Remember!!

Today me and Mini A went to the local Remembrance Day parade to pay our respects to all the service men and women, past, present and future.  Whatever your views are on war, today is the day to remember all those who have fallen; soldiers and civilians alike and to also spare a thought for the families who will no longer see their loved ones.  The turn out was brilliant for such a small town.  Service men and woman marched alongside the Sea Cadets, Scouts, Cubs and Brownies.  Different generations all joining together to remember!

However, that was not my only reason for attending. You see, the week before a group of volunteers had given up their time to clean the war memorial that stands outside our town hall.  They had given up their time to make a difference to our little town.  I must admit I didn't help out with this as I only found out about it after it had been done. That's why I asked to join the group and should any other projects come up I would be able to hear of them beforehand.

Too many times of late have I heard people bad mouthing the town, 'it's gone to the dogs,' etc, etc.  It makes a refreshing change to hear of people doing something positive and want to make it a nicer place to live.  So today not only did I pay my respects but also showed my support to the group of volunteers who are helping put a sense of pride back into the community.

I'll leave you with this :

Poppies
by Jane Weir

Three days before Armistice Sunday
and poppies had already been placed
on individual war graves. Before you left,
I pinned one onto your lapel, crimped petals,
spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade
of yellow bias binding around your blazer.

Sellotape bandaged around my hand,
I rounded up as many white cat hairs
as I could, smoothed down your shirt's
upturned collar, steeled the softening
of my face. I wanted to graze my nose
across the tip of your nose, play at
being Eskimos like we did when
you were little. I resisted the impulse
to run my fingers through the gelled
blackthorns of your hair. All my words
flattened, rolled, turned into felt,

slowly melting. I was brave, as I walked
with you, to the front door, threw
it open, the world overflowing
like a treasure chest. A split second
and you were away, intoxicated.
After you'd gone I went into your bedroom,
released a song bird from its cage.
Later a single dove flew from the pear tree,
and this is where it has led me,
skirting the church yard walls, my stomach busy
making tucks, darts, pleats, hat-less, without
a winter coat or reinforcements of scarf, gloves.

On reaching the top of the hill I traced
the inscriptions on the war memorial,
leaned against it like a wishbone.
The dove pulled freely against the sky,
an ornamental stitch. I listened, hoping to hear
your playground voice catching on the wind.

Source: http://www.janeweir.co.uk/POPPIES.html

Charity Begins At Home

Some of you may remember my earlier post titled Care in the Community in which I mentioned recycling that could benefit the community.  I still take my papers to the Community Centre recycling bank but now I am in an organised  frame of mind I wanted to combine decluttering with recycling whilst knowing it is benefiting somebody.  Normally, any unwanted clothes go to a local charity shop but I have since joined a local group on Facebook (you may have them in your area too) where you give away your unwanted items and people ask to be added to be in with a chance of winning your item.

I know charity shops do a fantastic job and I do still give to them, but for me, I wanted to know if my things would help somebody within my local community.  I would sooner give away stuff to a local family in need of it.  Not only that, by doing this, I am getting to  meet some fantastic people from all generations who really are truly grateful for what they are given, and likewise, I too have had things that I have needed.  This little group has brought a lovely community feel back to the area.  This has not happened overnight but the impression I am getting is that people are talking again.

Take Saturday for example, somebody posted that a keyboard was needed asap as her son had to learn a song that week for school. I can fully empathise with children telling you they need things at the last minute. I didn't have one but knew Unthrifty Sis did, and hated it.  I told her the story and would she be willing to lend her keyboard to someone whom she had never met.  She jumped at the chance.  Not only did it benefit the lady needing it, but my sister was able to off load an annoying item and now had an excuse to do so.  The lady was very appreciative and promised to return it a week later to which Unthrifty Sis said it didn't matter as she could have it.  Two people very happy thanks to this local group.

I sorted some of elder 2's clothes last night.  They think if they wear it more than once to go out in, it is no good.  Hence, my airing cupboard  is bulging at it's hinges.  Some stuff is brand new and that will be going on Ebay.  The rest will be given away.  I uploaded a few photos and by 6pm everything had gone.  The clothes had gone to good homes and I was now able to see a little gap in my airing cupboard.  It was a win win situation.  I'm off now to sort out a bit more.  I'm hoping to get round to tackling my bookcase in the near future but I seem to have more of an attachment to books than to clothes. Although, as you can see, it does need sorting!

Care in the Community

When asked what period in time would I travel back to, mine would have to be the forties.  I suppose it stems from my nan's time when she was a young woman.  She would often recall tales of times gone by, but by no means with the rose-tinted glasses.  She would tell of the hardships endured during the first half of the decade of war torn Britain and how the phrases 'make do and mend' and 'dig for victory' were instilled into people's way of thinking.  Yet despite such atrocities happening worldwide, one thing she did remember with fondness was the sense of community there was among everyone. 

Now, I don't want to go as far as being called upon should someone die and be expected to lay out the dead (as neighbours often did with her) but the thought of helping one another in difficult times is something I wish was more noticable in our society.  That is why I have made a conscious effort to try and help somebody in my community at least once a week.  I'm not talking about rushing into a burning building to save someone's pet budgerigar (although you never can tell until faced with the situation).  No, I'm talking about the little things, perhaps even the un-noticable.  Recycling.  More to the point, recycling that benefits the community.  Everybody recycles newspapers.  We don't often give it a second thought to put it out on recycling day. It's become a way of life.  But then while out walking the other week I passed my local community centre.  This centre provides excellent facilities and affords opportunities and activities for everyone to participate in, myself included.  I still have a wooden spoon I engraved when I went to the summer playscheme 23 years ago not to mention the countless first aid, language and computer classes I have attended.  I noticed outside a big recycling green paperbank, the ones that are normally seen on supermarket carparks.  The money raised from would go directly to the centre.

So a couple of times of week I take whatever papers, junk mail and pizza delivery leaflets to this paperbank.  It's 2 minutes from where I live, gives me a chance to walk the dog and is a way to say thank you in my own way for the fantastic service the community centre has provided and continues to provide to everyone.