My beautiful grand daughter, and she really really is, this Nana is so proud... This love I never knew, I've said it before I will say it again, no one can explain how very different this grand parents love is, so totally different, so even more unconditional, if this is possible...
Now some heavy talk.... This afternoon had a bit of a debate about this country with a friend; various options that could happen in the future if the wrong people get into power... about how millions of people have moved here to get a better life... Just as, millions of people born here have left, to better themselves in other countries around the world... To work - to try to work, to retire, to vacation... to get away from bad things... unfortunately some people want to bring they're way of living with them in a more obvious way than others, some of which seems negative. Then others, who gently slide into a new way of life, of living, taking on the country they wish to aspire to... when in Rome as 'they' say! And proud to becoming British.
When I returned here from living in Spain, by the way, as an immigrant, as I was not born here, or even in Europe... I was entitled to nothing, nada! As I had not worked here in the last two years, I had no entitlement, and that goes for other people too, I'm sure they couldn't have just picked on me!
I had paid into the British system since I was 15, contributed to a pension I will one day receive, god willing, I have never claimed jobs seekers allowance... I was probably unemployed a couple of times and didn't even think of doing so...
Franco works with many people who have chosen to come to this country to work, to live, to expand they're lives, for whatever reasons, most of these people didn't even know when they came that they could claim job seekers allowance, as coming from within Europe and being born Europeans they were entitled to, just as a British person you can move to Spain for instance and claim six months unemployment benefit, and you get much much more than you would here! And that it seems is also true of many other European countries, they're benefits are much greater than that here, and of course they're cost of living is a lot less... Franco has asked many of his colleagues if they left work would they claim money here and none of them could understand why they would, when in their countries they would get more and be home too!
We talked of the Old British Empire and where it went, and whom it took over as its own! Colonizing as it went! We talked of the British around the world and how those countries think of them... I remember how the people in the bar we were having coffee outside one morning, cheered and clapped very loudly, when they saw an Englishman being arrested and hauled away by local police! Shouting "Inglés, Inglés, muy bien!!"
We went on to talk about huge amounts of excess oil now in the US and the power stations having to close there, fracking is supplying the country with power now...
Fracking here is on hold in some places, mini earthquakes, undermining peoples homes, no pun intended! Wind farms are growing and supplying many many people...
We talked about computers then... they control everything, in some homes, many homes already, the heating systems, the alarms, security, televisions.... Our cars, machinery... never mind the computers and mobile phones etc... Our lives are run and controlled by computers...
And, if the whole lot blows!!! What then, wipe out! Totally...
And my memory of this mornings car park rage, followed by road rage... How small these things, how small so many of the things we take on board every day and hold on to for hours!!... and what are they nothing, why do we still complain about things that are not worth a second thought, why hang on... they are nothing, we should just shrug and say, "Whatever!" and move on...
And all this on Shrove Tuesday! Pancakes anyone? Okay, its not about pancakes really is it! Its about giving up something? Food, a bad habit?? My religious instruction seems to be lost somewhere in the dark recesses of school fog! But today is supposed to be the day we stuff ourselves full of something we are giving up! So I am thinking as I am giving up chocolate for March, on behalf of the British Heart Foundation... maybe I will stop eating chocolate tomorrow, forty days... will that take me through to the end of March? Let me look.... bare with! Mmmmm two days over, but I suppose if I can go 40 days without chocolate I can do 42! Shall I??? Heck hadn't thought about it, but if I take all of the above heavy duty conversation to mind, it really is only chocolate, and if I can't go without chocolate for 42 days, well its very sad.... My mind is made up, whats left of the huge box of chocolates I have here I will chuck down my face as much as I can today, I have a few hours left, then that's it! I will take photos of chocolate instead!
View of Mumbles, as seen under bridge archway.
TTFN
Marian [now off her soapbox!]
