4 November 2019

’Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way’. That’s what I’m doing during the General Election campaign in the UK. I’m also reading a book which was published on the day our Prime Minister promised to take us out of the EU. (I am glad he failed if anyone is in doubt).

I’ve finished my Cowl against Brexit and when I’m not wearing it, Roger Water’s words, sung by Dave Gilmour at Pompeii days after the referendum result, nicely captures how I feel about Brexit.

I cannot believe that a General Election is being fought before the Brexit issue is resolved. I’m worried it will split the vote in a way that will give rise to consequences even worse than we’re suffering now.

A second referendum (now we’re in full possession of the facts about the problems it throws up) should be held first and THEN a General Election to honour a cognizant result. No-one, including myself, was properly informed the first time around.

My vote should be for the party that I believe will get my local hospital’s A&E department re-opened at night.

My vote ought to go to the party that I believe will do something about the shocking decline in social services for the elderly, children and disabled.

My vote needs to go to the party who will do more for the environment. I do not believe the Conservatives are banning fracking, they are merely postponing it for the duration of the election.

All I can do is read these uplifting essays and hope that, somehow by hook or by crook, we end up staying in the EU, despite the efforts of the liar that presently inhabits Number 10.

Thanks to Mary Beard’s essay in A Love Letter to Europe for reminding me of the above words.

17 October 2019

Started and finished the stars last night. A quick google refreshed me on stranded colourwork, carry unused colour at the back, careful about float tension, ah yes, I remember.

I didn’t get as much done yesterday as I thought I might, late back due to traffic, we got out of the hospital just as rush hour was beginning in the surrounding area of Addenbrookes. Urgh, nightmare delays due to an accident near to Caxton Gibbet.

I’ve never knitted a cowl before though I have crocheted them. I am enjoying doing it. To check it fitted, I tried it on halfway through the stranded colourwork. Not a good idea is all I will say about that but the good news is yes it fits!

16 October 2019

I’m using two strands of Drops Alpaca worked together to get a DK weight.

I haven’t got the correct colours but I’m thinking the paler colouration is a metaphor for how I feel the UK and Europe are both diminished by the current political situation.

I think the pattern is great. I cast it on yesterday lunchtime and spent some time on it today accompanying my brother on a hospital visit where he had a scan.