Today, Friday, I am writing late, it has been warm, the butterflies dancing round the buddleias ecstatically, tried to film them (hopeless) Graham and David came over from the church whilst I was doing this, they had been doing some work there. We discussed the village and how nothing was happening much, David wants money raised for the church's upkeep, but strawberry teas and coffee mornings are obviously not happening. Paul was good at bringing things together but it seems that everyone does things in an individual manner now, there is no clear group ready to bring the village together.
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| Those were the days! |
It needs someone to grasp the nettle firmly, and tell people what to do;) We have three avenues of coming together, the church, the Parish meeting and the social group who arranged the three meals though the year when we all meet, normally in the pub. But circumstances due to the plague keeps us apart.
I would like to see Margaret Wood recognised as well, especially as they are using her legacy to spruce up the church. The paths have been laid with fresh gravel and the coke house is to be renovated, new roof and where the floods eat away at its foundation stones, renewed.
Something is happening tomorrow though which is the 75th anniversary of V.J. day, Jo will ring the bells and her husband who is a town crier will read a proclamation in his front garden. We are to stand on the pavement on the opposite side of the road. It will be a small tribute, they are both truly British and you can't help but love them for their sincerity. Can you imagine they have been together as a couple since meeting in India as children, now in their eighties.
75th Anniversary of V.J. day and the end of World War Two on 15th August 2020
Lovely film. I am so glad I am old enough to have used steam trains. I had a wonderful old friend (now dead) who imprisoned by the Japanese in Changi Gaol. Every V.J. day he would lock himself in a cupboard. He couldn't take it.
ReplyDeleteMy brother when we were on our way back from school in Wolverhampton would sneak on the steam train without paying, he 'accompanied' anyone who was walking down to the station, and I being good and catching the bus would have to wait at the other end till he arrived. I love Betjeman and his funny poems, he ended in retirement at Blacklands just outside Calne I believe, where his daughter lived.
ReplyDeleteMy husband, as you know, was on the Feath Railway - he never mentioned VJ Day - in fact he rarely mentioned it at all - I suppose everyone had to deal with it in their own way. But I like to think he had a happy life afterwards - we certainly had a happy marriage.
ReplyDeleteMany men don't speak of their terrible war experiences when they get back home, it must be very painful. But your first husband and yourself went on to live a happy marriage and that is what counts.
DeleteI can see even the village misses Paul so too. I hope someone can start organising the village folk so youall pull together again, even in these difficult times.
ReplyDeleteI remember steam trains - the modern ones are so soul-less by comparison. We have a short stretch of steam railway along the Gwili valley just outside of Carmarthen. I imagine the line would have gone on to Aberystwyth in the past (pre Dr Beeching).
Well we still have the Whitby steam train here, though very expensive to go on. I suspect it will take a long time before the world gets back to the way it was running before and people mixed without thought.
DeleteI love our Oregon butterfly bush and hope it's still doing well as they are drawn to it.
ReplyDeleteI have been admiring your cactus flowers Rain, but heard on the radio this morning that there are bad fires in America.
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