Sunday, July 26, 2009

Flu thoughts, battles and the author at play

Here's this morning's meditation:

Meditation 182

I’ve never been a gardener
so all this talk
of vines, fruition,
destruction, pruning, fire
and the unceasing flow of sap

passes me by
like an east wind,
the flight-filled clouds
or the migration path
of distant, unknowable birds.


Keeping on religious matters, church today was rather strange. We now have a three-line whip from the Powers that Be (who I suspect probably aren't God) that, because of the swine flu threat, we're not allowed to take wine at communion or shake hands with non-related people during the Peace. We were also told not to come to church if we felt ill, and advised that the Rector had washed his hands with anti-bacterial soap before starting the service. It all made me feel distinctly unsettled. What next? Casting people who cough into outer darkness? Beating people who happen to sneeze with twigs?? The plot thickens indeed, but I wonder if we're giving in rather too quickly to media panic?... I may yet have to eat my words (Lordy, that's been known several times at least ...), but it seemed an edict too far to me. We do know how to behave after all. We're all sensible rational human beings. Well, apart from the church attendance of course ...

I've been continuing the edit of Hallsfoot's Battle and am now within spitting distance of the ... um ... actual battle. I must admit it's worrying me a little and I'm holding off from actually getting to that chapter, but I'm going to have to face it at some point. I just think I need to be stronger. Don't wait up.

And this afternoon, Lord H and I have been having great fun with taking more photos of me for use on the web etc. I'm attempting to look like a writer but I fear the worst. New shots of the author at play (ho ho) appear here and here, the latter being the picture where I was admiring my screensave of swimming fish while Lord H was fiddling with his tripod. As you do.

I've now read Vanessa Gebbie's short story collection, Words from a Glass Bubble. I'm hoping to review it for Vulpes Libris once I get my act together, so I won't say much about it now. But what I will say is that it's certainly a mixed bag - some wonderful tales and some definitely not-so-wonderful ones - but more on this to come. I hope.

Tonight, Lord H and I are hoping to watch the first episode of the new Midsomer Murders series which we videoed earlier in the week. Perfect Sunday night viewing indeed. You really can't go wrong with a country location and a good murder or two. And here are this week's haikus - as you get two for the price of one today, you lucky people, you!

I sit on a bench -
the first time I've stopped this week.
Sunlight warms me through.


Between silent tracks
layers of pink and cream stone
remind me of joy.

Today's nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Editing Hallsfoot
3. A mini photo-shoot
4. Books
5. TV
6. Haikus.

Anne Brooke - I'm ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille ...

2 comments:

Jilly said...

This business about swine flu is so stupid! You can't exclude people who have an ordinary cold or an ordinary virus infection and how do you tell the difference? If you've got flu I suspect you wouldn't feel well enough to go to church anyway. Any type of flu is a potential killer not just swine flu. I'm speaking as a survivor of many diseases which are regarded as killers - measles, mumps, chicken pox, german measles, whooping cough . . .not to speak of ordinary flu.

Anne Brooke said...

I know!! I entirely agree with you. It's all rather ridiculous.

==:O

Axxx