Winston's Black Dog

Winston Churchill, the man some people would say was our greatest ever prime minister had what would today be termed a mental illness.  His ‘Black Dog’ was actually depression and caused him problems many times.  That to my mind makes his achievements during WWII even more remarkable.  It shows the courage and tenacity of the man to be truly great.  Sadly though not everyone is made in the same mould!  As you will have noticed I haven’t added to this blog for three days, why?  Simple, I also have my own Black Dog to deal.  Sadly I don’t have either the courage or tenacity of Winston Churchill.  But I have a question or two ... is there more than one type of depression and if so how do you tell them apart?  Also, do they have different effects on sufferer?

OK then, with me I can sometimes get up feeling very low and lethargic and not having much interest in anything at all.  At times even planned birding trips that I have look forward to have been cancelled.  On other days I get up OK and feel on top of the world and then it hits me.  I can actually see it happening.  I can see a large black cloud moving towards me and stopping right over me.  It feels like the air pressure there has increased many times over.  I can hardly move, let alone try to do anything.  So there we are then.  Are these two separate ‘types’ of depression or is there only one ‘type’ which effects all sufferers?  I don’t know, who does?

Luckily for me I have the Rochdale Sage to help keep me going.  Here’s his latest offering ...

A lady goes to her priest one day and tells him, 'Father, I have a problem.

I have two female parrots,

But they only know to say one thing'

'What do they say?' the priest asked.

They say, 'Hi, we're hookers! Do you want to have some fun?'

'That's obscene!' the priest exclaimed,

Then he thought for a moment.....

'You know,' he said, 'I may have a solution to your problem.  I have two male talking parrots, which I have taught to pray and read the Bible...

Bring your two parrots over to my house, and we'll put them in the cage with Francis and Peter.

My parrots can teach your parrots to pray and worship,
And your parrots are sure to stop saying...  That phrase...  In no time.'

'Thank you,' the woman responded, 'this may very well be the solution.'

The next day, She brought her female parrots to the priest's house.... As he ushered her in,
She saw that his two male parrots
were inside their cage holding rosary beads and praying...

Impressed, She walked over and placed her parrots in with them...

After a few minutes, The female parrots cried out in unison:

Hi, we're hookers! Do you want to have some fun?'

There was stunned silence...

One male parrot looked over at the other male parrot and says,
'Put the beads away, Frank,
Our prayers have been answered!