Update – Last week I wrote about the TV programme Back in Time for School and said I would give it another chance to see if improved. I did and it didn’t. What a wasted opportunity to teach children that things have not always been as they are today – and by the time they are adults life will have changed again!
~ ~ ~ ~
Last week I mentioned that Colin, an old friend and married to my friend Paddy, had died suddenly. On Friday we went up to Rugby for the funeral with my brother, who volunteered to drive.
The funeral was held in the same crematorium as Paddy’s Mum’s funeral which I was privileged to take. Colin had been a member of the Rugby Philharmonic Choir and the hymn ‘I Vow to Thee my Country’ blasted from their throats with a sound that must have reached Colin, wherever he was – it was beautiful. As Colin was an ex Prison Officer and Chairman of the Prison Officer’s Association, there was also a large number of prison officers from the various prisons where he had served. There is something about a huge group of men singing that moves me very deeply and the tears welled up.
While obviously I was there for Colin (who I honestly believe would have been so happy to have died and to be back where he belonged – with Paddy) just being there made me feel so very sad and to think about the past. I had been at the funerals of both her grandparents (paternal – Mum’s parents had died in the war), I had taken the funerals for her Dad and later for her Mum, I had spoken at hers and now it was Colin’s turn and it hit me hard that that was it – the end of the line really as she has a brother but he, too, had no children.
~ ~ ~ ~
Just wondering – why do you suppose a young person (or perhaps two or three of them) would throw a raw egg at someone’s window for no apparent reason. Are eggs going to have to become a restricted item soon?
~ ~ ~ ~
I have a young friend who is currently studying at University. She contacted me to ask if I had ever read The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton and, if so, could I possibly help her by answering some questions about it!
Of course! I remember having it read to me and later reading it myself. I really wanted an older brother like Jo and I loved it until I moved on to my favourite, the Famous Five.
But, horror of horrors, things have changed – in the war-time edition the children were Jo, Fanny and Bessie, now they are Joe, Franny and Beth. Dick has become Rick, Dame Slap is now Dame Snap and no longer smacks naughty children but simply tells them off. The Saucepan Man no longer throws his pans at the Goblins but simply chases them.
When I read them, I knew the stories weren’t true but that didn’t stop me going on ‘adventures’ in the woods to look for a magic tree! It taught me to use my imagination and to build up my own picture of what the tree and the people looked like.
Just because a child lives in today’s world, why must he/she be prevented from knowing things were different years ago? I was at school with a boy called Willie Thompson, everyone called Richard was known as Dick – but now these are ‘rude’ words. How sad this attitude of ‘protecting’ children is!
~ ~ ~ ~
Here’s an idea – currently Belgium (18 months), Sweden (3 months) and the Netherlands (7 months) do not have Governments.
How on earth do the countries manage? Quite well actually – they just carry on living normally!
This may also be true of other countries throughout the world for all I know, but perhaps this should be pointed out to our MPs – unless you are elected you cannot be an MP or become a member of the Government, and if we do not elect you – you will be out!
Perhaps I need to point this out to our local MP – for whom I, in common with a lot of others, certainly will not be voting no matter how many times he manages to get himself in a photograph in the local press!!
~ ~ ~ ~
I hope you are all looking forward to another good week – stay safe and take care of yourselves.
x