Dear Reader,
Reading Richard Hayes's piece from his diary written in 1765 about the song thrush which 'pipes away as though an April morn' I felt sad. When I lived in Oxford I had a small garden in which two beautiful song thrushes came to live. With great pleasure over the years I watched them grow and produce little ones, then just before I left that house they disappeared. And I haven't seen a thrush ever since. What happened to them, I wonder, if anyone knows could they tell me please.
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I was called to the Health Centre last week to have the Covid.19 vaccination. I hadn't been at all keen on having it but was persuaded to change my mind. In fear and trepidation I asked Francis to take me to the centre and although I had to queue for ages, it all went very smoothly. There are various mild side effects that you could get after having it but I have had none. So to anyone who is wondering whether to have it or not I would say go for it, it is the obvious thing to do now to rid us of this beastly pandemic. And it is safe.
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From Richard Hayes's diary, 1765, in Kent
'Brisk wind, but quite warm. Song thrush pipes away as though an April morn.'
From Francis Kilvert, 1872 in Wiltshire
'The air early this morning was as warm as the air of a hot-house and the thrushes singing like mad thinking that spring had come. '
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The Mind Cupboard
My mind cupboard overflows
with unwanted debris,
It needs a spring clean.
I will brush away the cobwebs
of cheerless thoughts.
Scrub out the stains of childhood.
I will replace the brass hooks
corroded with salt tears,
empty all the screams
hoarded through the years.
I will replace the accumulated ashes
from the worn shelf-paper,
with virgin tissue.
I will chase and catch the wasps,
relieve them of their stings.
I will refill this cupboard
with love, and learnt, brighter things.
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With very best wishes, Patricia
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