Q is for …

One of the bloggers that I follow is Cindy at Cindy Ricksgers . She lives on Beaver Island, a small island in Michigan. I love reading her posts. Her life is totally different to mine. Currently, Cindy is diligently following the April A-Z Chllenge. Today her word was Q. 

Cindy chose Quarantine, a word that we are all familiar wih since the eruption of Covid into our lives. Up until now, I have been aware of quarantine only twice in this long life. Once as a very small child I had Scarlet Fever and was quarantined in the Fever Hospital for I don’t know how long. No memories of the disease or the time spent in the hospital. The second occasion was when we left Scotland to live in New Zealand. Rebel, our cocker spaniel, was part of our family – we had him before David – and so he came too.

At the time there was no facility for dog, or any animal, quarantine, so he had to make the journey on a ship. Six weeks being pampered by the ship’s cook and he arrived very overweight and had to be put on a diet.

After reading Cindy’s post I wondered what my word would be for Q. Immediately my mind came up with Querulous. It’s not a word I use often. In fact, I can’t recall ever using it.

I have said in the past that I like the sound of words. I like how they look when written down – how different written with pen or pencil to how they look on the MacBook screen. So Querulous. It is defined in the OED as “habitually whining, fretful”. Does this bring anybody in particular to mind? Apart from that whining, demanding kid in the supermarket? I have an acquaintance for whom nothing is ever quite right. If we go for lunch something is always wrong. If we meet for any reason, there is always something bothering her. So many negatives in her life.

“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” 
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

So now I ask you – what word would you choose for Q? 

It’s another beautiful day here in far off New Zealand. The sun is shining, the wind has taken a holiday and the garden calls. Off now to re-pot those plants that have been glaring at me from the pots in which they arrived from the garden centre a few days ago..

“If you have a garden and a library, 
everything will be complete” 
Marcus Tullius Cicero,Letter to Varro, 1st century AD

JB April 19, 2022

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