16th December 2012

My grandparents hailed from Kretinga near the Baltic in Lithuania, which may have been Russian a few centuries ago. That's before pogroms and depression forced the family to flee.  But, depression still rules.
Are mysterious, elemental forces still about today?  Wednesday saw the strange date 121212 (the French called it Le Douze) and there's the phenomenon of the dieback of the ash tree - something that some say foretells the end of the world. The disease has just reached the town of Aspatria (called the ash tree of Patrick)  in Cumbria, an English county where the tree plays a special part in history and folklore. Legend has it that the saint struck his staff into the ground and up sprouted an ash tree.  Strange that that's just where the present ash tree disease has been discovered. Then, there's water. Lots of it. Rising waters worldwide mean that no-one should even think of living near the coast or even near a river. At least the canny French build their living areas a floor above the ground. 
Well, let's hope all this folklore and worry is mere superstition. After all, there's a certain Friday the 21st fast approaching. See you all in Bugerach. Him indoors says not to worry - he's ordered a poster saying all is well, and has arranged to pay for it on the 22nd.....