R's rue: 02/20/21

A Little Night Music

What does it make you feel

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Greeks

Greek beach

My mind

Needs respite

From a fatigue

I can’t explain

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I like to get out taking pictures with my "Sony" bridge camera every week but this week has been off-putting in weather terms. Quite a lot of greyness and drizzle. This is the best picture I managed to capture all week:-

It was taken in the affluent suburb of Millhouses. During the picture editing process I had to straighten the composition so that the church tower no longer looked like The Leaning Tower of Pisa. The church is under the jurisdiction of The Church of England and it's called Holy Trinity. It has the same name as the village church where I was christened in the spring of 1954.

The Holy Trinity refers of course to Father , Son and Holy Spirit. Confusingly, all three are simply different emanations of God as this helpful diagram explains:-

Holy Trinity Church in Millhouses is not a very old church when you consider that there are countless churches in England that are a thousand or several hundred years old. Its construction was completed in 1937 in what is known as the "arts and crafts" style. Of course, the church was locked because of the pandemic that God has sent down upon us in his gracious wisdom so I did not get to see the internal architecture, carpentry, memorials and religious artefacts within.

Though I have been a lifelong atheist, I would list visiting churches as one of my favourite hobbies. An old church speaks of the community in which it was built - like a mirror of past times. So many funerals, weddings and christenings, so many dull sermons delivered from lofty pulpits as choirboys like me fidgeted in the pews wondering why time seemed to be standing still. Would that sermon never end?

Even Holy Trinity, Millhouses would have things to say about pre-war days, architectural fashion, craftsmanship, the suburb's affluence and parishioners who still haunt the space within.

I continue to type my father's journal and through his word choices I feel that I am drawn ever closer to him. Three times he has referred to bathing in the icy water of the rivers that churn by their valley camps and I remember him in England's Lake District urging me and my brothers to swim in a mountain stream as he held our towels. He loved to take his family to The Lakes each Whitsuntide where fading echoes of Kashmir must have still hummed in his skull like heavenly music.

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Three Weeks

Do you remember the Monty Python sketch what have the Romans ever done for us ?

Well in the same vein I’m going to ask

What has the lockdown ever done for me?

I’ve decorated the cottage living room, bought new chairs, carpet and The Trendy blue sofa as well as a new desk

My sister has redesigned and rejuvenated the gardens front and back.

I’ve read a score of new books

I’ve rekindled friendships on what’s app video

I have spring cleaned the whole cottage..twice

Re booted my finances and ordered all my paperwork

And have sorted all my old photographs and keepsakes into files and books

I have learned to sing via zoom

I have zoomed weekly for film lectures

I have gay quizzed weekly on zoom

I have cooked and painted on zoom

Zoom is here to stay.

I have been supported by villagers old and new

And have been the recipient of kindness often daily.

I have been able to lend Mary out for cuddles and doggy therapy .

I have watched too much tiktok videos and have walked on the beach

I have been grateful for work and the discipline of getting up in the morning.

I have almost finished my art wall and I have reintroduced plants back into the cottage.

Three weeks to go

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