True Lies

I was interested this morning to hear about a particular sauce whose maker had been taken to court as it was claimed that he had stolen the recipe from a couple of friends.  There is nothing unusual about that.  What caught my attention was that the judge who considered him not guilty of the crime went on to say that however, 'he is a liar'.  Apparently he had gone on the programme 'Dragon's Den' claiming among other things that this was a recipe handed down in his family for generations - it was all lies.

Strangely, some of the comments made were that this was really creative marketing, a real entrepreneur, anything to get noticed and receive the financial help from a multi-millionaire and that the subsequent success of the product has proved its worth


It reminded me of a couple of weeks ago there had been complaints of adverts which claimed their product was 'unlimited' for the quoted price.  The problem is that here 'unlimited' doesn't really mean without a limit.  It means that there is freedom within this price range.  Some people found this out to their cost.  One consumer queried how, instead of his £38 a month bill, he actually received a bill for over £200!

So 'unlimited access' really means 'until you reach the limit'!  And 'as much as you can eat' really means 'as long as it's within a certain amount'!


Lewis Shand Smith, the communications ombudsman, says that such phrases should not be used as it is misleading but the advertising agency claims it is OK as long as you explain the limitations of 'unlimited'!

So, apparently it's alright to say something when you know it's not strictly true as long as you make money in the long run.


The Oxford Concise Dictionary says: lie - an intentionally false statement, be deceptive.  Maybe it's time they changed their definition!

Good News Week

The week began with an interview for my unemployed son, Diego.  He, along with 9 others had an appointment at the local supermarket.  They did some activities together and also an individual interview and a little work experience in various parts of the store.  The manager told him that he had passed the interview with flying colours - a great encouragement.


The following evening he received a phone call to say they would be happy to offer him a part-time, temporary job.  At least it's a start, a foot in the door.  So next week he goes for 2 days of induction  followed the following week by two mornings work until the New Year, when the situation will be reviewed.  Thank you Asda for offering some hope in what seems to be quite a hopeless job market.

The other good news also involves Diego.  During his time of unemployment he has been doing a course to improve his school exam results of maths and English and also learn some IT and interview skills and eventually update his fork lift truck licence.  He successfully achieved his maths , IT and interview skills a few weeks ago.  Yesterday he had his English exam and came home pleased to announce that he PASSED!  He is now awaiting a date for his fork lift truck refresher day.

What a difference hope and good news can make.  On so few hours a week, finances have not improved for the moment but suddenly there is a bit of light where everything seemed dark; there is hope for a future where before such a scenario was impossible to see.  Thank you Lord for good news, however small!

Remembering

Maybe I have just not noticed it before, but this year there seems to be much more controversy over 'the poppy'.  As I understand it, the whole idea of buying and wearing a poppy was originally to remember all those who had been killed in the two world wars.  As there are ongoing conflicts, it has now come to be a support for those even today who have been physically, mentally or emotionally affected by such events.  In itself, that is a good thing - to be of help where possible.  Although it would seem a bit unfair that the country expects troops to go into these situations (on our behalf, so they tell us) but when they need help, they have to depend on public charitable donations.

So it seems that, instead of one day of the year (Remembrance Day) when we wear a poppy and spend time thinking of the fallen and praying for their families and above all for peace, we have somehow come to think of it as a month when we support 'our heroes'.  As I said before, I am not against it per se but I just feel that the language and attitudes behind it all have become rather jingoistic and not about a search for peace.  It's as though the original meaning has been hijacked by mob-rule and we need to conform or be frowned upon.  (Where has our human right to make our own choices gone in this freedom we call democracy?)

I had a very dear uncle who died only a couple of years ago, who had been held in terrible conditions as a prisoner by the Japanese in WWII and when anyone spoke of the war, his comment was simply, 'War makes people on all sides do some terrible things.'  I think in remembering those who have suffered, we should also think of those caught up in many conflicts throughout the world and of those who suffer on all sides, whatever colour of skin or religion or any other cultural tendency they may have.

