“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.” – Winston Churchill (speech 10th June 1941)
So, while everyone was frantically casting their vote in South Africa, we left them to it and boarded a plane for London and the equally chaotic soap opera/circus which appears to be preparation for the UK elections. Our return didn’t quite go exactly to plan, mostly thanks to a fellow passenger on the Lufthansa leg from CapeTown to Frankfurt who generously shared his germs across the aisle.
We’re still crawling our way back from a vicious flu-type lurgy which has laid us out for two weeks and left us hacking like dervishes.
However, it’s been fun to read the reviews for Polished Arrows, and supervise a Blog Tour during which umpteen other writers have blogged their reflections on the the book. I still hold my breath somewhat and am assailed by what we know as ‘Marty McFly’ moments (“What if they don’t like it… What if it’s no good… I’m not sure I can handle that level of rejection…” etc) as I waited with trepidation to gauge the reactions. Fortunately, everyone has loved it so far, and expressed their satisfaction in positive words.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the Blog Tour; I’m so grateful that you took the time to read the manuscript and review it so positively.
Events here have been appropriately overshadowed by the memorials and reflections on the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings. My son was still in the military last year and attended the celebrations then. What stood out for him, as I recall, was the respect and thanks which was showered on all of the soldiers, young and old, regardless of whether they were on the beaches in 1944 or not. He and his friends found that their drinks had been paid for one evening by an anonymous benefactor, keen to express their appreciation in this simple way. I found that very moving. I predict that Mr Sunak’s snub to everyone involved will be tough to come back from. Perhaps all this is the jolt that was required for anyone remotely engaged with government to realise that our armed forces have been woefully underfunded for the last thirty years or more. In a world that teeters increasingly on the brink of all out war that has shown itself to have been a foolish policy relished only by those who seek us harm.
Right now, my thoughts are ricocheting between the unfolding of steps towards a possible Government of National Unity in South Africa and the impending gloom of the election here. Once again promises are being made with no explanation of how they might be paid for or implemented. I think these are what Mary Poppins once called, ‘Pie crust promises – easily made, easily broken’. Regardless of the colour of your voting preference there does (surely) need to be some reality in the hustings.
Perhaps the forthcoming Paris Olympics and the interminable Euro football tournament will be enough to distract us from the harsher realities but, somehow, I doubt it.
For now though, I am turning my thoughts to the official book launch for Polished Arrows which takes place this evening. I’m delighted to know that people will be joining us on Zoom from France, Canada and South Africa as well as across the UK. Tonight’s celebration will be MC-ed by a long term friend who wrote the Foreword for the book and some of those who endorsed it but can’t make it have sent videos to share.
In the midst of a lot of activity I’m going to try and discipline myself to pause and enjoy the moment. Good advice for every day.
[Landing craft image – Pixabay]
dancingthroughchaos 