Peter and Linda visit

My second cousin Peter and his wife Linda called in on their way back from a wedding near Beccles today. They live in a lovely house on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. It was really good to see them both. It is many years since we last met up.

Peter sees my brother quite often in Devon, usually when Plymouth Argyle (football) are playing at home. Peter is a keen supporter.

Stroke - thoughts

Maybe I am being unduly maudlin, but since my stroke almost a year ago I have thought about death a lot.

There is every chance that I will, given time, make a near full recovery. However, I have been far more aware of our short span and "dust to dust, ashes to ashes".  I have no idea if we survive death in some form or other. Maybe death is like before we were born - we know nothing about it. Maybe there is something. I'd like to believe that when I know I am about to die I shall be at  peace with the world and with myself. Hopefully this will be many years in the future. It is just that I nearly died a year ago and this colours one's views.

Death is not far from any of us. We normally prefer not to think about it and our finality.

Motorway speed limits? 70 or 80mph?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15116064 .

Apparently, the government is consulting about whether or not to lift the motorway speed limit from 70 to 80mph. I am against this move. All that will happen is people will drive even faster including 40 ton lorries. Far better, in my view, that they enforced the current speed limits better. I'd be in favour of reducing the limit to 65 or 60mph , which is plenty fast enough.

Church 550 years old

Our local church has been celebrating its 550th anniversary this weekend, although parts of it go back very long time.
another 400-500 years. There has been a church on this site for a

Today they had an "open" day with exhibits, an open tower and open crypt. I was on duty guarding the chalice and other items, some of which date back to the 1500s.  Very old and still in use.

Although too wobbly to climb the tower myself, someone posted a Facebook photo showing the museum and windmill from the top of the tower today. In it, you can see our bungalow.

Stroke getting me down

My life is a continual struggle. Most of the time I am so tired it is untrue and I feel giddy when on my feet. Life is just a hazy fog.  To others I look fine, but few people, apart from the professionals, appreciate just what a daily struggle life is for me. I desperately want to be fully well again. I have now been suffering for a year. God, I want the agony of this condition to go away. I must be a pain to live with. I beg people to try to understand how I feel inside. Yes, I HATE being like this.

Pistorius not guilty

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29143540 . I hear Oscar Pistorius has been found not guilty of the murder charge but may yet face a custodial charge. Not being there, I am in no position to judge. I just hope the final verdict is fair to all involved. Clearly Pistorius fired the gun, but what s unclear is whether he intended to kill the occupant of the toilet where his girlfriend was. Even if he believed that an intruder was in the toilet, were 4 bullets needed?

Late swallows and house martins

Earlier this week I sat next to the Mere in Knutsford. Cheshire. Several swallows and house martins were seen. Most swifts have now gone south, but it was good to see so many swallows and house martins still around. There was even a nest with 3 young martins in at Little Morton Hall.

In past years I have seen house martins in the South Hams (Devon) as late as the end of October. One year there were still swallows near Salcombe, Devon as late as Dec 7th. Not living in the South Hams, I don't know how common this is i.e. this late. The return of house martins, swallows and swifts is something I welcome each year but sadly at this time of year we bid these migratory birds farewell before they fly thousands of hostile miles to lands with more plentiful insect food. With the Sahara getting bigger their migration routes are getting more and more hazardous. There seem fewer of these birds than there used to be, presumably as more die on migration.

Fare thee well little friends and see you again next spring when the cycle of life goes on, I pray. The return of these little fellows between early April to early May fills me with renewed hope and joy. I tend to have tears in my eyes when the swifts return. I pray I'll be around to see these return in the spring.

http://thesteepletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Henry-Williamson-450.jpg

Since my stroke a year ago, these simple affirmations of the continuance of the cycle of life mean even more. I guess I am more aware of how finite our lives are.  Somehow I think Henry Williamson was right about the cycle of life.