Some will be wearing the white poppy of peace but whether we wear a red poppy to remember those who suffer, a white poppy of peace or no poppy at all, above and beyond that, let's pray for peace in a world ravaged by war and learn how to share the planet as God intended His creation to do.  As David says in the Bible, 'Seek peace and pursue it.' (Psalm 34:14) 

Autumn

One of the beautiful things about autumn is the changing colour of the leaves.  In fact many people visit woodlands at this time of year just to see the spectacular colours.

Of course the downside to autumn is that the changing colours of the leaves really means that a gradual process is taking place - that is the death of the leaves.  Eventually they fall to the ground.  How often as children have we enjoyed wading through a pile of fallen autumn leaves and hearing the rustling sound under our feet.

But, as we know, this process is necessary so that the tree can conserve energy to last the cold spell of winter and then produce new growth in the spring.  God's creation makes even dying into something beautiful to contemplate.


Life brings many changes, colouring our lives with different shades, all beautiful and necessary in their own way, maybe bringing a dying of one circumstance in order to allow growth of something new.  It may be hard to let go sometimes but God's recreation in us can result in something beautiful for others to see and a future full of hope and renewal. 

Another Handful of Aphorisms

Here are another handful of aphorisms - those short, pointed sentences that express a wise or clever observation or truth.

Money will buy a fine dog but only kindness will make it wag its tail.

Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

I've reached the age when 'happy hour' is a nap.

Do you realize that in 40 years we'll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos?  And rap music will be 'the Golden Oldies'!

Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Sad for loss

Without seeming to come across as a bit morbid, I have been aware of the mention of deaths in the news lately.  Apart from the ever-present awareness of our military who die while working in other lands, there have come to our notice a number of others.  It was sad to hear the other day of the death of indycar driver Dan Wheldon whose tragic end came during a race.

Not many days before that we heard of the loss of Steve Jobs who personified the Apple company and is linked to so many of their technological gadgets that have changed the lives of so many people.  

Yesterday people were remembering the 96 fans who died at the Hillsborough football stadium 20 years ago, seeking answers to appease their grief.

It is not my intention to discount the pain suffered by so many at the death of loved ones but I couldn't help thinking of how many deaths go unnoticed because either they are not of celebrity status or their deaths don't have tremendous consequences in the world at large.  Yet the pain and devastation they bring are just as great to those around them.  It reminded me of a poster I saw shared on Facebook.

As I said at the beginning, I do not wish to minimize the loss of people we learn about in the news but I wonder how God must feel about the great loss and waste of so many lives that are lost due to war, famine, slavery, poverty and corporate greed.  What difference would they have made to the world, how would they have enriched our lives if only they had been given the opportunity?  I thank God for those who have enriched my life in so many ways but am aware of so many who seem to go unnoticed.

Aphorisms

Aphorism: a short, pointed sentence that expresses a wise or clever observation or a general truth.    Here are a few:


A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

Why is it that at a class reunion you feel younger than everyone else looks?

Scratch a cat ... ... ... and you will have a permanent job.

No one ever says 'It's only a game' when their team is winning.

Dependence

Learning to depend on others, for me is something I need to learn and become accustomed to.  It seems that it has often been me that is there to help others out but now the shoe is on the other foot, so to speak.  For those who read my blog regularly, you will know that last week, I had a bit of a hiccup in my health (See entry for September - 'Change of Plans')  I am pleased to say that the medication that the specialist has prescribed for me is having the desired effect and I am now feeling much better.  But some things that I always managed to do need to change.  I need to simplify my life!  


One thing I always enjoyed was working in the garden although lately I admit that the length of time I could do this was gradually getting less and less - I just seemed to run out of energy.  So now, my offspring have told me NOT to do it any more but to get someone in to help.  I must confess that I don't always do as they ask but this time I did and so yesterday it was arranged.  Here in the southwest, it is still mild and the garden still needs some attention before the winter sets in.  So we have arranged a couple of visits to tidy it all up before the cold weather and to resume again in March.

