Spirits and things spooky ...

Do you ever wonder in odd, idle moments about things ethereal, intangible, the afterlife and if there is such a thing?  I suppose that a number of folk may in all sorts of ways irrespective of religious beliefs.

For a long while I have occasionally thought about such things, perhaps more so in latter years.  There have been a number of odd events in my life for which there are no reasonable explanations, I am one of those people who need plausible explanations for things.  This questioning attitude became even ever more common after my not so distant days at Uni where I was taught to challenge why things are the way that they are.  Not in any revolutionary sense but just as a way of better understanding things around me in everyday life and beyond.  What I am saying, I suppose, is not to accept things blindly but to reach for the core truths, the fundamentals if you like. 

In nearly all matters an answer may be found, how or why something works not only in the mechanical or electrical sense but government, relationships, all manner of things. This has led me in many directions over the years, one such is what happens to us after death.  Sorry to use the 'D' word as in many circles it is considered improper or too near the truth, some preferring ' passed on' or 'passed over' and many other euphemisms but dying is what we all inevitably do!



Something very odd happened to me in my mid-teens, more than odd in fact.  Picture the scene, Halloween Eve around eight o'clock, dark, chilly, slightly misty with few people about. I was cycling along Bell Lane, Enfield near Albany Park School to see my girlfriend as I did most evenings taking the same route.  Pedalling along happily I gradually became aware that things were not the same as usual.  A large shape was gradually forming before me on my side of the road.  As it grew closer and larger yet ever more distinct I could make out that it was an old style coach pulled by four horses with the driver atop his box. 

As it drew ever nearer I realised that it appeared to be about a foot or so above the road and that the apparition was making noise whatsoever.  Just as I thought I was about to be run down I rode between the two pairs of horses, the driver on his box seemed not to have noticed me continuing to urge the team on. The front of the coach passed me and I had fleeting glimpses of passengers in what might have been Georgian style dress inside the passenger compartment.  Just as suddenly as this experience began it was then over.  I stopped and turned to look behind me in the direction the coach was travelling  –  there was nothing to see and no evidence except in my mind that anything untoward had happened.

Subsequent research with the help of a close friend who was the editor of our local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, shed some light on historical facts.  The coach was travelling on a west to east route and that there had indeed been a regular stage route there in the 18th and early 19th centuries to Colchester and Harwich. The route locally was via Hoe Lane and then into Bell Lane towards the River Lea where there was a fording point. Within a few weeks of this event we discovered that a small number of readers had also shared the same experience, not in the exact same location but generally along the Hoe Lane/Bell Lane route.

As you may imagine I was somewhat confused by this encounter and sought answers, information, anything that might help me rationalise or understand what I know that I had seen. At the time I did not find any satisfactory explanation as to what had happened or why.

Let's move on ten years or so.  At the time I was a London Transport bus inspector, you know the bloke, stands on street corners all day with a clip board in hand watching the totty pass by.  It was on a quiet, Monday autumn evening towards midnight that I was standing in my little box near the top of Barnet Hill.  There were no buses on the stand, I was totally alone.  Whilst writing the day's events in the log book I thought that I felt a light double tap on my left shoulder. Turning to see who was there I was a little surprised to find nobody there. Putting it down to imagination I ignored it.  Some twenty minutes later there was a further tap on my shoulder, yet again I was completely alone. Nothing further happened for several years.

One night again I was alone at work this time in the traffic office of an East London bus garage.  There was I  secure in the knowledge that there was nobody else in the office apart from myself, all the doors were locked and windows shut when suddenly I sensed that I was not alone.  I looked round, nobody behind me so I checked the office and found nothing out of the ordinary.  By now I was certain that I was not alone but there was nothing that showed otherwise, it was just a feeling, that’s all.  I was not frightened nor even perturbed, in fact I felt quite calm and reassured by it.

These were the first  occasions that anything like this had happened to me.  Such things have recurred many times since, not only in places where I have been alone but in public, busy places too.  Determined to discover what might be happening I spoke to a close friend in confidence whom I knew had experienced some similar things.  She suggested that I speak with a trusted friend, which I did a few weeks later ...


Perhaps more to follow shortly ...

Is it here yet?

Spring that is. Daffodils blooming in gardens and hedgerows; crocuses, snowdrops, trees budding, all sorts of birds singing each morning and the temperature this afternoon a gentle 14° with blue, sunny skies. The sound of our neighbour mowing the grass for the second time this year is even more springlike. Local farmers will soon be turning out cattle that have been over-wintered in deep litter barns, it will be a joy to see the giant but gentle Aquitaine Blondes out in the fields again, a sign that winter is truly over.

