The Shire wasn't it's usual self today. I expect it was feeling poorly due to a turn in the weather. After weeks of cool, but dry and bright, conditions following the long warm summer, today brought a change from major to minor. The sky was unremittingly dark and heavy, suffocating the land and all who moved upon it. Showers of light rain dampened the roads and left the trees and hedgerows dripping with unaccustomed wetness, and my shuddering thoughts went back to that favourite line of mine from Tennyson: The wan day went glooming down in wet and weariness. The lunchtime walk usually lifts my spirits, but not today.
* * *
I was pleased to read that the citizens of Alberta have voted not to secede from Canada. Canadians are generally a pretty canny crowd, so it was no surprise. And it reminded me of being asked a question on a TV quiz show once: 'What is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta?' Although it must have been around thirty years since I'd learned about the geography of Canada in high school, my memory did me proud. 'Edmonton,' I replied. Correct. I searched the eyes of my fellow competitors for signs of reluctant admiration, but sadly found none.
* * *
The Lady B said to me in a blog comment many years ago: 'I thought you had forgotten about me.' Well, I'm often struck by the thought that I would like to talk to said Lady at least once more before I take the big leap, just so that I can tell her, in all honesty, that never does a day go by but that think of her. Never. She has no reason to care one way or the other now, of course, but I occasionally listen to Loreena McKennitt's song The Never Ending Road -- as I did today -- and it always reminds me of her. Sometimes it even encourages a mysterious attack of dampness to gather around my eyeballs. I've no idea what it is.
No comments:
Post a Comment