Then yesterday, my computer rebelled!  I was checking someone's blog when suddenly it became a screen full of vertical lines and after a few seconds switched off.  I unplugged everything and plugged it all back in again and the same thing happened.  I tried again this morning only to find that the computer hadn't had a change of heart - it just didn't want to do anything!  Fortunately my son who shares the house with me has a new computer and so for the time being I am able to access my account on his.  Phew!  Now I am dependent on him for access to his room when he is out so I can use his computer and keep up to date with everything and everybody.

We (at least I) can become so used to things the way they are that we don't always realise just how much we depend on things continuing in the same way until suddenly life pulls us up with a jerk and makes us reassess the way things are done and seek an alternative even if it is only temporarily ... ... ... and never to take anyone, any thing or any circumstance for granted.     

Style?

You see many magazines and articles about style.  The adverts bombard you everywhere – what clothes to wear and what not to wear.  There are programmes about how to look good and how to make the most of your particular shape.  Others endeavour to give you a makeover so you can look 10 years younger.

But the other day I saw an article that I found amusing and puzzling.  It said ‘How to fake unkempt bedhead hair.’  It was mainly telling you just how you could achieve the ‘sexy unkempt look with minimum effort’.  I found it funny to think that anyone would really want to go out looking as though they had just got out of bed and hadn’t at least tidied their hair.  Then I was puzzled that people might even consider it looking sexy and that they would go to great efforts to achieve the said look. 

The model in the above photo actually paid a lot of money and went to great lengths to have her hair look like that!  They were trying to tell you how to do this with minimum effort.  Surely if you really want to go out looking as though you have just got out of bed without doing your hair, then the least effort of all would be – DON’T DO ANYTHING!  What effort do you need to make at all?  Hmmm.  Am I missing something? 

Change of plans

This week the weather has been glorious – an extension to the summer we didn’t get in August.  So the plan was to spend time in the garden, sorting out and preparing for the winter.  I should know better than to make plans!

On Monday night, or rather at about 2.30 on Tuesday morning, I awoke feeling the usual necessity to visit the bathroom.  So I got out of bed … … and immediately fell over on my left side.  What is going on?  Where has my left leg gone?  I managed to lift myself back onto the bed and looked in the mirror.  You know the advert, you need to check for – FAST – face, arms, speech, time to phone.  Well my face was ok (not twisted), arms could be raised and held, no problem, so I began talking to myself in the mirror!  Everything seemed to be in order so it appeared not to be a stroke so it wasn’t time to phone for an ambulance.

After a short while, I did feel my leg but I didn’t get much sleep that night.  The following day I went to see my GP who sent me immediately to A & E where they did tests and took blood and referred me to the Consultant of the Stroke Unit who would be in touch.  This morning I got the phone call to ask if I could go this afternoon (yes, that quick! – and on the NHS) I had more tests – ECG, ultrasound scan on my neck and MRI on my head sandwiched by two consultations with the doctor, one before all the scans and one after.

It was apparent that I have had a few TIAs (mini strokes) but not within the past 14 days but because of family history he has put me on medication to counteract any future attacks.  It seems that the problem with my leg is something different and will be dealt with when I go back for future appointments – maybe connected to back pain.  So for the moment I can’t drive and am limited in my digging in the garden.  So much for my plans! 

But I’m so grateful that although my leg problem was not what I thought, the scans revealed things that did need immediate attention that I am now receiving.  And thanks to doctors and nurses in the NHS who are so thorough in their treatment of patients.  

Making a Difference

If you have been following my blog over the past week you will know that I really enjoyed my few days in Latvia with friends Jo and Ian Storie.  They feel that it is the place where God wants them to be.  They are not connected to any particular church denomination, charity or overseas society but are committed to what they are doing.  It’s not being missionaries in the traditional sense of the word but about radical living in order to make a difference where they are.  They made me so welcome in their home and shared their work and hopes with me. 

Jo, myself and Ian having a meal in a nearby hotel where they
have become well known and accepted as friends.



