Cheery Cactus

Yes, I know, a desperate flower blip. I apologise, but with the weather as it is and I being over the hill in terms of age, why would I venture out to find a blip in rain, wind and cold?

I almost posted my blip of the enormous box of Thornton's alphabet chocolates which appeared as if by magic by courier yesterday all the way from Oman.... at least the thought was all the way from Oman, but the powers of the internet ensured they were British through and through and were delivered by a local.

As it is, I have to brave the inclemency later on this afternoon as I meet Edinburgh Grandaughter from school, and even later still, I have to find my way to Escargot Bleu in Broughton Street for a reunion of the stalwart brigade of fellow cyclists who went to the Semaine in Verdun in August.

This is armistice day- the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and for the first year ever we don't have a poppy. There has been no-one selling them round the doors and the local newsagent didn't have any. I hope we find one before Sunday.

I have a bit of sympathy though for Jon Snow of Television fame, who declined to wear a poppy before Rememberance Sunday.
Over the last few weeks, most other people on television seemed to feel it was de rigeur to sport one, and I felt that on many occasions such as the X factor, it was quite inappropriate.

However our thought today and at the weekend are and will be with all the soldiers killed in the 1st and 2nd World wars and those killed in more recent wars, Korea, the Falklands Iraq and Afghanistan. Such a dreadful waste of young lives.