The lambs in nearby fields are now venturing away from their mums and sitting around in little groups, that also is always delightful to see each year. Hedgesparrows have returned to our fir tree screen as have our pair of doves whom we feed with seed on the decking in front of our home, they are aslo busy nest building, our magpies are refurbishing last years nest in between fighting off marauding rooks and the odd red squirrel or two. Soon the hoopoes will be back with their very distinctive triple whooping call and their gorgeous red crests that look like miniature rubber gloves. Our neighbourhood green woodpecker has been very busy in the past week or so, don't often see him but hear him almost every day.

Two pairs of buzzards that live a few hundred metres away in the woods have been getting increasingly more air time recently, soaring and effortlessly wheeling in the sky, calling as thay fly. They are are for ever such a beautiful and magnificent sight that I never tire of watching.

Around this time of the year there has been an itinerant bunch of seven guinea fowl that have slowly ambled past constantly calling - wonder if they will return this year?

A final sign that spring is near is that our cat Socks is showing signs of wanting to go outside having virtually hibernated since the end of last November. Even I'm getting the urge now ...

Odds 'n' Ends

Have not been at my brightest, scintillating best over the past few days and feeling a little more sociable yesterday we invited friends over for dinner in the evening. Apart from anything else it was an opportunity to play in the kitchen for the afternoon as well spending a convivial evening chez nous.

As usual the question of menu arose. I fancied cooking something just a little different so I had a rummage around on t'Web. One of my friends, despite a long RAF career with postings all over the world in the past and now retired, was to my incredulity an Indian cuisine virgin! Nevr, not no 'ow had he ever tried any dishes from the Indian sub-continent. We had discussed this a number of times and I thought the time was ripe. To be safe, however, I had a more Western style dish as well so that he could choose having sampled the Indian dish in the kitchen.

For a starter I prepared what seemed a bit of a gamble - 44 Garlic Clove Soup Must admit that I was a little concerned that any werewolves or vampires within a 50km radius might take to the hills ... Need not have worried about it as the finished dish was unbelievably subtle in taste and one of the nicest soups that I have ever tasted, relief all round as it was consumed with obvious relish and requests for seconds. Sadly there was only sufficient for four servings, but there's always another day.

Indian main course was one of my favourite curries, chicken passanda, very gentle, creamy with a hint of coconut and cream, subtle spices and no heat. My friend, having tasted it was very surprised as the the subtlety of the passanda and his face was a picture of delight! The otherdish which I had cooked which we are having for dinner this evening was a tartiflette, a traditional French dish with smoked lardons, onions, potatoes, white wine, creme fraiche and grated cheese cooked slowly in the oven.

It was very rewarding that the curry went down very well and was followed by a request for the recipe for all three dishes. The meal was accompanied by a naughty local rosé wine which we all like, then a dessert and coffee.

All in all a very pleasant evening spent in the company of very good friends.

'Tis a sad day

Ten years ago to the day I lost a very good mate and friend, died as a result of a sidecar racing accident in which his son as passenger miraculously sustained only light injuries. It was indeed a tragic event for everyone as he was a very popular man. What makes it worse for me is that I was not there at that meeting, something about which I have a certain guilt even now.

We and respective families spent many happy hours and fun times together whether racing or just socially and it is these times that I remember with much happiness. He was not the first friend, nor unfortunately the last over some fifty years or more for me, to be lost in as sport which they all loved passionately as I still do today.

Not only do I think of him today but all of the others too with sadness and affection and am grateful that I have had the privilege of knowing these great men, every one of them and having been a part of their world.

But it is not with only sadness that is today but with thanks and happiness of their memory.

Bless you Ray.

Storm Xynthia

This weekend has seen considerable damage along the French Atlantic coast caused by the storm Xynthia with a loss af almost fifty lives. Mercifully it has now abated buit is heading north to Belgium, Holland, Germant and Denmark.

Thankfully in our little bit of France we got away lightly with very strong winds and heavy rain during Saturday/Sunday night. Strongest winds locally were recorded at Bergerac airport at some 120kph. A number of properties in the area were left without electricity including the regional meteorological centre at the airport.

Locally there was little damage caused, just a few tree branches dislodged and the land becoming ever more sodden. Living some 500 plus feet above sea level we are not exactly at risk of flooding but it is very disconcerting that our local water table is only some six inches or so belowground level in the lowest part of our garden!

More rain forecast for the latter part of this week but at least it is now returning to normal temperatures for the time of year, maximum of around 15°C daily accompanied by some sun. Must be improving as our cat, Socks, is beginning to venture out after her winter's hibernation ...