Ian is always on hand to help with his tractor – whether it’s to turn over some land or get someone out of a ditch.  They have also been able to help friends set up a logging business in some new premises – Ian helping to clear the land around so lorries carrying the logs can get through to the storage depots.  Wood is an important part of Latvian life, as I have mentioned in previous blogs, and this new initiative will help to create jobs in forestry, lorry transportation, logging and will hopefully lead to exports.

Ian using the tractor on their own piece of land.



Quite a big problem on the land is the way wild boar churn up the land searching for their favourite food.  They leave big holes that are dangerous for anyone driving a tractor in the fields, apart from destroying some of the crops.  Because of small numbers in the past, they are protected by law but now the numbers have increased so much that they are becoming a pest.



Jo standing in a hole made by a wild boar.  (Photo by Jo)



Jo has just finished a degree in Managing Sustainable Rural Development, doing it online with the University of the Highlands and Islands.  This year she has just started her Masters thesis on Monitoring Pig Damage.  She is currently visiting neighbouring farms to get her facts and figures which she then hopes to report to the relevant authorities who, hopefully will take the necessary steps to at least help if not eradicate the problem that is affecting the livelihood of so many.

(Graph by Jo)

Next year they plan to get some alpacas which they will rear on their land.  They hope that the wool from the alpacas can be used in making warm winter clothing, so necessary for the very cold winters they experience in Latvia.  They have already made contact with people who dye wool, using natural dyes and know people who would be able to knit garments to sell – a whole new industry that will hopefully result from this.



Wool at an exhibition dyed using natural dyes. (Photo by Jo)





It has been a privilege to get a glimpse into their world and see how they are making a real difference in the lives of those around them.  This is the last of my updates on my visit to Latvia but you can follow their story on Jo’s weekly update on her blog at http://www.thejourneytosomewhere.blogspot.com. 

Down on the Farm

We spent a day of my stay in Latvia visiting some friends who own smallholdings.  This is a natural way of life for many but does not mean that they are wealthy, simply ordinary people finding a way to provide for the needs of their family.  The first farm we went to had the most amazing view over a lake – something that would increase the cost of a property in the UK.

 

They were very friendly people showing us around their property.  Inside the huge barn there were rabbits, hens and a goat.  Outside there were a number of turkeys – made me think of Christmas!  They also had a number of goats outside and their milk was used to make goat’s cheese.  The other animals were reared as a way of making some money.  My friends took a melon as a small gift and were in turn given 10 eggs – really free range with not a cage in sight.

They were very welcoming and insisted we stay for something to eat.  The lady made fresh pizza (yes, it has reached Latvia) with a topping of tomatoes, fresh from the greenhouse and various herbs and topped with some goat’s cheese.  Yummy!

Later in the day we visited another family.  The mother had been a vet and so loved her animals.  Their barn housed even more animals – 4 cows, 3 pigs, hens, rabbits, goats and a number of sheep outside in the field.  They get up to 80 litres of milk a day from the cows and sell some milk and also make cheese to sell.  Again the various animals are sold for meat.  In shops the main meat to buy is pork but from the farmers there is quite a variety – turkey, chicken, rabbit, goat. 

While we were there, the mother milked one of the cows and gave the milk to two of the calves.  After the calves had finished what was in the buckets she told us to watch as they then approached each other and each started to lick the other’s face so as not to waste any milk that may have caught in a place that could not be reached by the calf’s own tongue.  It just looked as thought they were kissing each other.  It was quite funny to watch.  She said that they always do that.

The 'kissing' calves

I met some lovely friendly people who were so pleased to see us – people with no airs and graces or expectations – just genuinely good people who made me very welcome.

People of the Land

Continuing my account of my days in Latvia - travelling through the country it became obvious that the Latvians have a different attitude to house and land from those living in the west.  In the UK it seems the ownership of land brings with it a certain status and so many crave for a place in the country with some land.  In Latvia it was noticeable that each home had it’s own land.  Even those living in flats were allotted a strip of land that they cultivated for their own benefit.  They grew flowers (which they love) as well as fruit and vegetables.  Even in the bigger towns people had the opportunity to have their own piece of land.  Apart from that, they all have some fruit trees.

