It was incredibly windy here yesterday. When I looked out the back door in the morning our garden waste bag had blown clear across the lawn and was huddling by the back fence like a scared animal. Our tree fern and hydrangea were lying prostrate on the ground, their pots having blown over, and one of our geraniums was leaning like the Tower of Pisa. Blowing trash was swept from all the nooks and crannies of the city and redistributed on the streets.
Despite my mild vaccine hangover, it was a day for getting things done. After correcting the chaos in the garden, I cleaned the house from top to bottom, changed the sheets, ran laundry and organized the detritus of daily life that had accumulated on our tables and countertops.
And most importantly, I DID OUR TAXES! I am always so relieved when that job is finished. I filed them using e-file and, as usual, offered up an uncertain prayer to the IRS and all deities of personal finance that I did them correctly.
Olga and I took a walk in the morning and I collected some more honesty seeds. My seeds seem to have been duds -- I planted six of them from our own garden, and none came up. Fortunately there's a patch near the railroad tracks where I got my first batch of seeds, so that's where we went. There are fewer to choose from at this time of year because the pods have already broken open and most have scattered, but I did find a couple.
In the afternoon, Dave and I watched Oprah's interview with Harry and Meghan. I know everyone is sick to death of this topic, but I have just a few more things to say. I felt bad after my post a few days ago, because while I was pretty critical of the prince and his wife, I know many people -- particularly some women, and particularly women of color -- see their story in a different light. I want to respect that and I felt the least I could do was hear first-hand what the Sussexes had to say.
The interview does humanize them. Meghan was smart and articulate, Harry more characteristically guarded -- but he said more to Oprah than I think I've ever heard him say in the past. It was great to see them with the animals they've rescued. Meghan says she likes to rescue things, and Harry admits she helped him realize he was "trapped" within his royal life. That adds an interesting dimension to the relationship, doesn't it?
I still find it mind-blowing that Meghan was initially unaware what life in the palace would be like. She admits she went into the marriage naively, and if she was as naive as she says, that's an understatement. I'd say she went into it blindly.
I'm also surprised that when Meghan discussed her mental health, no one ever mentioned the words "post-partum depression." Some of her problems apparently pre-dated her pregnancy, but if I understand the timeline right, they became much worse after the birth of Archie. In any case, she should have been helped and encouraged to receive assistance, as much as the royals talk about supporting mental health as an issue.
As I said in my earlier post, I don't doubt there's a degree of racism in Buckingham Palace, just as there (sadly) is in virtually any large, multi-generational institution. Given the examples of Meghan's press coverage that Oprah showed, it seems undeniable that she was treated much more harshly by the media. But I still struggle with some of their stories about racism in the palace -- the infamous question about the color of the baby's skin, for example. It's an inappropriate remark no matter what, but I still want more context. Was it something someone said, one family member to another, over late-night beers as a joke? Or was it a serious expression of worry about the family's image?
I also did some reading about their concern over Archie not being named a prince. Here's some background on that issue, which helped me understand it much better.
Overall, I'm glad I watched it, although this is more time and mental energy than I've given to the royal family in years! And it did soften my stance. Even beyond the issue of the royalty, I think there's a bit of culture clash built into that marriage -- Meghan wants a very open, American lifestyle, and you can't blame her. That's who she is. The closing images of them frolicking in the California surf with Archie are very telling -- that's not the kind of thing we ever see the royal family doing. She just did not want that life.
OK, enough of that. I am never mentioning Harry and Meghan again on this blog. At least not any time in the near future.
The Russians upstairs are still working on their renovations. It seems they've progressed into the bathroom, because in addition to the pile of old cabinets and bags of rubble sitting on the street in front of the house, there's now also a toilet. Always a good look.
(Photos: Camellias at the cemetery; Olga with graffiti on our walk yesterday; more crocuses in our garden.)
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