Saturday was the Recorder's Conference - an annual event that Col and I always try to attend - so we both talked about how quickly the years are flying by as we drove there through the current storm - not too bad en route, a bit worse on the return. It was my first outing since I was able to drive to the Kingdom Hall on the previous Sunday - and that ended in another violent arthritis attack, which went on for the week...
I am shattered now, and feel drained and depressed as if I have been through a serious illness. At times I was quite delirious with the pain - I could feel my thoughts were disordered but could not catch hold of them. Anyway, I not only managed the Recorders, but also got to the Hall on Sunday - the waves had scattered half the beach on the sea road! - and then had a very quiet day at home Monday, resting, resting resting, without - so far! - any more flare-ups.
Anyway, the Recorders Conference. Michael and Clare (Blencowe) presided with their usual efficiency (and fun). It was all well- organised and to time. I was able to say a brief thankyou to Clare as she flew past. And Nigel joined us - lovely to see him again. The highlight speeches for me were "Potters on the Heath - the ecology of the Heath Potter Wasp" by John Walters, and "The Spiders of Sussex" (aarrgghh) by Graeme Lyons.
The Heath Potter Wasp is a creature both wonderful and terrible, it makes its darling little claypots, but then stuffs them with live caterpillars as food for its wee'uns.
https://twitter.com/JWentomologist/status/1174230375209590787
And spiders... amazing little creations, such variety I have a horror of the poor things now, but what we see is nature in a very disordered state. It will not return to the loving harmony that prevailed in Eden until God's Kingdom is ruling over us, and then I will be able to appreciate them properly.
If I have the priviledge of being there, I will be able to love and care for all of it. And I don't know how the charming little clay pots will work, but surely they will no longer be stuffed with live caterpillars! Won't wasp babies be veggie then?
And talking of food - I ought to add that the lunch was another highlight. The Caterers - if I could find out who they are I would have given them a heads-up - put on some great tea/coffee/juice tables for all the breaks and provided an excellent hot and cold veggie buffet. All very well organised so that there was minimal queueing.
As we live in a cruel disordered world system at the moment, I can't say that no caterpillars suffered to bring us our lunch - but certainly the caterers did the best they could in a fallen world.
And it is good to think that, in spite of all the diversions that Satan, the current ruler of the world, has provided, so many people still want to give their time and energy to try to care for the creation. And counting and recording is a vital part of that care.
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