A view from the flat where I stayed.  It shows the various
greenhouses belonging to the different strips of land of the
people living in the flats.



Apart from the pieces of land that go with their flats (they have 2 flats), my friends also work a few acres of land that lie about 3 miles from their home.  As out there they have no connection to running water or electricity, work in daylight hours is a necessity but personal ‘hygiene needs’ are adequately catered for.  In the very large greenhouse they seem to grow everything from tomatoes to grapes, celery to melons and from a variety of peppers to pumpkins.  And you really can’t beat the taste of food straight from the garden that has not been forced or covered in chemicals.

Not quite ready for eating!



They are also in the process of building a larger barn to house the tractors and equipment for working on the land.  Outside of the greenhouse, there are fruit trees and other vegetables as well as a good amount of buckwheat.  And of course there is the necessary small forest that is on part of the land and is a good source of wood for their log fires. 



The nearly finished barn on the left of the greenhouse,
Beyond that is the small forest.
In the foreground are some fruit trees just becoming established.





Everyone seems to have also a separate wood shed with a good stock of wood to see them through the winter.  Much of the heating and cooking is done with wood.  Replenishing the forests is not a problem as there is more wood than the country needs to the point that they export some and many trees are mature in only about 25-30 years, unlike those like the oak that can take hundreds of years.

You can just make out the log shed among the trees
at the back of the photo

A few modern houses owned by the wealthy may have lawns but most people would not think of using valuable land to grow grass.  Land means an opportunity to grow food or keep animals, thus freeing up more of their resources for other needs like electricity and petrol that are expensive.  The people are not motivated by greed or have plans on a great scale but are content to have sufficient to feed their family and a little extra to sell at market.  It is refreshing to see people who are not materialistically minded and craving the latest gadget.  I hope they can keep that attitude as democracy and western influence creep in.



Travelling East

I set out from my home in Yeovil last Monday at 6.30am to arrive at Bristol airport parking facilities for 8am.  In fact I arrived about 10 minutes early so was relaxed knowing I had plenty of time before check-in.

Map of Bristol airpot.  The Silver Link car park for long stay (5 days or more) is at the top right of the map.



I checked the car in at the Silver Link car park and got the shuttle bus to the airport – about 3 minutes journey.  Then came the usual check-in, baggage drop and security checks to go through into the Duty Free and Departure Gates.  I had plenty of time for a coffee and snack.  My destination was Riga, the capital of Latvia, the middle country of the Baltic trio, Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south.



Just under 3 hours after take off I was walking out to the arrivals lounge of Riga airport.  There they were, waiting.  I don’t know if the thoughts going through their minds was on a similar line to my own but I was wondering if these people that I had got to ‘know’ through internet websites matched up to the image that I had built in my mind.  I was immediately put at ease when the expression of ‘will we recognise her?’ changed to big smiles and hugs.  They were as welcoming and friendly as I had imagined them to be.  I was looking forward to the time we would spend together.

My first impression after leaving the airport building was that the car park seemed half empty compared to the one I had left in England.  Maybe it was just the time of day or the fact that it was the short-term car park.  I don’t know but I did wonder if there existed a similar situation in an English airport car park – probably not.  Anyway, it wasn’t important but from my experience, unusual.

We then had another two and a half hour journey (without counting stopping time for something to eat – very important!) eastwards to the town of Ergli.  There seemed to be so much countryside, a lot of fields dotted with forests. 

The main road out of Riga was a regular road but after some distance it became more of a ‘country’ road – that means impacted earth.  It reminded me of some of the roads I had experienced in the north of Argentina where I had lived for some years.  So for me there was a sort of pleasant familiarity about it.

By the time we arrived at the home of my hosts, Jo and Ian, I was already feeling very much at home and looking forward to the next few days.  … … …

to be continued in future blogs.