Nine o’clock became eight o’clock but I still got up on this beautiful morning, again today the news was just terrible and I couldn’t lie in bed listening. The tragedy in South Korea came last night but even more dreadful this morning as we heard of young people celebrating Hallowee’n in Seoul only to get into a crush with at least 151 dying and at least the same number injured. I remember my own fear years ago coming out of Landsdown Road, as it was then, after an international rugby match and being lifted off my feet in the push and shove and thinking if I fall there is no way of getting up and I’ll be trampled to death. What must have been going through those young minds yesterday?
These ‘accidents’ happen all too often because there is no crowd control – difficult but surely there is a way.
Then news of Russia pulling out of the grain export deal. Such conflicting news from that part of the world and no one seems to have a baldy clue what to do. Now apparently they are hacking into phones at the highest level of our government. It seems there is a new world order developing before our very eyes.
A Little Village In Mourning
For me Cresslough was the place where my heart turned over in excitement. It was the point where I entered fun and games, laughter and love. Since the children were small I travelled to Dunfanaghy to stay with my dear friend the late Harriet Duffin and her family. We climbed Mount Errigal, we photographed the young ones each standing in a vacant window of Doe Castle, we lit candles in St. Michael’s Church. Further along the road the pristine beach at Ards Forest Park was our picnic and bathing spot. The families grew up and in later years it was just me and Hat enjoying a few days together in her farm house in the hills and, as ever, Cresslough was where I breathed out tension and inhaled happiness. What a different journey today if I was to take it. Joy has been replaced with grief, the mountain has been shrouded and the church packed with mourners. The little village is devastated, the people all around going through dreadful suffering, dignified and caring for each other. I will travel that road again but it will be with a heavy heart as I do so, perhaps to revisit St. Michaels to light a candle and say a prayer. If sympathies are any comfort then I send them, prayers are important and love is offered to all those hundreds of souls who continue to grieve.
Television Brings A Message Hard to Ignore
My friend Houston asks:
” Did you see the last episode of Frozen Planet 2? Incredible television. I felt ashamed as Attenborough made his final summation and almost apologised to him for not doing my duty. We are so lucky to have Attenborough but I am sorry the world is not acting quick enough to save the
Planet. Talking of which I am annoyed that Rishi nor any of the government are going to the COP conference. I know he is only new to the post and they have some major work to do on budgeting etc but the UK are the host of this round of conferences. We hosted the opening in Glasgow and out of sure politeness we should close this round and pass the baton on to the next torch carrier. We apparently have been creating awareness among young people as to the plight of the world especially after Glasgow opening of COP. It gives the impression that the UK don’t care, especially on the heels of the Queens death and her role in creating awareness throughout the commonwealth.”
COME ON KING CHARLES – STEP UP TO THE PLATE, IT’S NOT TOO LATE
I did see that programme and it disturbed me greatly. To watch the icebergs split apart has a deadly fascinating about it but to see the seals and polar bears struggle for survival is heartbreaking and emphasises the urgency of action. It seems that the little changes we can make will have minimal impact on climate change but that is all we can do bar glueing ourselves to walls and pavements. Climate change activities are irritating when they destroy or disrupt but you’ve got to hand it to them, their argument makes sense and their activities have drawn attention to an extremely serious situation. Just look at the sadness in David Attenborough’s eyes, he’s doing his best but time is at a premium.
There have been lovely things this week too. Walking out in the mild weather, seeing a raododemdron flower appear on the bush, picking apples, plumping them up, the sweet smell drifting through the house and talking to good friends and grandsons. Young ones can be such stimulating company and a joy when they tell it as it is. I have also become involved with Strictly Come Dancing for the first time and thanks to Hamza Yassin I’m hooked. Dancing with partner Jowita Przystat, he is a man of grace and achievement, 32 years old presenter of BBC Countryfile and CBeebies, a wildlife cameraman of note who lives in a little village of Kilchoan in the Scottish West Highlands. Speaking about Hamza, fellow star Helen Skelton revealed a further insight into his life back home in a community of 150 people where, once a week, he takes a ferry to do his supermarket shopping. “He does their shopping, he picks up their prescriptions. I think he’s one of those people put on earth to remind people how to behave. He’s such a nice man.”
Hamza has a degree in Zoology with Conservation from Bangor University and a Masters in Biological Imaging and Photography from the University of Nottingham.
He’s a real man who looks happy in his own skin, hair almost down to the floor and a smile that just lights up your life – you’ve got to smile back. I hope so much that he wins. His modesty and sheer talent is refreshing. No wooping and hollering for him just genuine delight.
Bake Bread For Comfort And Peace
One of my favourite people in the world is Breezy Willow Kelly. This is the woman who founded a peace movement, one which we can all take part in without even leaving the kitchen. Nine years ago she hit on the idea of using bread as a symbol of friendship and comfort, she asked – “What must you break apart in order to bring a family closer together? Bread of course.” And the idea caught on.
This lady from Glenties in Co. Donegal has had a heart breaking year. A few months ago the beloved famine thatched cottage she lived in was burnt to the ground. This was always the centre of activity, people climbed the hill, walking through the open red half door to be welcomed at the table.
In an instant you were treated to breads of all makes and shapes, butter and jam, tea and coffee and if you’re staying a while a tasty lunch, perhaps under Mother Elm, a healing tree just outside the cottage whitewashed walls. To say it was a magical place is no exaggeration. The little folk were all around hiding behind a blackberry bush or peeping though the little window and there was always singing and stories.
Breezy had a difficult growing up and the only place she felt secure was in the kitchen when her mother was baking bread. “She was a master baker and the smell of freshly baked bread was the aroma of peace, it hugged me and I felt safe. And now I want this aroma of peace to fill the world.” She explains that an idea took root when she woke up early one beautiful July morning.
“I got up, filled the kettle and because I hadn’t seen the news for days I turned on the television to catch up. I was floored by what I saw: disasters, wars, sadness and despair. Even before the kettle came to the boil my happy mood had gone and I felt fear.”
Nothing Has Changed
“I was frightened about the situation both at home and round the world. It makes you feel you should be doing something about it but what can you do? Seems you can do nothing. So you do nothing.”
But then, this week nine years ago, sitting over breakfast in the kitchen of her Donegal home, she realised there is something we can do.
“Breaking bread is the universal sign of peace. so I posted an idea on my Facebook and the response I got was overwhelming and led to the creation of an international day.” That day was last Monday but there is no sell by date on Baking Bread for Peace. It can last all week, all year and for ever. It doesn’t take much time or effort to make a few scones, flour, sugar, salt, egg and milk. A few sultanas or cherries and twenty minutes later success and a chance to share the fruits of your labours.
My Trusty Advisor
I have this ‘cloud based voice service’ in the corner of the kitchen called ‘Alexa’ and she knows everything! I ask her the capital of Somalia and she immediately tells me Mogadishu, What day of the week fell on 17th October 1954 and she tells me, even if I want to spell (hang on till I ask her) onomatopoeia, she keeps me right. I ask her to explain the Northern Ireland protocol, she does so – in eight languages. Answer: The Northern Ireland protocol is an agreement made upon the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. It protects the EU single market without imposing a hard boarder between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Customs checks are instead made on goods passing between GB and Northern Ireland.
However, she doesn’t tell me how to fix the current stalemate! Although the Alexa web site doesn’t say so, it is assembled in China by school children and there’s proof the device can listen in and record our conversations in the privacy of our own homes. Not only is Liz Truss in trouble.
