My beautiful Weeping Katsura tree is shedding its leaves; migratory birds are on the move; by the end of October, sunset will be at 4.30; the natural world around me is starting to brace for the ‘survival months’ – and so am I. Got the flu jab on Sunday – in my car; we lined up at the local High School – staggered times – went like clockwork; an impressive display in competence from our health board – that given the product, they could vaccinate the entire population against Covid – encouraging. But before that, we’re looking at various degrees of lockdown – indoors in the dark of winter – very different from outside summer sunlight. I already know that my mental health is prone to winter depression – that I need a plan.
Got lovely new neighbours this year, Steph and Rory – with three sprogs aged one, four and five. Feeble knock on my front door, and the two toddlers, Jane and Tim are standing there crying: “We’ve lost mummy – will you come and find her”; they’re clearly upset: “Of course I’ll come and find her”. Walk them 40 paces home, and we find mummy in the basement hanging curtains – much rejoicing. Steph apologises for the interruption – asks if I’d like some eggs – her six chickens are very productive.
Reflecting on this incident brings two insights: first, how chuffed I am that the two wee ones like me enough to chap my door for help. Second, that my strategy for mentally surviving the winter months, needs to reach out more to others – to friends.
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Searing article by Fintan O’Toole, probing the extent of Donald Trump’s delusions of superiority. “It begins as immunity from rules and accountability, but in Trump’s case, it extends to the belief that his superiority is literally encoded in his genes…. if you build a political system around the uniqueness of the leader – Covid infection could bring it down”. In contrast to macho/male delusions of immunity, Joyce McMillan brings reliable, feminine good sense: that Covid denial will not get us through; that the solid, fact-based competence of Nicola Sturgeon and Angela Merkel is the right leadership. But we are being asked to stop behaving in ways that are fundamental to human sociability – and many of us are beginning to crack.
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Margaret Ferrier MP made a serious error of judgement boarding a train after being diagnosed with Covid, but I thought the ruthless reaction of the SNP leadership was disproportionate. Kevin McKenna, in The National, thinks the same – asks if Ferrier is a ‘convenient distraction’ from the bad smell around Peter Murrell’s involvement in the Alex Salmond affair.
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In 50 years, the toddlers who live next door (see Intro above), will be living in a very different kind of society. Research, referenced in The Conversation outlines how, by 2050, decent standards of living could be provided for a global population of 10 billion – but, obviously, certain changes are inevitable.
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Sonar technology has picked up something solid, measuring 10 metres, deep in Loch Ness; surprised this week to realise how much I want it to be the Loch Ness Monster. Not just for tourism – but as an act of defiance by wild nature against the hubris and disregard of humankind.
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Future generations will be incredulous at the levels of climate pollution which Scotland permits from chemical plants and power stations – this Ferret article by Rob Edwards provides an overview – including a ‘league table of destruction’ naming the worst offenders. Did you know that we’re back to incinerating waste – destined for landfill?
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The scientific achievements of Albert Einstein are beyond me – but as a sage/philosopher he’s inspirational:
“To inquire after the meaning or object of one’s own existence, or that of all creatures, has always seemed to me absurd from an objective point of view. And yet everybody has certain ideals which determine the direction of their endeavours and judgements; in this sense I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves. The ideals which have lighted my way – and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully – have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with people of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavours, life would have seemed to me empty”.
