Sketches and vignettes from la Dordogne: On December, 18th

Friday 18 December 2015

On December, 18th

On December,18th,

I awoke tired and sad,

and felt that depression was coming back fast.

Nothing better then that a large number of cups of tea to cheer one up!

Depression is an illness and not a fancy that induces one into laziness as some members of my family believe. It is cumbersome and truly unpleasant, and is able to last years and years in spite of the medical treatment one is prescribed. There is but one solution: to soldier on and sometimes to relent and, as my best friend would say, indulge in comfort things: comfort food, comfort books, comfort, comfort, comfort...

When I awoke this morning, I felt it was one of these days for comfort. The sadness that was building up these past days was closing its black wings around me; I was exhausted before getting up; nerves were frayed, and I felt dangerously on edge.

The first thing was to protect The Girls from this mood and its consequences. No frayed nerves. No sadness but a large smile. No weeping, no cries, no shouts or moves that would frighten them.

First thing first, then: start the day with a mug of tea!

I tip-toed to the kitchen, put the kettle on and chose a tea bag of English tea, not one of those teas you find in France that taste like washing-up water. Some milk. No sugar. And choose a mug.

Now, I have a hidden passion for crockery. I just love wandering through The Supermarket aisle dedicated to plates, glasses, kitchen implements, but mostly cups and mugs. But it is small as The Supermarket is small. It is better as I would be tempted and do not know whether I would be able to resist.

I am glad The House is full of disparate cups and saucers. Each generation of women who have lived here has left traces of wedding presents or ordinary tableware. There are also the fancy things bought for pleasure, on a whim. And this gives a curious collection of crockery.

Of course, these being for the time of Christmas, red, green, white and gold prevail, which is a pity as I do prefer white and blue china.

Mother added to this motley collection by giving me my birthday month cup, saucer and dessert plate: they are December as well. No chance for blue but there is not too much aggressive red.

In Anglo-Saxon countries, what could be more "cosy" that drinking tea while reading a book, all shutters closed, curtains drawn, in a warm house, while it is cold or rainy outside? Perhaps the same remedy would not be applied here, but I make it mine today. And as it comes close to five o'clock, The Girls will ask for the same with a slice of fruit cake. Depression should go away before such well-being.

And what was in the little window of the Advent Calendar, will you ask? A soldier made of wood. But, please, no more soldiers in this time where "Prince of Peace" is one of the names of the Son of God.