Friday 7 March 2025

Oh dear.  2025 is well underway and I have been a neglectful boy.  I am no further forward with the little black dog at work.  But on the plus side, I had some gravy with my dinner last evening. So not all bad.  I must try harder...

Here I am, being chief taster for a new batch of soup that Roo made:

The world is a very upsetting place at the moment.  I try not to watch the news, but Roo does and it upsets her very much, what is happening with the USA. We are worried for our friends there and frightened for the world with such dangerous, nasty and ignorant people in charge. Roo tries to make light of things - calling the president and his lickspittle "Dump and Trance" instead of their real names.  But really it is not funny at all.  I am proud to stand with Ukraine.  Tyrants and bullies like Trump and Putin must not be allowed to prevail, for the sake of us all. For if they succeed in crushing Mr. Zelensky and Ukraine then they will be coming for us.  It's been tried before, and still within human living memory.

But it is important to remember that there is still good in this world. Be one of the good ones. I can't do very much. But I try and leave things a little bit better than I find them.  Here are some things that you can try:

1) When Roo and I go out for our walk we try to pick up at least three bits of litter as we go.  Extra bonus if the litter is plastic and can be put into the recycling bin.

2) When you go into a shop, smile at the person serving you on the checkout and ask them how their day is going. People are often so rude to shop and café workers. Try not to be one of them, even if you are having a bad day.

3) There is a homeless person near us, who lives in a little tent in a hedge. He always says hello if we see him.  At Christmas time, me and Roo went to some local charity shops and bought some thick woolly socks, gloves, a scarf and a hat.  We wrapped them up and left the parcel quietly outside his tent on Christmas Eve.

We ran away after leaving it there, but it had been taken in by the next morning, and there was a pair of old, manky socks hung up to dry on one of the tent ropes.  It was the best money we spent this Christmas.

How about contacting a local residential care home and asking if there is a particular resident who never has any visitors? Send them a card "from someone who thinks they are very special".  You don't have to put your name in it.

Just small, tiny things. To make someone smile and remind yourself that there is still goodness, despite the hatred, anger and cruelty coming from the minds and mouths of the unholy trinity currently in charge of the USA and its actions.

I am trying to be nice to Carrot the cat.  But I think that might be pushing it a little bit too far.

Have courage my friend.  Good will prevail.  And if it doesn't, I shall go down nipping at the hands of wickedness.