Tragedy

The monsson rains in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand have killed more than 1,000 people with
8,000 still waiting to be rescued from the rising flood waters.
Yet in the UK our newspapers and TV news is all about tennis and the start of the Wimbledon.
Strange and very very sad.

Mother nature will have her way!

This picture reminds me of the 'weeds' growing in my garden - nothing seems to stop them!

G8 Summit

There is so much going on here at the Summit between the most powerful people in the world.  I almost said the most powerful men in the world because sadly that is the state of affairs.  The German Chancellor Angela Merkil being one if not the only one of the few really powerful women.
Mr Cameron our Prime Minister and President Obama made much of  'the biggest bilateral trade deal in history'
between our two countries.  Mr Putin, arguably the second most powerful man in the world looked uncomfortable on camera
when any talk of the trouble spots, especially Syria were mentioned but then he is known to wait until he is back safely in Moscow before going into a rant.
I think the most wonderful thing I have read about and seen on TV is the speech Mr Obama gave to a huge group of Northern Irish children, when he told them to look proudly at their own country and it's achievement in turning
their own troubles and fights into peace.  They should be proud he told them and they surely look proud and many of them speaking to camera said they would never forget his message to them.  
That is what great statesmen should be doing in my opinion - inspiring the next generation of leaders.
Thank you Mr President.

Prince Philip

Get well soon.   The Queen is never going to last long if you leave her.

Fiesta time!

I took this photograph at the Fiesta de Mayo in Cordoba and only some time later did I notice that the young men do not appear to have gone to too much trouble - clean Tshirt perhaps?
The girls though look fabulous and have gone to great expence and preparation
soooo what happens?
They dance with themselves of course!   Well done senoras!

Pope Francis

 

When I watched the installation of Pope Francis I became convinced I had seen him somewhere before - impossible!
His looks, tone of voice, stance and walk seemed so familiar to me I spent hours going back in my mind to places I had worked, visited, even houses I had lived in  but I couldn't remember who it could be; eventually I told my nearest and dearest who immediately said  'Well he's exactly like your dad, that's for sure'
Of course, how could I forget my long gone and always lamented dad, whom I have missed every day since his death.
Pope Francis has a new name in our house, he's known as Pope Harold!

Who says animals do not have feelings?

The dog used jump up on to the sofa to have a nap every afternoon
with his owner.  Now the dog walks a couple of miles every day
at the same time to have a nap with his owner.

The world's highest rubbish dump!

Six decades after it was conquered Everest has become gridlocked with climbers waiting in a queue to reach the summit.   How did the world's highest mountain become so congested?  It is probably thanks to the advances in mountaineering equipment, the new lightweigh oxygen tanks and the constant supply of Sherpas who need to earn a living.
But........?   why are we spoiling such awesome beauty for future generations?  Surely if you can carry heavy drink cans up the mountain you can bring the empty ones down with you.   Let us stop now and allow a few years for the mountain to heal itself.
We have the technology to see the pictures and even to feel cold at the sight of them let us for at least three years be content.