Bahrain

I have been struck down by a very bad arthritis attack - back, right ankle, hands, you name it.  Two sleepless nights so far. So I haven't been doing much.   But I was thinking about Bahrain - that pretty island state which was so peaceful in our days in ExpatWorld.  We spent many weekends there, with Chuck, Mary and the Shoal, then later on we would just go over for the day - shop and have lunch.  We saw a wonderful Brian Ferry concert there with Bob during The Troubles in Saudi.  It was a baking hot Bahrain summer night, and we were outside in the grounds of the hotel.   He finished with a resounding version of "Woolly Bully".  And he didn't do any encores.  But then Brian and I are not as young as we were.

And we went through the airport in Bahrain many many times.

I wrote this, twenty (?) years ago, during a long weary wait in the small hours.

WAITING IN BAHRAIN

 by me 

The landscape to the East

Is tilting fast towards the sun

Clouds are being edge with pink

Runway lights grow pale and wan.

I note that I didn't manage to get anything distinctively Bahrain into the little poem, but there again, these days, one international airport is much like any other.

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Ivy Lake

Ivy Lake could be a character from an Agatha Christie book - perhaps a housemaid who foolishly keeps what she has seen to herself, tries blackmail, and becomes the next victim - but in this context it is where we went for our bird walk today.  Lots of wildfowl - and swans were a'dabbling, tails up, which I don't think I have ever seen before.  If anyone passing by had been wondering how to re-choreograph Swan Lake it might have given them some strange ideas.

I have done some studying and made us lunch and dinner, emailed Bea and spoken to Maggie to let her know I have her magazines and will bring them with me tomorrow.  I feel a bit depressed now.  I don't know why.  Anyway, I have an evening with Captain B ahead of me - and was thinking again today how nice it is to have weekdays together as for most of our marriage we both worked.  And tomorrow I have a morning with my dear sister Maggie, so I ought to cheer up.

There is blossom along the roadsides now - once again I am surprised at how early Spring comes down here as compared to my Northern hometown.

Baby nettles are surging up everywhere, and the grass is starred with daisies.  No dandelions as yet, but they will arrive.  Perhaps its all this Spring that's depressing me, given that i am now rather old?   That is a sad thought, and a cue for a flower poem - or more correctly, a verse - with no angst in it:

OH DANDELION SEED

by me 

 Oh Dandelion Seed!   Oh Dandelion Seed!

 What a heedless seed you are indeed

 Crashing on carpet without a care

 How do you think you can grow in there?

  

Oh Dandelion Seed!   Oh Dandelion Seed!

 I’ll take you outside, I will indeed

 I’ll place you in topsoil never fear

 But who’ll be weeding you up next year?

Isn't a dandelion seed a miracle of artistry and engineering?  And isn't that comforting and reassuring, speaking as it does of its Grand Creator, Jehovah of armies.

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Birdsong 2

I missed an Arun walk this morning - with sunshine and good light for photos (see The Captain's Log).  Spring has sprung, and apparently the local robins (see photo) got very loud and sing-y  and did a lot of territorial proclaiming, warning other robins off.

"As you would, if another man dared to fly near me, your precious (and stunningly attractive) Mrs.Captain", I said complacently.

The Captain failed to burst into his warning song at this point, so his Spring courting rituals need some polishing.

Audrey, Jean, Maggie and me were out on the door to door work this morning - in Angmering - which is why I missed the walk.   We didn't find too many in, but had a few interesting talks.  I placed the March Watchtower with a young lad who had one of those pit bull/bull terrier sort of dogs. It came bounding out at us, but fortunately was very friendly and cuddly.  I think they are if they have a nice owner.

It is a wonderful Watchtower, which starts with  Jesus words at Matthew 24:14 - which explain why we are at your doors in the first place.

It says:  "And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come".

And I left him with these two questions:

What is the "good news of the Kingdom"?

And what is going to come to its end?

The articles show how the Bible answers those questions.

I only have one copy of that Watchtower left now sadly.

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Birdsong

Colin's new Ipod came into its own on our walk today - by the River Arun - along blackberry alley.   We chose music from it for the car and then its birdsong index came into play.  He is using it to try to teach me the bird songs.

"What bird is that?" he would ask every time some bird went and sang something.

"I don't know", I would answer truthfully.

Anyway, I did learn something.  The answer - when walking by the Arun in March - is usually "A great tit".  (Or was that me, for not knowing the answer?)

I can manage to recognise a pheasant though as it has a sort of rasping clockwork cry to go with its fast clockwork flight.

Shopped, studied, and changed my library books.

Out with Audrey on the work tomorrow - via a trip to the shops first.

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Curry On Cooking

We had a nice Saturday night with Jackie and Ubbeh over a chicken curry and some dahls.  Reliable Madhur Jaffrey recipes.
Col was out butterflying today - see The Captain's Log - I can only hope the butterflies are suitably grateful.
The meeting at the Hall this morning was lovely, as it always is. But I didn't go out on the work afterwards as I had meant to. I feel exhausted today.  We used to do so much entertaining in our Expat days, but its a different me now, one who is exhausted by anything and everything.
I spoke to Jackie on the phone.  Got through to Claire and introduced myself.  And Lida and I became Facebook Friends today...   I am just remembering when the IT Crowd joined FriendFace... but surely my entry into Facebook World won't turn out like that?
Bea is back on-line!

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Three Miles Up

The boat hidden in the reeds reminds me of that wonderful and scary Elizabeth Jane Howard short story "Three Miles Up".  We saw it on our walk along the Arun yesterday. It was grey and cold but beautiful of course.

I was out on the work this morning with June.  It was a lovely sunny Spring morning, but apparently its snowing in Scotland and is overcast now.  We were all working on the same road so after about an hour June went on some return visits with Mick and young Ronald and I and did three return visits.  We found one lady at home and had quite a long talk. She has been reading "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" and had some good questions for us.  She said we may call again.

Now cooking awaits me, if Jacks and Ubbeh are to have any food tonight.

The extent of the devastation in Japan is very hard to take in, but I know that my brothers and sisters there will be regrouping and looking after each other as best they can. And the Watchtower Society is always quick at getting help in.

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