Friday, 20 July 2007
Trill of the day!
In a small hawthorn tree, a tiny bird systematically goes from flower to flower, its wings continuously flicking as though it were a humming bird, - but the yellow slash on its wings and its bright yellow crown proclaim it to be a Goldcrest.
Thursday, 19 July 2007
In the news
Thursday - or Twopapersday as we call it! Not only the Telegraph today but also our local newspaper. It boasts 2" headlines proclaiming "WE'RE OFF TO No 10!" Having for the past 50 years or so unsuccessfully begged for our market town to be by-passed, the citizens can no longer look-on as it is choked to death with traffic.
A quick glance at the Letters Page, more by-pass opinions. On to the pictures, - schools breaking-up for the Summer holidays, teachers and dinner-ladies retiring and being sent home in stretch-limos. Smiling folks receiving awards/rewards for their various good works, - once charity is rewarded surely it is no longer charity?
The Employment Page usually provides some entertainment! A school advertising for a "Bridge Coordinator", - would that be to teach Engineering or a game or cards? Reading the smaller print and translating it from Jargon into Plain English, seems that the purpose of the job would be to get delinquents back into school.
Then come the Property Pages, - always a subject for village chat. "I see they're asking a fortune for that little place on the corner, - picked it up for a song only a few years ago, - greed, that's what it is! I'm glad we're not starting out, don't know how young people manage now-a-days." After a short pause there will surely follow "I wonder how much our place would fetch?"
On to the Telegraph, read the Court Circular, glance at the Obits, then launch my attack on the Sudoku, Codewords and Crosswords. If there's an article that interests me, it will get my attention, however I only read what I want to know and not what someone else thinks I should know
A quick glance at the Letters Page, more by-pass opinions. On to the pictures, - schools breaking-up for the Summer holidays, teachers and dinner-ladies retiring and being sent home in stretch-limos. Smiling folks receiving awards/rewards for their various good works, - once charity is rewarded surely it is no longer charity?
The Employment Page usually provides some entertainment! A school advertising for a "Bridge Coordinator", - would that be to teach Engineering or a game or cards? Reading the smaller print and translating it from Jargon into Plain English, seems that the purpose of the job would be to get delinquents back into school.
Then come the Property Pages, - always a subject for village chat. "I see they're asking a fortune for that little place on the corner, - picked it up for a song only a few years ago, - greed, that's what it is! I'm glad we're not starting out, don't know how young people manage now-a-days." After a short pause there will surely follow "I wonder how much our place would fetch?"
On to the Telegraph, read the Court Circular, glance at the Obits, then launch my attack on the Sudoku, Codewords and Crosswords. If there's an article that interests me, it will get my attention, however I only read what I want to know and not what someone else thinks I should know
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Passing By
Ruth and her mother-in-law walk by en route to catch the 9 o'clock bus. Each carries a large empty shopping bag. They are on their way to the market, - so it must be Wednesday!
The little bus fairly bats its way along the narrow country roads, cows stop, cud in mouth, to witness its passing. The vehicle weaves its way through the last village stopping for the last "good mornings" to board. The passengers are all known to one another, either coming from the same village or simply because they ride on the same bus at the same time on the same day every week. The chatter could be likened to a hen coop when its occupants have been disturbed!
12.05pm and this morning's two shoppers return, as they do every Wednesday. Walking a little slower than when they left, Ruth now carrying both bags bulging with fruit and vegetables, their weight almost skimming the path. Her arms appear to be longer than they did 3 hours ago!
The little bus fairly bats its way along the narrow country roads, cows stop, cud in mouth, to witness its passing. The vehicle weaves its way through the last village stopping for the last "good mornings" to board. The passengers are all known to one another, either coming from the same village or simply because they ride on the same bus at the same time on the same day every week. The chatter could be likened to a hen coop when its occupants have been disturbed!
12.05pm and this morning's two shoppers return, as they do every Wednesday. Walking a little slower than when they left, Ruth now carrying both bags bulging with fruit and vegetables, their weight almost skimming the path. Her arms appear to be longer than they did 3 hours ago!
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
In passing
Denis walks past on his way to collect his morning newspaper, his measured stride unvaried day to day. The time must be 9.20am. I note that he is wearing a jacket so the air will be chilly this morning. Village regularities can serve as time gauges and weather guides, momentarily making clocks and barometers redundant.
The children have already passed by on their way to school, perfectly illustrating Shakespeare's "whining schoolboy, with his shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school". Today's children are also snail-like in appearance with huge bags on their backs, they bend forwards as if against a storm. The bags are packed full of their school belongings with which they traipse about the building throughout the day, like nomads wandering from one classroom to the next. Forty-minute lessons are greatly reduced in time "it's such a big place, takes so long to find the classroom, then the teacher spends at least ten minutes vainly trying to get order among the pupils, - teaches us something for about fifteen minutes and then it's time for us to pack our bags and go in search of the next room".
The children have already passed by on their way to school, perfectly illustrating Shakespeare's "whining schoolboy, with his shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school". Today's children are also snail-like in appearance with huge bags on their backs, they bend forwards as if against a storm. The bags are packed full of their school belongings with which they traipse about the building throughout the day, like nomads wandering from one classroom to the next. Forty-minute lessons are greatly reduced in time "it's such a big place, takes so long to find the classroom, then the teacher spends at least ten minutes vainly trying to get order among the pupils, - teaches us something for about fifteen minutes and then it's time for us to pack our bags and go in search of the next room".
Monday, 16 July 2007
Now listen here, - and hear!
"Talk is good for you" so they say, - especially if they're selling mobile 'phones, - and some people like to do themselves a lot of good! Yap, yap, yap, - does anyone ever spare a thought for those poor souls who have to listen to them?
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Thoughts for Tomorrow
When evening comes I'm quite relieved to draw the curtains, shut out the world and retreat. Come the morning I am equally happy to open the curtains, letting-in a new day, - another chance at life, - another opportunity to make something good happen.
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