The Frith

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

SEPARATE

THIS WEEK FRITH HAS BECOME A REAL PERSON, SO CLEARLY SEPARATE FROM ME. SHE LOOKS AT ME WITH THOSE WISE OLD EYES AND I SEE STRENGTH, PERSONALITY, OPINION, THOUGHT, JUDGEMENT. I'M THINKING... JESUS, I HOPE SHE LIKES ME.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

PLOTTING WORLD CONQUEST

THE FRITH SITS AT THE MASTER CONTROLS, HATCHING HER PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION. REMIND YOU OF ANYONE?

LIAM

THE FRITH MEETS THE LIAM (YOUNG SON OF REBEL'S ROCK PROPRIETOR KATE). LIAM APPROPRIATES FRITH'S CHAIR, AND THEN PROCEEDS TO SCREAM IN HER FACE. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE LOUDEST SOUND SHE HAS EVER HEARD. TO HER CREDIT, OUR GIRL DID NOT CRY. SHE GAVE AS GOOD AS SHE GOT, SCREAMING BACK SO LOUDLY THE WINDOWS RATTLED.

MOTHERZZZZ DAY

ALL THE MAMAS GO TO REBEL'S ROCK FOR A TRADITIONAL IRISH MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST OF DEEP-FRIED POTATO BREAD AND CHEESE AND CORNED BEEF. FRITH SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF IT (AFTER GRANDMA PAT WORKS HER USUAL MAGIC... THOUGH PERHAPS THE SMOKY BLUES ON THE SPECTACULAR REBEL'S ROCK WURLITZER JUKEBOX HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT TOO.)

EATING A SWEATER

THE FRITH CLEARLY DOESN'T GET ENOUGH FIBRE IN HER DIET.

HOWEVER, SHE IS NOW EATING MASHED BANANA AND STEAMED APPLE. LAST WEEK MAMA TRIED HER WITH SWEET POTATO. SHE WON'T BE TRYING THAT AGAIN FOR SOME TIME.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

HIGH CHAIR

THE DAY BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY, AND WE ALL HEAD TO THE TEASHOP IN TOWN FOR TEA AND SANDWICHES. FRITH SITS IN A HIGH CHAIR FOR THE FIRST TIME - SHE HAS TO BE TIED TO IT WITH AN APRON, BUT SIT SHE DOES. PROUDLY.

PAPA'S SHOULDERS

TAKING A RIDE ON PAPA'S SHOULDERS. THE FRITH IS LIKE A CAT, SHE LIKES THE VIEW FROM ABOVE. (THIS ISN'T SURPRISING, CONSIDERING SHE THINKS FATNESS AND THE NEW ARE HER SLIGHTLY FUZZIER BIG BROTHERS)

THE FRITH AND THE POP-POP

TAKING A WALK THROUGH LOVELY DOWNTOWN DUNDAS WITH POP-POP. TODAY WE LEARNED THAT THE FRITH LOVES TO WATCH TRAFFIC GO BY MORE THAN ALMOST ANYTHING.

Friday, May 12, 2006

AH LOVES ME SOME FRITHA

SOMETIMES MAMA JUST WANTS TO SWALLOW HER HEAD. THAT ISN'T WRONG IS IT?

HIC

FRITH IS NOW ONE OF THE LADIES WHO LUNCH, IN HER WHITE LINEN GARDEN-PARTY DRESS FROM THE DIVINE MISS LJ. SHE LOOKS AS THOUGH THE LAST BATCH OF FORMULA MAY HAVE FERMENTED A LITTLE IN THE SPRING SUNSHINE.

DERIVING FROM THE ANCIENT WORD "PRIYAS" MEANING "ONE'S OWN", FRITH'S ORIGINAL MEANING WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE "THE PEACE ENJOYED WHILE AMONG ONE'S OWN FAMILY OR TRIBE" .. FRITH IS OFTEN TRANSLATED SIMPLY AS "PEACE".

THE FULL MEANING OF FRITH ENCOMPASSES PEACE BUT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND IT, TO COVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL AND ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN SOCIAL LIFE. THE TERM FRITH CAPTURED A HUGE PROPORTION OF EVERYTHING GOOD THAT COULD EXIST IN LIFE, AND ALL OF THESE GREW OUT OF THE ROOTS OF THE KINDRED ITSELF -- THE KINDRED RELATIONSHIP.

ANCIENT VIKINGS WOULD INVOKE AN AGREEMENT AMONG ALL PRESENT THAT ARGUMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS ARE LEFT 'OUTSIDE' THE DOOR DURING CELEBRATION : A 'PROMISE' TO KEEP FRITH. ANYBODY WHO DID NOT RESPECT THIS WOULD HAVE LOST FACE AND ALSO HONOUR. IN THE OLDEN DAYS ONE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE ALL WEAPONS OUTSIDE, TO ENSURE THAT DISCUSSIONS DIDN'T END IN BLOODSHED. SO FRITH IS AN AGREEMENT AMONG SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO RESPECT EACH OTHER TO KEEP 'PEACE'.

FRITH DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD ALL GET ALONG; IT MEANS THAT WE SHOULD ALL STAND, AND ACT, FOR SOMETHING REAL AND MEANINGFUL, AND THAT THOSE OF US WHO FIND OURSELVES STANDING FOR ENOUGH OF THE SAME IMPORTANT THINGS SHOULD STAND TOGETHER, IN LIFELONG COMMITMENTS WITHOUT CONSTANTLY WEIGHING THE BENEFITS AGAINST THE COSTS.

IN ESSENCE, FRITH IS NOT AN ABSENCE, BUT A PRESENCE. IT IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF STRIFE; RATHER IT FILLS THE SPACES BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH SOMETHING THAT IS STRONGER AND MORE IMPORTANT, MORE MEANINGFUL, THAN STRIFE.

FRITH IS AN ACTIVE, DELIBERATE, MINDFUL PEACE.