Saturday 27 July 2013

It has been such a momentous week.  Unrest continues in Egypt and Syria.  An appalling train crash in Spain.  My heart aches for such sorrows.  And the safe birth of a future King of England and the Commonwealth.  Isn't it so strange how the fates of the world turn so rapidly and on the finest of threads - like a small leaf caught up in an old and unused spider's web; hanging but unable to detach itself, able only to be blown about and buffeted in the weathers.

And here, we are hanging on also.  It has been a challenging week for my partner, Gisèle and Betty in financial terms.  On three days this week, my partner has gone without food so that Gisèle could eat (Betty's food is supplied by her owners).  Allow me now to assure you, dear reader, that if you have ever felt "a bit peckish" then it is NOTHING as compare to how it feels when your entire food intake over three whole days has consisted solely of:

• four pieces of bread thinly spread with butter-substitute;
• six spoonfuls of malted-wheat cereal with semi-skimmed milk and a dash of sugar;
• a reduced-price, out-of-date potato salad;
• a small bowl of cooked hot pasta with a dab of butter-substitute and some salt and pepper.

These are, indeed, the worst times for us personally since THIS; that wretched day.  No wonder my partner and sweet Giz had no option but to recourse to one of those ghastly payday-loans in order to be able to afford mere petrol (for LGC-II), electricity (for the house) and food (for Gisèle mostly, although Elizabeth has been discreetly 'understanding' about her own meals - but no-one is supposed to have noticed this, so I'll not mention it - except to you, dear reader).  The fall-out from this is yet to come; but at least it will be faced with full bellies.

And, if you have ever seen any creature - human, canine or otherwise - in ACTUAL tears because they are so hungry - I hope that you will understand.

But we all - Giz, my partner, and I (whilst I remain, hovering and unseen, until the fulfilment of the promise I made to my partner - not unconnected with  THIS; that wretched day, in the background - and encouraging the reluctant Gisèle to take her place in the limelight - are THANKFUL.

Yes, we are.  Still, despite all this, thankful.

We have friends - you, hopefully, among them dear reader.  Friends are the greatest blessing of all.  We adore and cherish even those who do not (and they DO exist, as incomprehensible as that may be, whether you believe it or not...) visit this blog.  I know - a travesty...  But we must allow them their little foibles and love them as they are...

We have our lives.  We have a family who loves us.  We have many - SO MANY - blessings denied to others around the world.

And so I ask you now to look back upon this past week with me.  And be thankful and happy in what you DO have; as opposed to grieving, wailing or storming over the small luxuries you don't have.

Sanctimonious - you may think.  Yes; you're right.  And I'm dead - so I'm bl**dy-well allowed to be.

So, now you've read this, step away from the computer/tablet/iPhone/book/Kindle/whatever and look around.  Brilliant, isn't it?  It's your's (unless, of course, you've nicked it - in which case I hope you get a good price for your dog-based contraband).  Oh yes.  We are very lucky indeed.

Further developments to follow...