Peelers

I woke up refreshed to bright sunshine having enjoyed a good night's sleep. The rain clouds have passed but there's still a strong cold north easterly wind today. Clare opted to attend the Welsh language Eucharist this afternoon so I went to St Catherine's on my own. A toddler was baptised during the service and there were several others in attendance too. Interestingly they weren't as noisy as they tend to be if they come in from Sunday Club, caught up in the atmosphere of the occasion I think. I was charmed by the sight of a four year old walking around holding the hand of a toddler in a motherly way, not fussed over by parents, apparently at ease in church. 

I relaxed without dropping off to sleep after lunch and went out for an hour's walk before the sun reached the horizon. Two horse chestnut trees on the avenue through Llandaff Fields suffered from storm damage yesterday, one lost most of its canopy branches above the trunk, the other was felled nearer the ground but neither was uprooted. Neither had leaves and looked in poor condition, diseased and weak after spells of drought. The Council's tree management team's work will be less hazardous as a result.

After supper I watched a couple of episodes of 'Blue Lights' on BBC iPlayer, about trainee police officers in Northern Ireland, a keenly observed 'cops and crooks' drama, portraying the unique challenges and risks faced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in urban Belfast post-Good Friday agreement, from organised crime in volatile communities with a tribal distrust of the authority of 'Peelers', the antique nickname for law enforcement officers still in use. It's beautifully written and acted, compelling watching. I'll have to ration myself to one or two episodes a night to avoid staying up far too late.