Somewhere between

Monday 10th May, 2021

Suddenly I have realised that time is slipping away rapidly and I am not even vaguely ready to head south. It is all a little complicated as there needs to be sensitivity and compassion. It is equivalent to walking on egg shells and is mainly my fault. Whatever, it has been an interesting day. After breakfast I went to Dundee to try to sort out finances. It is tedious to relate but minor bureaucratic details and various legal requirements meant what should have been done in half an hour took twice as long and not by the easiest route but through all sorts of hurdles and jumps of mind numbingly silly and petty rules, or so think I! Anyway I did half of what I had to do. Dundee had more people about than I have seen for a long time. Queues in the bank were long and regulated and staggered.

The weather forecast was not a good one. It was mainly for rain. I therefore took a chance and when the sky was sunny and blue at 13.20 I got my grabber and went, via a Post office as I had signed documents to send. A lovely walk with a few regulars about and a couple of long conversations about litter bugs and the lack of respect for the countryside and for the environment. Indeed I also read an article by Attenborough warning that Covid is nothing compared to the calamity which is coming over climate. We really do not seem to be taking it seriously.

I was tempted to go on the longer route over the hills which I love but at the forked juncture I noted the heavy grey clouds. So I took the shorter route and passed dozens of swallows which thrilled me. As I neared home so the heavens opened and the rain fell in floods and buckets.

Irritatingly at 15.00 about twenty minutes after my return the rain ceased and the sun came out. At a time when the forecasters said there was a high likelihood of rain the sun persisted and the sky stayed blue and the warmth came....and as I write this at 21.30 so it is still light and clear. I am to bed with a good book and after a good supper of reheated curry. I am now trying also to fathom how to organise myself to be ready for departure on Thursday.

Meanwhile some good and some not so good emails have appeared. Also some good and not so good media stories from corruption to self denial, from generosity to selfishness, from thoughtfulness to utterly mindlessness. It is ever thus and the question is simply whose side am I on, that of the Angels or the Devils or just somewhere Inbetween?