Grandmas

This really made I larff !



A 6-tear old was asked by his teacher where his Grandma lives.

"Oh", he said, she lives at the airport. When we want to see her we just go and get her in the car. When we've had enough oif her visiting we take her back there."

Now I cannot get rid of the mental image of a large hangar at Bergerac airport full of grannies ...

UK Television News

Just been watching the news on several UK TV channels and without exception they are all majoring on one item - a childish spat between two footballers. Apparently caused because one could not keep his dick in his pants and the other has now spat his dummy out and refuses to play for his country.

Why is this of such vital import when the domestic economy has collapsed, a major catastrophe has just occurred in Chile, desperate times still in Zimbabwe and many other imperative matters going on.

Who cares if an overpaid, overinflated ego of someone whose only apparent skill is kicking an inflated pig's bladder is wounded because of an infidelity? I for one certainly do not.

Now happily going back to Today on Radio 4 for some sensible news reporting ...

Yet another recall

GOD FORCED TO RECALL HUMANS

Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 2:09 pm

 

Mr God, yesterday

There was bad news for God this week as the well-known deity was forced to recall thousands of examples of His popular Human Being after reports that the model could be prone to unexpected attacks of unbelievable stupidity.

Initial reports of blithering idiocy emerged from the United States last year but these were thought to be isolated incidents caused by people who are so thick that if a floormat was touching their accelerator pedal would prefer to scream ‘Aaaaaaargh’ until they drove into a river rather than simply moving the mat backwards with their foot. However, it now seems the monumental stupidity is more widespread and may cause some Human Beings to decide that the best course of action in the event of being in a car with a throttle that won’t release is to telephone someone rather than to, for example, put the fucking car into neutral and bring it to a halt using the brakes as normal.

Jesus Christ, a member of the original God family who now runs his Father’s business, is expected to make a full statement shortly. In the meantime, the Archbishop of Canterbury, a senior manager at God’s UK operation, has told reporters that there are almost certainly Human Beings here in Britain that will need to be examined for signs of being so sodding thick that they probably shouldn’t have a driving licence in the first place. “It’s too early to say how this might affect people in the UK,” Mr Canterbury is quoted as saying. “But we have every reason to believe that there are some Human Beings that may being so brain fartingly stupid that if the throttle in their car became stuck, they would never think simply to depress the clutch and coast to a halt”.

However, it is understood that God’s representatives in the UK are keen to manage any recall as quickly and efficiently as possible, thereby minimising the number of mithering suburban twats who ring in to the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 and witter on about how they’re too scared to drive their Yaris to such a blindingly crass degree that listeners eventually start to get a sense of what it would be like if the editor of the Daily Mail did a stool into a syringe and then used it to inject vile reactionary shit into their ears.

As God seeks to clarify the extent of the stupidity problem and establish how many Human Beings will need to be recalled, theologians have been assessing just what has caused the problem of quite extraordinarily thick behaviour in the first place. “I suspect the problem lies in the rather clever engineering God has given the Human Being,” noted Dr Peter Peter Cockandballs of St Gobain College, Oxford. “The modern Human Being is actually remarkably durable and reliable, capable of lasting well over 80 years, but among its clever systems is something called Cognitive Reasoning. Normally this works very well, but over time Human Beings get used to being spoon fed blindingly obvious information such as those signs on motorways that say ‘fog’, and eventually they can just give up trying to have any discernment or ability to think rationally. Basically, the Human Being becomes a stupid moron. Hence the popularly of ITV’s Loose Women”.

Almost here ...

Spring, that is. Arrives some six weeks or so earlier here than in the UK and very welcome it is too. We are enjoying mild weather with some sun and showers, crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops are all popping up. The days are lengthening quite quickly too, not getting dark until turned seven in the evening now.

Our local magpies are busy nest building in between fending off the marauding rooks, our two doves returned a few days ago and will probably be here until late October. We have seen, and heard in the past week or so several huge flocks of cranes heading back to Russia to breed, one of nature's truly magnificent spectacles.

This weekend coming is the last of the annual hunting season so our local wildlife (deer, wild boars, hares ducks and game birds) will now have peace and quiet again until September when the new season begins.

March is almost here, that means the start of the sidecar racing season. I hope to get to a number of French meetings this season as well one or two back in England. One of the few things that I really miss about the UK is the great number of meetings every season to watch whereas they are relatively few here, not made any easier due to the size of France and that we live only two hundred miles from the Spanish border.

"Spring has sprung,
  The grass has riz.
  We know where the birdies is ..."