at the end of an emotional week.

The end of October into early November has always been 'important' in my family, Mum's birthday on October 31st, Dad's today, throw in Hallowe'en, Guy Fawkes night and Remembrance Sunday and its often been a bit of a rollercoaster. Of course with both my parents now passed away, those days take on a different timbre and being a grumpy old git, bon fires and fireworks hold less attraction than they did 50 odd years ago.

The constant has long been Poppy Day (officially the 11th, ie Tuesday but marked on the closest Sunday with parades and wreath laying across the commonwealth), but even that has changed. When i was a kid, the minute silence at 11.00am was sacrosanct, every school child, nay, just about every person of any age would wear a poppy, buses stopped, sports & other events paused, people literally stopped in the street to pay their respects. Whilst the big, official events and parades continue, we have become a nation with little or no conscience.

I went for a walk this morning, ostensibly for exercise but also to find a spot to honour those who gave to let us live in a mostly free world, certainly the folk of these islands have enjoyed our longest periods of peace since records began. But what did i find on my sojourne, well literally no one else pausing their day in rememberance. I can excuse small children to some extent, but dog walkers, games players, shoppers - all inexcusable. I know society has changed, immigrant populations have very little respect for native custom unless it suits them (the carnage caused by Asian youths on Bon Fire night turning inner city areas into dangerous war zones) but even the natives have little respect.

Whether you call them millenials or gen z, the youth of the nation seem to despise anything and everything their parents, grand parents and great grand parents stood up and fought for. You don't have to go far to see this hatred in action, the all out war on social media 'bashing' older generations, particularly Gen X, the lack of respect shown to anyone not within their own, small, social groups. Its not universal but it is widespread. In some respects we've never had it so good but we've lost a lot on the way.

I did, finally get out for a decent ride yesterday, 107km and 800+m of up on a quite pleasant laney route to Lacock and back. By the condition of the short bits of off tarmac it could well be the last time i leave made surfaces until the weather improves in the spring, there is no fun in ploughing through mud and wet for me.

I've posted the next Gaby chapter, Twenty One, for your enjoyment today and the next chapter of the new book is in progress.

That's me for today, time to sort out the ruined lunch.

Tak,
Madeline Anafrid