I cried

I couldn't help myself. I was watching the ceremony at the Cenotaph on BBC1 this morning.

I know it's important to remember. I know well the phrase "to forget the mistakes of the past is to repeat them"

That said, I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes to see the old men in wheelchairs, who have been in POW camps; the teens among the groups of older soldiers with a row of medals on the right side of the chest - a testimony to the fact that their parent served and died, that they no longer have a parent; the women who wore their husband's medals.

It hurts, you know? How people are prepared to obey orders even if it means they may lose their life, and the people who have what it takes to give those orders. I find it hard killing rodent vermin that get brought into my house. Trying to get my head around the fact that there are people who have to be prepared to kill others in the protection of freedom is beyond my comprehension.

Rant over. On to better subjects.

I'm having a David Attenborough overdose today, mostly because I can't see anything else I fancy, and the opportunity to see the natural world from my sofa is not to be missed. I can own up to being able to watch something other than EMHE and the news!

I've managed to get all the laundry done, and the washing up is getting cleared, but my hands are really wishing for a dishwasher, or more specifically the space to put one, so I don't have to do the dishes by hand all the time! Oh well, I can keep dreaming...

Small children are great

I love babies and small children. They remind me of what life is like before reality invades and spoils all the innocence.

It might sound like an odd comment to make, but it struck me all over again that I love small children today when I was in the chip shop waiting for my cod and chips to finish cooking. The lady in front of me had several children, and the youngest was in a pushchair. I guess he must have been around two. He was hungry and tired, and really didn't want to be in town any more, and was letting the world know at the top of his lungs!

Well, there was nothing for it but to crouch down and see if I could help him stop crying. I have no idea whatsoever why or how it happened, but in under a minute a screaming child who just wanted mum to take him home calmed down and just watched what was going on around him until mum gave him a chip from his freshly served meal.

I don't know if it's a gift, calming children; but if it is, I'm well grateful for it! I just wish I had a few children of my own and didn't have to practice on tired children in the supermarket while they wait for mum to finish paying!

On the other hand, a few of the other mothering talents would be great to have too; like having the motivation to wash up before things reach the stage of recycling the last cup for a week. Laundry's never an issue. It's almost a compulsion. I have to have clean sweet-smelling clothing. Tidying up is another major on that I managed to miss out on too...