Drab-de-berry

 

FEBRUARY

by Edward Ward (1667-1731) 

He who would, in this Month, be warm within,
And when abroad, from Wet defend his Skin,
His Morning’s draught should be of Sack or Sherry,
And his Great Coat be made of Drab-de-berry.

I had to look up "Drab-de-berry", and apparently it is cloth made from high quality French grown wool from the Berry region.

Though whether we are going to need all these aids to warmth I do not know, given January has been unusually warm.  Who knows what February will bring? I was hoping to find something fabric-related in Col's photo gallery.  He certainly took many photos of Thai silks in the Jim Thompson shop on our first trip to Thailand, but that was over thirty years ago, and all I could find is this rather lovely photo of a Drab Looper Moth - which I think is as close as I am going to get to Drab-de-berry.

My good shoulder is coming back on line, thank God.  Life is very difficult without it. I am still getting little done and keep falling asleep though, as I had a lot of sleepless nights due to the pain.  Col is at home this Saturday, busy watching two rugby matches. He is not out metal detecting!  HE IS NOT OUT METAL DETECTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is almost worth a tabloid headline in itself.  Although that would be much too positive as the tabloid headlines are so distressing. Where to start... there has been another acid attack in London, this time on a woman and her two young children. They are badly hurt, as are several brave passers-by and police who intervened and tried to help.  And the two children, well teenagers, who stabbed and killed one of their teenage friends have been sentenced to whatever life imprisonment means these days.  

And the wars go on - with talk now of conscription!  Even after two world wars, we, the human family, have not learnt how to stop fighting and killing each other.  Isn't it more than time to admit the truth of the Biblical warning that "it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step"?

It was back to the Kingdom Hall on Thursday night - and how much I needed to hear that perfect, loving teaching from God's inspired word.   We, the congregations worldwide, are just finishing another study of the Book of Job, and I seem to have got more out of it than ever before - a much deeper understanding. And the powerful lesson is to trust our Creator.  He loves us and is rescuing us, but we do not see the big picture, any more than poor Job did.

The rescue promised in Eden is so close now.