I like mornings here, getting out of bed is easy when it is always warm and the sun is, nearly always, shining! I like being able to throw on a pair of shorts and a t shirt and walking up the beach to get fresh bread and hot cakes and never having to worry about sunbathing and still having a tan and not having to worry about work…woooo that is a whole different blog!
This morning was particularly lovely there was a beautiful rainbow across the bay, sorry Om; no I didn’t have my camera, and we saw two green parrots, which is a first for me.
I really do like mornings in Mauritius.

We watched a movie taking place in France during the 2nd world war,the other night, forget the title. But I have to admit I was very moved by the way the Jewish people were treated by the German army. What I really struggle to have any understanding of, is how the Jews can now treat another group of people so abysmally and with so little compassion.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/5516536/US-cities-may-have-to-be-bulldozed-in-order-to-survive.html

I like this!

Its 6:20 in the morning and I am, as usual, browsing the Internet, seeing what is happening in the world. I came upon this series of articles called ‘Are you Happy?’ makes you think doesn’t it, are we ever truly, completely happy?
I think most of us have moments, flashes of genuine happiness, but the world has become a confusing, complicated place and to be truly happy I think one would have to be totally unaware or unconcerned about the wider world.
On a personal note, yes I am at a very contented stage in my marriage to a lovely husband of 31 years. Our 3 beautiful children are out there in the world making the most of their opportunities and my small group of close family and friends, I know will always be there for me, even though we are 6000 miles away from them. And there is the rub, for me, because although we are retired to our own small corner of paradise; can I ever be truly happy when I cannot reach out and hug them on a routine basis?

P.S. I would be even happier if I could bet the link to work, LOL, it’s the small things!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/areyouhappy

I have just finished another of John Grisham’s novels and I have to say I really enjoy his writing.

“……..the glaring question-what the hell are we doing in Vietnam? A gifted student,talented athlete, school leader, future community leader, one of our best and brightest, gunned down at the edge of a river we’ve never heard of, in a country we care little about.” This fictitious newspaper report in John Grisham’s The last Juror, struck a chord. This could be part of a obituary today from a casualty of the Iraq war. More and more I question the benefits of going to war. As I have said before; to protect home and family from invaders, yes! But this political interference in other counties makes me feel sick to the pit of my stomach..strong words I know but it is true.
And don’t get me started on the local civilian casualties where these bloody wars are taking place, how would we in the western world react if it was happening in our country?

A comment posted by Omar, linked to http://bit.ly/lEMKY, inspired this entry. I was interested to read the thoughts on living in the here and now and how our minds frequently wander to some other time, past or future, because the grass may be greener somewhere else.
It took me back to a time when KC and I were picnicking on the banks of the Severn with Omar, Hannah and Adam who were (approximately) aged between 4 and 10 and they were pretending to fly off the top of a gate. I remember thinking if I could stay somewhere in time and space it would be here and now. I took a photograph which I have somewhere.
This post struck a chord because sometimes when I am walking along the beach or cycling to the shop in the sunshine and I feel so lucky, a little voice inside says wouldn’t you rather be at home in the UK.

Should we vote now we know that our politicians are no more honest than the rest of us? I have to admit than I do know one or two totally honest people, but lets be honest wouldn’t we all go with a bit of a scam if we could? Especially if it was within the rules?
But to answer the question; should we vote? No I don’t think we should. I, rather tongue in cheek, suggested at the last election that we should have ‘A no vote is a positive vote’ campaign, because I didn’t believe any of them was doing a good job for the good of the country. And if nobody voted then the people that govern us would realise that we had all lost confidence in them AND something BIG had to be done to get us back on track!
Being told you have to vote, because the suffragettes… blah blah blah is *****. We have the right not to vote if there is no one worth voting for; in fact I would go so far as to say that it is our duty not to vote for politician we have no confidence in!
I personally believe that party politics has a lot to answer for, what we need and have needed for many years is a coalition government to sort this country and the wider world out! (But thats a whole new blog)

I am currently sat listening to the memorial service for the soldiers who have died in the fighting in Iraq and I have to say I am finding it very poignant and thought provoking. These men and women gave up their lives; for what I am not sure! What would I have given up? My comfortable life; no way!

To fight to protect ones homes and families is one thing, to fight other peoples battles, I don’t think so!

Over the years I have switched off in the main to a war that I was against and protested against in London with 100’s of 1000s maybe millions of others!! I have just closed my eyes since that day pretended it isn’t happening.

Our family is not unfamiliar with war My grandfather and uncles fought in both world wars (I believe) for it was never talked about! My father drove a fire engine, when he finished baking for the day, he was unable to sign up due to poor health. And my Mother was presented with a certificate for her war efforts.

My life has been incredibly comfortable and sheltered, but I do worry that it wont be the same for future generations. In some ways I think we have had the good years, if not war, we have many challenges ahead ….. but we shall see?

I hate to gripe when I have a lovely life, but the one thing I really miss is talking with people. We have met some wonderful people out here but I have to admit that I can only communicate fully with about 20% of them, in a limited way with another 20% and then I only meet with these people at most once or twice a week! KC excluded of course!

The rest well I probably understand 10% of what they say if I am lucky! So I am dependent on the Internet and pestering my children when they are getting on with their own lives!

Its not that I don’t try to speak a little creole, but I just don’t ‘hear’ what people say to me, how do you gain this skill, everyone says it will come with time! I hope so………