An average Saturday

Saturday 6th March, 2021

It is ever a joy to see the sun and again I woke to it. One grabs opportunities for getting out when they come so after an early breakfast I went to the village to collect the newspaper. I took a longer way home as the sun was warm although the wind seemed to be pesky. I spent about an hour reading the paper while sipping excellent hot coffee. It was mainly about Prince Harry and his wife and about Ms Sturgeon and the SNP and the inquiry. There were some very vituperative comments and much venom and innuendo and negative comment flowed.

Somehow I linked the 'scandals' with what I witnessed on my walk. It was a nice afternoon but I was surprised by how many people were out and about. Particularly surprising and noticeable were the groups meeting together having picnics and social gatherings. I am no expert but most of the groups would be breaking the law re Covid. I felt that if our supposed leaders and shakers can break ministerial codes or be seen to spend much time and money on themselves ( the cost of the PM's flat refurbishment is staggering: the cost of the legal case over Salmond is stupendous: the money spent on Priti Patel and her unfair dismissal of her Civil Servant advisor is mind boggling...all this ' stinks' as a friend noted as did the newspaper still harping on, rightly, about Hancock's illegal activities over PPE purchases and it goes on and on...and how much is the Duchess of Sussex being paid to spill the beans?...) why do 'we' the ordinary tax payer, citizen have to obey what these self centred people say? I found it sad.

The walk was good and I found a new path up in to the surrounding hills. It was real Fife countryside with no cars and little noise. The sheep and cattle grazed and the ploughed fields smelt rich. Sadly there was rather a lot of litter but I will enjoy picking it and grumbling. I shall be taking that path again.

On my return I watched a disturbing semi documentary on racism. I had had a major altercation with a friend who was attacking the 'Turks' who had "flooded and ruined" Germany. Then the friend turned on our immigration policy, our lack of control or identity cards and how we were being swamped by 'these people'. I felt sick. I tried to understand her fears and prejudices but all that I could do was pray for growing tolerance and generosity and peace among peoples. I read of the Pope's visit to Iraq and his speech on violence between faiths and how such violence and hatred is blasphemous in all religions, or should be. Then I had a tirade on the radio against the Pope's travelling during the Covid pandemic. There is so much aggression and nastiness in comments and on these cyber space sites.

However I was able to laugh and banter with two men who came to collect a sofa and take it to the landlady's daughter. I said I was too old to help and it was against the law anyway to carry heavy weights with people I did not have in a bubble. The charmers said I looked young and strong and fit...and would welcome me into a bubble if I gave them a tip! After they had gone I hoovered up the dust, dead flies, mouse dropping, food crumbs and cobwebs which had been behind the sofa. Sad as I felt I was destroying a little Eco system!!

On the way back from my walk I did buy some J-cloths and will be doing a spring clean. Perhaps the hardest task of the day was to telephone a friend whose husband had died last week. She said she never realised how much she would miss him, how strange the house felt without him and how lonely and alone she felt. Then I cheered myself up with a call to another friend to discuss my move to a new home of my own. Finally an email arrived from my artist mystic friend, as I call her, and we will meet next week. She has promised chocolate mousse and spiritual direction, the latter being a bubble allowance, so I am told.

By 6pm the wind was bitterly cold and there was no sunset as the clouds had blanketed the earth. Please God there are not too many homeless on the streets although one would be too many. Perhaps No 10 Downing Street has a spare bedroom or Holyrood?