Blessing

So here’s something poignant. My sister’s passing whilst dreadfully sad has meant something positive. The most important thing is that she’s no longer in pain and suffering from the cancer ravaging her body. There isn’t a person who would wish for life to be extended in those circumstances. It may be a cliche but the end was truly a blessing. And we, her family and dearest friends, are all thankful for that. For Caz and I there’s another smaller blessing.  Our trip to NYC to see my daughter S and  son-in-law E and our beautiful grandsons this w/e can go ahead. It’s not that we don’t leave with a heavy heart but if she’d survived for a few more days then our decisions would have been so difficult…

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Slightly odd

So today is the 17 May, the day after my lovely grandson Georgie’s 14th birthday (can’t believe it). Here in England it is the next significant day out of the covid restrictions with people able to enter restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres, sporting venues etc (albeit with some space-guarding limits). Strangely I found it a v low key day here in Stratford – I expected far more hullabaloo given that it’s a major tourist hub. But no. I have no idea if the Shakespeare Theatre is open nor whether the various Bard visitor locations are open. But hey it’ll all become apparent. That said Caz and I were both busy at our adjacent work stations today so we may have missed the Lord Mayor’s show. We are like 70 year old Siamese keyboard twins busying away.

obama wins

I think it’s time to give it up Hillary….is what Barack Obama seems to be saying and the rest of us are thinking. After a marathon contest Barack Obama finally seems to have secured the necessary 2118 delegates together with an avalanche of super delegates to secure the Democratic nomination for the US Presidential title race. Hillary’s not yet said what her intentions are but presumably the best she can hope for is to be offered the VP running ticket. Would she want it? Maybe the smart thing would be to concede gracefully, let the Clinton’s regroup emotionally and financially, and to plan for a Chelsea Clinton bid for the main prize down the line.

letter to america

Here’s the text of a Letter to America purporting to be written by John Cleese which I came across in a recent blog. I don’t think it is written by him but it’s gently mocking style did make me smile and it sure stirred up a lot of reaction from our cousins across the pond, not all of it hostile – more than a few did get the humour.

clinton wiltin’?

I’ve just been reading about last night’s premiere of Rambo (is it the IV or V in the series, but who cares?) which befitting an art house movie like this attracted a fair sprinkling of footballers and WAGs. As she appeared on the red carpet somebody called towards Danielle Lloyd, who seems to be working her way through most of the players who have ever played for Spurs, and playfully challenged her with the question, Hillary or Barack? The poor love could only reply ‘Who are they? Are they in the film? I don’t suppose her beau at Rambo Defoe is unduly concerned by her lack of awareness of the American Presidential elections. Nor do I suppose it’s worrying Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But it’s a shame because the contest to select the Democratic candidate is entering a truly interesting phase.

dependent on the independent

I got a really decent response to people reading my posting on the Deborah Ross interview with the Moyles in the weekend Independent so I thought I might do the occasional bit on any interesting features I might across in the paper. It just so happened that today’s edition had a couple of features that caught my eye and I couldn’t not let them go without sharing them. Do you like your news features to take you to another place? The second might just do that. The first…let’s just say it’s art Jim but not as we know it.

so long USA

One result from yesterday that caught my eye was in th Womens’ Football World Cup where Brazil beat the seemingly unbeatable USA team 4-0. I think that’s the US team’s first reverse in over 50 games. It’s hell of a run but I’m glad it ended because, well, they stuffed England in the, yes, Quarter Finals. I’m tempted to think that instead of gold stars for WC wins we should add the letters QF beneath the 3 Lions on all England team shirts, signifying our love affair with major tournaments almost always ends at this point.