Yes it’s wet again

I took this photo from opposite the house - a little bit of blossom and Simonside in the gloomy distance.

I walked over to Alison’s for book group this morning. It’s so hard to get a walk unless you can use wellies which I can’t so at least I could keep to reasonable paths to get to her house on the other side of the valley.

We were discussing “Land of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak. I was intrigued as it was set partly in Cyprus in 1974 and we lived up in the mountains there from 71-74. Obviously Shafak’s too young to have been there then so it’s all based on research and probably more recent visits so a lot didn’t ring true. The book was about Greek and Turkish Cypriots, the conflict and its aftermath but when she mentioned the British presence it made me laugh. She said the British forces wives left after the Turkish invasion wearing pastel outfits and matching hats. We were all wearing bright short dresses at that time - I doubt anyone wore hats since the 50s. Not that it mattered for the book. I was thinking about missing trees in Gaza now and other divisions and conflicts and the difficulties of second generation immigrants so we were able to have a lot of discussion on that aspect.

Sue, who was 26 in 74, said there was nothing in the news here then as she hadn’t known about it. Also she said all she knew about the Vietnam war was from films. Pat mentioned being on an Aldermaston march and to her credit Sue did ask what that was as those too passed her by. I think some young people just weren’t into politics and world events and still aren’t.

Mr C has gone to Stanton for plants. When oh when can we get into the garden I wonder.