Duggie’s Ramblings October 2021

18th October 2021 | Community

I am sure there are occasions when we have a eureka moment.

‘I have found it’ (translation from Greek). Of course in people’s minds this moment will vary, fill a gap and take differing forms and experiences. Part of the old St Paul’s Cathedral in London collapsed in 1580; Why? History buffs take note! London experienced a great earthquake. Some, at the time thought it was divine displeasure. A song was composed titled ‘Awake, Awake, sweet England’. It has survived for over 400 years. It is still sung in 2021 to the tune- familiar to many- the carol ‘God rest ye merry gentlemen’.

Christmas, ah! Christmas

Once again even though the Day itself is more than ten weeks distant, the season has begun. It overrides the natural wonder of autumn. There is a TV channel with a programme schedule exclusively of films with titles which whet the appetite for the coming of Christmas. Some years ago, in a pub one early evening, I could not help but overhear two women deciding where they would be spending Christmas Day, a familial decision. Maybe, they were prompted by the premature seasonal festive wares in the shops. As our father always worked on Christmas day, we grew up without an overheated imagination or expectation of this one day in the year. There are 12 days to the Christmas celebration as the song reminds us. Though whether we would invite twelve drummers drumming, rather we would prefer a partridge in a pear tree! I have heard-the truth of this is not verifiable. There is a person in Leicester who sends themselves a Christmas card every day of the year!

Pre-Christmas experience on offer locally

Bonfire night in Kibworth 6 November -and then 28 November Advent calendars and the period of Advent until 24 December!

There have been many wisecracks aimed at the people queueing for petrol, not about those who work in the emergency services that matter to our community. Some of the jokes are not for family reading. However, one story was of a man, yes a man, who put £1.86 of petrol in his car which the cashier stated was more than he would use to drive to the garage and home! It is a sad reflection on human priorities that this happens. Are some people unduly influenced by the messages communicated by the media; messages nuanced for dramatic effect rather than the unvarnished truth? Fortunately the majority of people are more thoughtful, kind and unselfish than the panic buyers. Can we call them petrol heads?

Is it true that drivers, when they shop in Kibworth, or further afield in Market Harborough or Leicester ignore the cost of the petrol/diesel they in making their journey?

I heard recently a wonderful story of a man who was unconscious and the medics summoned his family to his bedside. However, he recovered consciousness, and spoke to his family gathered around to whom he announced that while unconscious he had seen God!

“How did you know it was God?” he was asked.

He replied,” Because he was wearing an Old Etonian tie.”

I have often wondered why people vote conservative!

A university lecturer, after hearing the eager young students give their sage advice on a specific topic asked them this, she said, “Who benefits from such thinking?”

Politicians and leaders generally, please note.