Gryffyd Eamonn Dempsey » Family

Treasure

Gryffyd — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:18:04 +0000

I was in San Francisco again earlier this month, on a visit with my father. It’s easy to become attached to the city, even if you weren’t born there. Here is a picture I took from Treasure Island:

And just to the left of that:

Earlier that morning we went to visit the Mission Dolores in the city. It’s hard to imagine that time, when the mission was the most substantial structure around. Now of course it’s all urban, and right nearby I came across by a chance a bar immortalized in one of my favorite songs, by Steel Pole Bath Tub, in which the singer lists a series of misadventures that befell him the night before, but he can’t remember any of them:

I don’t remember being on the floor
I don’t remember how it smelled
I don’t remember how they’ve been there before
I don’t remember when I fell

…

I don’t remember why I woke up alone
With no more memory of you
I don’t remember

that we were in love
That’s only one thing that I recall
I was singing at the 500 Club
I don’t remember her at all

Lo, the 500 Club:

Adieu

Gryffyd — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:00:29 +0000

This week we lost an important and lovable member of our family, our Medea. Happy hunting, Doodle.

Self-referential

Gryffyd — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:29:27 +0000

Earlier this month I visited San Francisco with my father for a couple of days. Among other things we visited the De Young museum. There I was struck by this photograph, and on inspection, recognized the name of the artist, Imogen Cunningham. Not because I have any especial knowledge of 20th century female American photographers, but because in googling my first name she pops up in the results because she named her first son Gryffyd. A younger son was called Padraic, and since this was my older brother’s name, this was apparently my mother’s inspiration. I’ll have to verify it. You’d think the history of our naming would be a minor bit of family lore, but it has not become so established. I pointed out the picture to my father and related the information about Imogen’s sons, but her name and story and likely influence on my mother were not familiar to him; he offered no alternative, however.

When I was gathering the links above, I came across a reference to Imogen having been born here in Portland. I don’t think I knew that before.

Schlepidemic

Gryffyd — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:23:15 +0000

Mrs The Fyd seems to be coming down with a cold. Is it the swine flu? She did cook a pork dish for dinner last night, and last week she made tacos.

Shameless plug

Gryffyd — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:20:24 +0000

So Mrs The Fyd has a pet-sitting business called City of Noses. Why mention this? Well, in these uncertain economic times one must employ novel financial tactics, and I think charging my wife rent would be just the tactic required to ensure the mortgage gets paid. I plan on raising the rent unpredictably and mercilessly, so she’ll need the business. Go hire her.

The Big Three Killed My Baby

Gryffyd — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:40:41 +0000

I have just finished putting up our Christmas lights. All two of them:

Jesus wept

Guess what?

Gryffyd — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:21:55 +0000

I have a Siamese Fighting fish (betta splendens) named Jesús. He was purchased last December to replace Frankie II, who replaced Phrankie Fish. Both those prior fish lived with us less than a year. Here’s hoping Jesús lives into a second year chez nous, though he’s looking a bit sluggish these days so I’m taking no bets.

Encomium

Gryffyd — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:04:59 +0000

Mrs The Fyd’s anniversary gift to me was to present me in glowing terms to the internets. In return, I promise to raise Mrs’ allowance.

I will point out that I only speak French to the dogs because they are Canadian.

Horse and Carriage

Gryffyd — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:19:35 +0000

Off the top of my head I can’t recall if I ever saw any of Richard Widmark’s films, and don’t feel like checking at IMDB. However, anyone like this deserves applause:

In reality, the screen’s most vicious psychopath was a mild-mannered former teacher who had married his college sweetheart, the actress Jean Hazelwood, and who told a reporter 48 years later that he had never been unfaithful and had never even flirted with women because, he said, “I happen to like my wife a lot.”

I happen to like my wife a lot, too.

It’s also true that marriage requires one to ensure one’s spouse never is afflicted with “Kitchen Sponge” Syndrome.