in Africa. Well it is the best medicine.

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      2. Same here.
        Someone I generally regard as intelligent and informed is apparently in full “it’s gonna kill EVERYONE!!!” panic. I should respect that it’s simple fear of the unknown but it’s making me question their logic.

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  2. I vote for Hershey’s With Almonds virus!! I don’t think I’ve every had a Cadbury egg… sugar gives me heartburn and simply looking at them nauseatates me!

    The landscape in those pics is stunning. Double bonus points for making me imagine legs sticking out of a hedge!!

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  4. Laughter really is the best medicine. It’s a release. I am one of those inappropriate laughers and at time of stress or high grief I am more prone to laughing fits, what’s more it is an affliction that seems to run in my family. However I won’t mind at all if people roll in the isle at my funeral, I get it, it’s an important release valve.

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  5. Totally agree.. I learned a few years ago on the deeply dark days to put on my favourite funny movies and now I watch as much good comedy as I can…. I love the Kahil Gibrain quote where he says he wishes his life to be always full of both tears and laughter.. to see the funny side just breaks the heaviness that can blindside us…

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  8. Went for drinks with autistic mates last Sunday. And haven’t laughed so much in years!!! Have been exhausted ever since, but definitely worth it.
    Funnily, Corona is one of the few beers I can drink. Must have some next time.

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  10. That is some hill – definitely will give you quite a workout to get up it. And I agree, the humor really comes out of your posts – even to think of those legs sticking out of that bush 🙂

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  13. God I love nothing better than a good laugh. The ones where tears come to your eyes are the best. I’ve found sober laughing even better!!! I’m glad you laugh, it’s so important
    Claire x

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  14. Love this post! Laughter was as important to us as love, and finding my ability to laugh after he was gone–spurred on by our adult children–has been a big help these last few months and helped me find a balance.

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  18. Yes!! I look forward to Easter every year for the Cadbury Eggs! I have 2 stashed in my candy tin now😉🤫

    Life is so ridiculous all we can do is laugh!! I’m a dark humor fan anyway, so it’s easy for me.

    Legs sticking out of the shrubbery you say? NI! 😂

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  19. My sense of humour got me through Dick, who was way worse than Humphrey. If I didn’t laugh and joke, I would have sunk into depression and that is somewhere I never want to be again.
    I remember Corona as fizzy soft drinks of orange or lime. The shops were pretty well stocked when I went in today. Tomorrow may be a different matter as we intend to go to a bigger town. National Pie week, and we know where to get the best pies!

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      1. Chicken, leek and bacon. We get two individuals for a pound and they are just the right size for us without being all pastry. She also does the best Rocky Road, and I’ve recently fallen for her caramel flapjacks. Hubby likes her blueberry muffins, apple pie or sparkle cake. I shall also buy a pie for our neighbour who hasn’t been feeling well these past few days.

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  21. It is a paradox that we are thinking we don’t deserve to be happy only because sad things happened. Actually, we deserve it even more. The interesting thing is that nobody (who matters) would ever blame us for being happy and joyful. And as you said, laughing breaks a spell. It is like the sunrise after a long and dark night, the reminder that life still has something in store for us.
    I hope the link works… I always loved the song.

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  24. How beautiful your photos are!! You live in a very beautiful peaceful looking place ❤️

    And lol… Corona Beer lol – you made me laugh with that… I heard here in America some won’t drink that because of the hysteria

    No idea what connection they make to the beer other than the name. Poor Corona beer for getting bad rap just cause of the name

    They are panicking little bit over here too… why panic… nothing you can do and it’s happening – just go about life and hope for the best.

    I do kinda worry but in different way? I went through a lot of losses – I don’t want anymore… so don’t want to actually lose my mom or anyone else. Definitely not prepared or ready for more losses – so not necessarily worried about myself – it happens it happens and I’ll deal with it… but I do not wanna lose more people. Can’t we just all never die? Lol ✌️

    I know is inevitable and ya know life happens – but I do worry in that aspect.

    Also in regards to laughter – saved my life many times over as well ❤️ continues to save my life!! Is my lifeline ❤️✌️

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      1. Hope so … my son reminded me how many time people say the world will end … was Y2K… and then the Mayan thing -December 21, 2012 lol

        So yeah you probably right lol ✌️

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  27. Yep. I always enjoy the read. I have no idea what to comment this time so this is what I’m commenting. For some reason my body woke me up only a few hours after I fell asleep.

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  28. Laughter is soooo important, especially in the hard times. I call it my coping mechanism. Glad you have it! And LOL about the Cadbury Cream Egg virus.
    Your posts haven’t been showinf up in my reader, but glad I found them! I have another blogger whose posts haven’t been coming to my email even though they were before. WP is just quirky sometimes!

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