Spangles

A jumble of a day really. I didn't sleep well last night, or for long enough.... partly the effects of Richard's snoring, partly my own restlessness. So the day felt a bit daunting in prospect.  My blip is a quick breakfast-time shot of a rambling rose and a flowering currant at the back of the garden, decorated with sparkling raindrops.
As it happens, I'd fixed up a walk with a friend I haven't seen for ages, and really didn't want to miss that. She wasn't feeling great either, so we had a gentle ramble around the woodland near her house, and this really made me feel better.
Then there was an amusing trip to Eben's school in the afternoon, as Weds is my day to pick him up. He wasn't there though; 'he's got chicken pox', said his teacher - 'didn't they tell you...?'  Er - no. She and I had a quick chat and a chuckle about this. Ruth and Josh had probably each thought that the other one had sent me a message.   These kinds of mix-up don't bother me; I remember my own days of hectic parental juggling acts, especially when kids are ill and everything has to be rearranged to cope. And - the main thing - the prospect of an unexpected catch-up afternoon nap felt like a wonderful bonus. I checked in with Ruth on the phone, found that Eben is spotty but not feeling bad, and retreated to bed at home.
This meant that the usual Weds eve online Greek lesson felt much easier to manage than it sometimes does.
Meanwhile, there has at least been good news about the homecoming of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. I am left wondering, however, why it took our govt so long to repay the debt that seems to have held up her release before now. Ho hum.
And I continue to watch the news from Ukraine. This morning's Radio 4 Today programme included a short piece from one of the main stations in Berlin, which is now operating as an emergency refugee support centre, complete with beds and food and volunteers on hand to provide a welcome for thousands of people.  Here, we have a proposed hosting-at-home scheme that sounds both half-baked and full of bureaucratic obstacles.  Despite that, tens of thousands of people have signed up.  I know that Jack has major concerns about the plans, particularly where safeguarding is concerned. He should be home from Moldova tomorrow and if he can pass on any proper info on all this, I'll post it.