When is a Party not a Party?

 A spokesperson for the Prime Minister wished to go on record as positively confirming his previous denial that any sort of party took place last Christmas in No 10 Downing Street or its environs. What might have been, by the uninitiated, construed as a party, was in fact a gathering of staff who were working late  and each happened to walk into the same room at the same time each holding a plate with their evening supper consisting of bread and cheese and holding a glass of liquid which was in fact water coloured red with fermented grape juice.

Face masks were worn at all by all present. These were supplied by the second cousin once removed of the landlord of the pub that was frequented by one Matt Hancock. They were woven from the same material as first described in a story written by the Danish author Hans Christian Anderson. The working late was dutifully recorded by the Track and Trace organisation that was set-up and run by Lady Dildo.

Any inference that such a gathering could be construed as a party is false and erroneous. For those wishing further elucidation of how a party can exist and non-exist at the same time please read: 'Erwin Schrödinger, Die gegenwärtige Situation in der Quantenmechanik'

The spokesperson went on to confirm that the Prime Minister considers this matter firmly closed until the next leak.

The Hidden Casualties of War

 Whilst pondering on the war dead this Remembrance Day I thought of, and prayed for, the forgotten victims of the war - war widows and their families.

Take my wife's grandfather Arthur Earnest Smith. In 1914 several events occurred in his young life, he was a dairyman working on a farm. He turned 21, married Mary his sweetheart, war was declared and, along with hundreds of thousands others, he joined the army. Their first child (auntie Mary) was also born later that year. He only saw his daughter occasionally when on home leave away from the horrors of the front.

In September 1917 his second child Harry, Julia's dad, was born. Sadly Arthur Earnest was badly wounded in the June/July of that year and died in Flanders on 1/1/1918 leaving his young widow to bring up two young children.

Although this story is special to us, it was not uncommon, far from it. With over 700,000 British war dead there must have been hundred of thousands of war widows raising young children single handedly.

In some ways the WW2 was worse in that the civilian population found itself in the firing line with the advent of the Blitz and then the V-bombs. Tremendous damage to housing along with loss of life estimated to be over 43,500 people during the nine months it lasted.

In one raid at South Hallsville School in East London it is estimated that about 600 hundred people were killed by a single parachute bomb along with hundreds of injured including my mother who received, what we would call today 'life changing injuries'.

So whilst it is right and proper to remember those in the forces who gave their life, let us also remember the suffering and loss of those who remained behind.

Lord and Lady Mellish

For part of our Golden Wedding Anniversary present our children bought us the title to the Manor of Hogun. This means that Julia and I are entitled to be addressed as Lord Barry and Lady Julia! Below is the crest that we can use - I must add that this is nothing to do with being a peer of the realm - just a bit of fun.

Why go to University?

 For the past number of years university has become the "must have" when people leave school. It is the thing to do, whether it is the best option or not. In more recent years there has been the beginnings of a kickback against this and things such as apprenticeships are being explored and not just craft apprenticeships. 

This interesting article in the Guardian asks what is the future of conventional universities when things are now happening online - shades of the Open University?

Click here for the article

Mellish Christmas Newsletter (Christmas 2020)

 That was the year that was, its over let it go.” Those of you who were watching TV in England in 1962/63 may well remember “That Was the Week That Was” affectionately known as TW3 a satirical TV programme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG3Uz4srwqo).  Well, 2020 is almost over (thank heavens) and all we can do is pray that 2021 will bring some good news and cheer – the end to the pandemic will be a good starter for ten. At the time of writing there is the promise that vaccines will soon be rolled out on a large scale. Hope springs eternal from the human breast that this will put paid to all the lockdown and all the Tiers/tears.

We had a great time last Christmas although it seems far longer than a year ago. My cousin, Nena, who lives on the Norfolk/Suffolk border joined us. We had a really good time; the only problem was a shortage of sleep as we never seemed to go to bed before the early hours of the morning! On the 28th we all went up to London and had a meal with son-in-law Sam’s family. Our one mistake was not to take a group photo – we were too busy having fun.

 

 

January and February were, as is usual, relatively quiet months. On Match 15^th we went to Devon to open the Lodge. David came with us and we had a lovely few days going out and about together. The storm clouds that are Covid were gathering over mainland Europe, but keeping away from others was not too difficult on the vast expanse of Dartmoor. 

We had always planned to come home on Monday 23^rd March which is just as well really, as it was that evening that our beloved prime minister declared the lockdown. 

Most of the next few months were spent indoors or in the garden, it has never looked so good thanks to Julia’s hard work. My role was to keep the supplies of tea/coffee going, and when the sun was over the yardarm to appear clutching a large G&T. The family were all ok throughout this. We were worried about Hélèna & Sam’s catering business, however they managed to secure work catering at a local hospital whose staff canteen was closed for refurbishment immediately prior to lockdown. 

When lockdown finished at the end of July, we planned to go to Halesowen to see Lawrie, Emma and the grandchildren. H&S were coming down from Stockport to join us, sadly the government imposed severe restrictions on Greater Manchester so they were not allowed to travel. This means that we have not seen them this year since the first week in January. We miss them, something I never thought I would say, particularly when we were living in the US and I was yelling and screaming at Hélèna in order to get her up for her 7:30am start at school (leaving home just before 7:00am)!

We had a wonderful time at Halesowen as we hadn’t seen the grandchildren at all (apart from on zoom) this year. Then we had the fabulous bonus of spending a week with Lawrie, Emma, Henry and Georgia at the Lodge in Devon. Sadly, this was over all too quickly. After a few days with Julia and I just together (how sweet and romantic!!!).

After a few weeks of freedom which included a birthday meal present from Andrew & Gaew at Petrus, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, and a treat to ourselves at Gauthier Soho (great for veggies/vegans and omnivores). We also managed a couple of trips to London to Tate Britain and Tate Modern – Aubrey Beardsley and Andy Warhol before it was lockdown again! 

Hélèna, Sam, Andrew and Gaew managed to see each other in the Lake District – A&G were there as they could not travel to Thailand this year.

My cousin Nena was 90 in October. A family party had been planned, but Covid put paid to that. Instead, there has been a series of smaller gatherings. Julia, David and I managed to be with her on her birthday and took her out for lunch at a local pub.

As I am writing this, we in Greater London, are just emerging into Tier 2 following a few interminable weeks of lockdown. We are now trying to figure out what we will be doing at Christmas. We are only allowed three households to gather together – and there are four of us!! This is a conundrum that would tax even “Solomon in all his glory”! Although the lockdown has ended, we are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible – particularly the elderly – it appears that Julia and I fall into this category something I deeply resent as we are barely middle-aged!! This means that most of Christmas cards will be email ones this year particularly ones to all our friends overseas as we don’t fancy joining the long queues at the post office.

We pray that you and your loved ones are safe and well and surviving all the vicissitudes that the pandemic is bringing. With all our love and prayers for a Happy Christmas and a Healthy, Prosperous and Covid Free 2021.

Barry, Julia and all the Family