Easter gifts

It’s Easter and I’ve realised that I don’t remember any of the Easter eggs I was given as a child, though I’m fairly sure there must have been some and I’m sure I was quite excited about them at the time.

Later on, I may have been given chocolates, flowers or other gifts by friends and lovers; no doubt they put a dutiful amount of thought into the choosing and the giving.

Perhaps I even gave presents to other people. If I did, though, I don’t remember.

In fact, from all the Easter gifts given and received during more than fifty years, I only remember one – the book in the picture.

The dedication inside shows just how long ago I was given it:

Half a century from now, how many people will reach for their e-reader and bring up a digital file that will have the power to connect them to the past in the way this book connects me?

wet weather, wings and wishes

The rain continues unabated so how could I resist clicking a link on the BBC website that said Met Office advice was ‘not helpful’?

On reading the article, though, I find that it refers to ‘not helpful’ to the government. Specifically:

The Met Office has admitted issuing advice to government that was “not helpful” during last year’s remarkable switch in weather patterns.

I am reminded of George Mikes’ comments on the weather in his book How to be an alien; specifically:

distorsions*

Glass

Seen through old sash windows, a crinkle of brickwork
and ripple of wrought iron remind me that glass is liquid:
cool and viscous, it creeps earthwards through the centuries.

 
This thought occurred to me when looking out at the buildings in the picture. Then, of course, I felt obliged to go and research whether glass really is liquid or whether that’s just an old wives’ tale. The idea is discussed at some length and technicality in this paper.

I think the conclusion is that, although glass can be considered a super-cooled liquid, the variations in thickness of old glass are nothing to do with the pull of gravity. Still, I was trying to write poetry not science, so I’m leaving it as it is and will blame any inaccuracy on my fallible narrator.

*oops: I really did spell it that way and publish it without checking. I’ll blame the fallible writer for that; and the fact that it’d be distorsión in Spanish.

nothing more than feelings

Procrastinating as usual before starting work, my attention was caught by the BBC headline Why feeling guilty may make you a better boss. Having read the article, I don’t feel any the wiser or better informed – so I feel guilty that I wasted my time.

black & white

You know how some people don’t seem to have any doubts about things? They seem to see the world in black and white.

Or do they?

Although those grapes are destined to be eaten unfermented, I have an idea that seeing the world in shades of wine might improve it.