Jackdaws and Milkjugs

  This morning I opened the top half of the back door and took a deep breath of fresh air.  Up in the spindly remains of the oak tree across the stream sat a jackdaw, head on one side, regarding me knowingly; 'Burnt the toast then?'  he said  'Chuck us out a bit..'   Can't get away with anything around here but I'm deeply grateful for jackdaws.                                                                                         Today I'm grateful for all the people who have the courage to stand up and challenge the feeble posturings of those who have failed our country...again.  Being grateful that we're not flooded seems a bit smug in the face of the enormous wave of suffering that has taken so many by surprise, for having your home destroyed is devastating.  There was this Somerset pub landlord on TV this evening. He'd been proactive from the beginning of the flooding, organising the production, filling and distribution of sandbags with his friends without recourse to local authorities. He'd kept the community spirits strong, just a good man. It seemed as if he'd reached a point where he could see that something had been swept away for ever, he had to turn away from the camera, unable to bear telling without tears of the ruined stuff and children's toys in the flooded houses. I'm grateful to him for doing all that and for having the courage to break through the awful TV silence about how bad it is.
     A little later, young Poppy Noor who, homeless at 16, only got to Cambridge because she was able to get housing benefits, challenged a conservative MP to explain how the proposed removal of housing benefit to the under 25s was going to work without making thousands of young people homeless - without getting past first gear she wiped the floor with his hopelessly inept defence. http://bcove.me/p5iy45pm .   More and more often I'm seeing young women - very young women - showing extraordinary courage, speaking up for things to be made right, demanding it with steadfast confidence in knowing that they are right and for all those young women I'm utterly grateful.
    In a world where a generation of young ones are badly stressed by an uncertain future, whose expectations are shrinking and who are so very disillusioned, whose lack of spiritual guidance has left many frustrated beyond telling, I am so grateful to parents who give up a lot of time to teach their children simple skills away from their screens..we're hard wired to remember the stuff our parents teach us and it doesn't have to be all bad...How to light a fire, make a shelter, find north without a compass, read a map, know what plants are edible - all that stuff that might just save their lives one day.. Bless you Mums and Dads...
   
    And finally I'm grateful to my manifesting angel who, having been requested this morning to produce a pyrex jug for melting wax, with a handle that would hook over the side of the water pot without getting too hot to use, came up with a 60's Arcopal, hook handled  milk jug complete with pink flowery decoration and currently selling on EBay for £15 in a charity shop for £1.75....I suppose if I had any sense I'd sell it but ...... thanks Angel, I owe you...