A cloudy Monday morning. I woke up at first light and dozed uncomfortably for the next couple of hours. Writing Rogationtide prayers after breakfast, then housework. I think it's time to reduce the amount of cleaning required by shortening my shoulder length hair after a five year experiment. No matter how well I look after it I lose some every day, and the hoover rollers need freeing of hair every time we use it, not to mention my jumpers and jackets.
After a two month suspension of emergency aid to Gaza the Israeli government says it's going to resume deliveries of food. No mention of much needed medical supplies. None of the territory's hospitals are able to operate and military action continues relentlessly to destroy Hamas and rescue remaining hostages even though doing so by force is proved unsuccessful. Earlier on Israeli soldiers killed two hostages who freed themselves. All utterly cruel and futile. No matter how large the final Palestinian death toll, the desire for vengeance will persist, whether or not a just settlement is achieved. The conditions for history to repeat itself are sealed by the shedding of innocent blood.
Britain's brexiteers are complaining vociferously about the government's initiative to refine the euro-divorce to make trading conditions and cross border movement easier if possible, and lengthen a fishing quota agreement renewed annually to facilitate planning ahead. All suitably pragmatic, not that it makes a difference to those who complain about encroaching UK sovereignty. In the light of the experience of post brexit life, I can't see that another referendum on the issue would pass. This was confirmed by a recent public opinion poll. Nine years on, brexit has made little difference to most people and increasing people realise it was a mistake. I had no doubt about that nine years ago when it happened.
The government is adamant that it won't consider re-entering the EU, and no wonder, given how costly those contentious years of negotiation turned out to be. The threat of Russian aggression is pushing all European countries into closer co-operation, and this will influence the process of uniting Europe. What the government is aiming to do is enhance existing partnership ties with Europe without losing sovereignty. Regrettably reluctance to get on with reforming the European Commission back in the day contributed to discontent with the status quo which led to Brexit. Other countries occasionally express similar discontent, so maybe reform will happen eventually, and things will change again for the better.
Today's good news is from Romania, an applicant for EU membership, electing a pro-European president after last year's elections were legally anulled following the uncovering of extensive Russian influence in corrupting the process, backing a pro-Russian anti-EU nationalist candidate, overwhelmingly rejected this time round.
I cooked a prawn and veg risotto for lunch and while Clare had a siesta I walked over to the padel court construction site to inspect the progress made while we were away, and to check on the tree with a hollow branch stump nearby where I glimpsed the nuthatch pair yesterday. I didn't see the birds and there was no sign of nest building. Then we drove to Chris' salon in Rumney for our hairdos. Before saying goodbye to my shoulder length hair, I walked to Tredelerch lake and back while Clare was having her hair done. Chris was satisfied with his handwork on both of us and Clare approved of my neat cut. The roads weren't too congested on the way back, but I had to park away from our street as all the parking spaces were taken. Clare had a quick snack and then went off to choir practice. After I'd eaten, I walked in the park again, then watched an episode of 'Panda streamed on Channel 4, feeling too tired to do much else and then took myself to bed.
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