February Fill-Dyke

Apparently the Romans in Britain used to call February "Fill-dyke", as it was such a rainy month.  We have had a fair amount of rain this Feb.  It was raining on Thursday morning as I started this blog - the balcony geraniums - sturdy creatures - were blowing about in the salt wind, still flowering, and there were white horses on the Channel.

As snowdrops are rumoured to be appearing - not that I have seen any yet - I have put in a request for a snowdrop photo for this blog - from Col's photo gallery.

Things in the Middle East go from bad to worse it seems, as hostages are returned as bodies, and as Palestinians return to the bodies of their families buried under the rubble of their homes.

Once again, I ask what the world's religions have been teaching their people.  We have, for example, the perfect advice in Psalm 37 that, if taught and applied, would have avoided all this death and suffering.

No wonder Jesus taught - and teaches - us to be "no part of the world" - to stay out of its divisive politics and its cruel wars.  The world will turn brother against brother, sister against sister, over and over. And it has had such success that we have already had two wars so terrible that they were called World Wars.

On a personal level, I had yet another bad night, and am still agonising over whether I should start on the diabetes medicine or not. I was hoping to manage without it, and thought I was doing OK.  But...  I am scared that once I start on it I may not be able to come off it without my blood sugar count surging.  And also I am afraid of what it is going to do to my poor old digestive system, already somewhat in turmoil due to having to take max painkillers and inflammatories pretty much every day this year... however, this is verging on "too much information", so I had better stop.

Had a long chat with Bea on Saturday. She is going through it too. But on the doubleplusamazing side one of her granddaughters is now appearing on Coronation Street - one of the extras at The Rovers saying "Rhubarb, Rhubarb" as they tuck into Betty's hotpot.  Amazing really, as that is such an iconic show.

My Sunday was happy enough  - the meeting via Zoom - yet more lovely teaching - and I made a lamb hotpot (not up to Betty's iconic one of course) for himself. who had left at the crack of dawn to join the Detectorists in The Field. He is back to watch the Rugby match - in fact he is watching now.  He has an amazing ability to be able to tell one rugby match from another... a skill which I am completely lacking.