Duggie’s Ramblings – August
The invisible have become visible, well for most of us. The refuse collectors, the supermarket staff, the nurses and support staff, even the doctors (not too sure about the doctors who may have a high profile particularly for the vulnerable) and the delivery drivers. Sorry if you have been left out. We have been taking these people for granted for too long. Hopefully, we will be more observant and appreciative of their services.
It is impossible not to be aware of the reduced level of noise in recent months both in the air and on the ground. The flight path over Kibworth has been empty and the jarring sound of motor engines has been significantly reduced. For some people the absence of sound – people, traffic, machinery and office talk can be unsettling, turn on the TV or radio!
However reduced levels of road traffic, hybrid cars and emissions cuts at traffic lights has resulted in the release of lower emission of carbon monoxide poison by vehicles and cleaner air. Hurrah say those with asthma and COPD. Will there be a nationwide campaign focused on car emissions and air traffic, (the release of fuel approaching landing at Heathrow), based on health grounds similar to the no smoking government ban. This resulting from public and health service pressure that severely limits cigarette smoking? Will the general public support a ban which will in itself be a sea change. We are an inventive nation and a democracy.
Intimations of mortality, phrase not infrequently used recently (Tennyson?). Alternatively, W.H Auden wrote “Death is like distant thunder heard at a picnic”. As someone wrote when reading this “the older I get, the rumbling makes me enjoy the picnic even more”.
Frequently the trumpet call is to the return of Normal or New Normal. An alternative word is Ordinary (a term used in the church calendar – ordinary time between Trinity Sunday and Advent- 25 Sundays). Normal has almost a lead weight attached to it, perhaps this is due to its associations, new added makes it sound as LP Hartley put it “the past is another country”.
Ordinary relates to basic continuity with daily, weekly acts and feelings part of life’s ritual we share with our family friends and colleagues. After all if we add ab to normal it has a nuance quite different when adding extra to ordinary.
Many families have taken advantage of the reopening of the Jubilee Park in Kibworth Harcourt. It is well equipped with benches for the over 30s and well worth a visit. There is also the open market at the back of The Railway Inn held every Thursday morning selling top quality fruit and vegetables and a cheerful person to person service. Follow this with coffee and bacon butties at the pub!
An old Austrian saying – Das leben ist kein Zuckerschlecken, life is no sugar licking, you just have to get on with it. Hear hear!!
Margaret Hallet and Norman Hallett
