I do the books for the farm and, although I keep them pretty well in order, there are always one or two things which I put in the wrong place in the ledger. At the year-end (which is coming up shortly) our accountant comes round and puts it all right for me. The first year he came I made the mistake of asking why something was wrong; the "accountant-speak" I got in reply was quite unintelligible to me. (he is a lovely chap and not at all like the usual idea of an accountant) I know better now than to ask him. And when new regulations come out regarding tax - for example on Budget Day - within twenty-four hours he has it all at his finger tips. I find all that sort of stuff incredibly boring and asked him how he could be bothered to learn such gobbledegook. His answer "Horses for Courses." In other words - that is his line of work, his interest - almost his fascination - my interests and abilities lie in other areas.
I suppose we are all like that, but what makes us so? Some people say we are all either convergent or divergent thinkers and that is what defines the path we take: others say it depends whether the right or left side of the brain is more fully developed.
What prompted this line of thought? I have been reading The Times again! Today there is a lovely story about allotments and how they are becoming more popular in these trying times. The National Trust is making more allotments available at some of its stately homes, so that people can grow their own vegetables.
Then the article goes on to say that Einstein decided to have an allotment in Berlin-Spandau.
He might have been red hot on relativity but I am afraid he was no good at running an orderly allotment. In 1922 the committee who ran the allotments threw him off. They said that
"weeds have spread all over the whole parcel of land and have soared. The fence is not in order, and the whole allotment makes an unaesthetic impression." (I love that image of soaring weeds.) So now we know - Einstein might have been a brilliant man with a super brilliant mind, but when it came to planting potatoes and hoeing beans he was useless. He wasn't much good at managing his hair either come to that.
I Identify with the hair and the weeds - does that make me an Einstein clone? x
ReplyDeleteyep.. this sounds right to me... Funny!! Thanks for the laugh!!!
ReplyDeleteI need a hair manager too or a haircut...
My Dad loved and worked with horses
ReplyDeleteand i have no knowledge of them whatsoever beyond being able to imitate the 'call' he used to make to bring them over. It doesn't always work for me (and I've passed it on to my son) but when it does I feel so proud.(He died when I was 16)He also talked about them a lot but although I like them I don't really have an abiding interest. Horses for discourses maybe?
One reason to have a lot of friends...then you have a horse for every possible course!
ReplyDeletex
Oh good - there's hope for me! The only snag is I like to have tidy hair and a weed free garden so I shall not be going down in history!
ReplyDeleteIt is very comforting to think of people having widely varying levels of skill at things. I remember certain girls at school seemed to be good at everythign, and others very much the reverse. In later life though everyone I know from that age has been happy and successful - often in very surprising ways.
ReplyDeleteThe nicest thing is when everyone can do the work that they love and not be in a job they find boring!
ReplyDeleteIs that your view from the window?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
We share a vegetable patch with my Mum and Dad,at the bottom of their garden.
My Dad has always grown his own veg.
lucky we are not like Einstein and my Dad has a wide centre parting!
I'll rephrase my comment, Weaver! 'Nice' is an understatement - 'horses for courses' in work is one of the things in life that I am most passionate about. It grieves me when I see my friends' children having to go into jobs that they really don't want to do and turn their backs on their dreams.
ReplyDeleteSo comforting, the Einstein story!
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope not Jinksy - I think your hair looks incredibly neat in your photograph - perhaps the wind has not got to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gwen - thanks for visiting.
ReplyDeleteThanks tfe - have heard a lot about you from various bloggers I know - so shall visit you shortly.
ReplyDeleteHorses and I don't mix well I am afraid - they are a bit big and a bit too feisty for my liking - although I love to watch them from behind the fence - we have racehorses in the field next to our farm.
Good point, Rachel.
ReplyDeleteHeather - we all go down in our family history, so you will not be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to that EB - it is interesting to discover what one's old school mates have done with their lives - it often bears no relation to their scholastic abilities when young.
ReplyDeleteI do so agree Raph - sometimes I think people need a push in order to follow their real interests - our society has got so money-orientated that making it has become over-important. So many of my friends have found their niche after early retirement.
ReplyDeleteYes Kayla coo - that is indeed the view from my study window - sorry about the washing line though!
ReplyDeletePatteran - reading between the lines I assume that gardening is not your strongest point.
ReplyDeleteI've been critsised in the past because I disapprove of the bosses sticking their noses in to potting shed business. Apparently I'm supposed to be greatful that they lower themselves. But my view point is that they should run the estate which they have experience of and not meddle in the running of the garden which they clearly have only a basic knowledge about. So to me your words make great sense, its all to easy to have an Einstein garden because so called smart people think they know it all. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against anyone having a go in the garden or anywhere else, I admire people who try which is why I always try to answer peoples questions on my blogs and for sure I'm not to old to learn but as you say - its each to his own if you want a good job doing.
ReplyDeleteHello Weaver,
ReplyDeleteI think I would be an Einstein gardener. I love to see them looking beautiful but am not so 'hot' at doing it!
And I'm with you about horses. I don't like being too close!
And, finally, thanks for mentioning your washing line! I kept wondering what the neon green line was and though it might be something to do with light!
We have been to buy six 30x30cm paving stones to create a meandering stepping stone path through the new border when it is dug. I have found two lovely new hellebores and will add more ferns and hostas which Raph says will grow in dry shade. It may keep the slugs and snails away from them - we can but hope. I must be patient for two more weeks until my eye has settled down, but that is good as I shall have plenty of thinking time before rushing in with too much enthusiasm, as is my custom.
ReplyDeleteYet Einstein thought in pictures: you would think he could have pictured how things miht be made to look, would you not?
ReplyDeleteHA! That's brilliant! Well, not so much for Einstein. Even I can manage a hill of potatos.
ReplyDelete