When white is black

Head Rambles Posted on by 8

I idly watched a chat show last night.

I had been flicking around the channels vainly hoping Herself would forget the show was on.  She didn’t.  I was trapped.

Anyhows they had this Young Wan on who was introduced as being Miss Ireland Universe 2022 and a NASA scientist.  I think that’s what they said.  It transpired she wasn’t a NASA scientists and didn’t work for NASA but she did work at NASA in some other capacity.  Or something.  I lost interest at that point.

The interview progressed. She had a strong American accent and was easy enough on the eye so I wandered off into my own thoughts.

Next thing they produced a book she had written.  Surprise surprise.  Everyone seems to have written a book on that programme that they were keen to promote.  The subject of the book was Pioneering Black Irish Women Scientists or some such.  She then went on to say that she was proud to be the subject of the first chapter and proud to be the first black person to achieve something.

What?

She was black?

No fucking way.  She was the same colour as me.  In fact after a good summer in France I would be a lot browner than her.  What the fuck was she on about?

I have noticed this phenomenon before.  That Megan Merkle or whatever she’s called made some statement about being the first black in the royal family.  That was also news to me as whatever she was, she wasn’t black.

Are these people some kind of fifth columnists?  Or are some people just claiming to be black to somehow gain some status or other?  Or are they just identifying as black because of this modern trend of identifying yourself to be something you’re not?

Maybe I’m black?

I’m confused.

 

Amazing forecasting

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I just noticed something.

How it got past my eagle eyes is a mystery.  I must be getting old?

A few weeks ago I mentioned what looked like a bit of an error in our weather forecasting.

If you are too lazy to click the link above, what they [i.e. our Joanna] said was that “it is peak cocaine season and we have one in the Atlantic”.

At the time I had a bit of a chuckle.  In my utter naivety I assumed the subtitle should have been “hurricane” because that’s what Joanna said.  In fact they were bang on the nail.

Because sure enough over two tonnes of cocaine was indeed out on the Atlantic and heading our way.

You have to admit, it was some pretty good forecasting?

Good on ya, Joanna!

 

In the eye of the storm

Head Rambles Posted on by 6

Well, that was a terrifying experience.

Against all advice from the weather people, I drove over to the vet’s yesterday at the height of the “storm” and it actually was quite frightening.  There were actually a few leaves and twigs on the road surface and quite a bit of wet stuff falling on my windscreen.  I unbelievably had to use the windscreen wipers.  I am really lucky to have survived such a perilous journey.

Sadly I didn’t see any flying trampolines which apparently are a feature of Irish storms.

Incidentally, “Storm Agnes” was named after some long deceased Irish scientist who I had never heard of.  It’s pretty nasty using actual people’s names for something that is supposed to terrify us?

The visit to the vet was routine enough.  As I was signing in another customer attracted my attention and told me to watch where I was standing.  Sure enough, Penny had managed to liberally sprinkle the floor with turds around my feet.  “Shit!” says I.  “Exactly” says the customer – obviously mistaking a statement of surprise with a statement of the obvious.

Penny’s toiletry nuances aside, it was a routine visit.  A thorough examination and monthly injection.  She has now been prescribed with an additional drug which of course adds significantly to the fortune I’m lashing out monthly.  I gave her the new medication this morning.  It’s in capsules.

Have you ever tried feeding a highly suspicious dog with capsules?  It’s fucking tricky.  Herself managed in the end by wrapping the capsule in a slice of toast.  Now I have to make a slice of toast morning and evening.  Bugger!

Today I am going to do nothing.  I’n going to do it all day.

I’m knackered.

 

Agnes

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There’s a bit of a wind today.

It’s also raining.

Since the weekend we have had lots of items in the news and in the papers about the terrible “Storm Agnes” that is about to pound the country into a mass of misery and destruction .  This storm was something to be feared.  We have had constant messages about yellow alerts for various counties.  In fact they are doubling up and issuing separate alerts for wind and for rain.

Then they stepped it up a bit and started issuing orange alerts for some counties.  I awoke this morning to find that Wicklow is included amongst the counties with a dreaded orange alert.  I am to be afraid.  I am to be very afraid.

It’s a storm.  That’s all.  We have them every year for as long as I can remember.  In the past they didn’t have names and that concept would have been laughable.  But now we live in an era of fear.  We must be afraid of the weather.  We must be afraid of a virus.  We must be afraid of the very air we breathe and the water we drink.  Nothing is safe.

I appreciate that some people may loose their power supply.  Inconvenient but not life threatening.  Unless of course your in an iron lung.  Do they still have iron lungs?

Trees will probably fall.  That’s just nature.  The wind has been blowing and trees have been falling since the dawn of time.  At least now we have power tools to repair any damage or obstruction.

I have to go out later at the height of the Orange Alert.  The dog has an appointment with the vet and I have to collect the crate load of monthly pills and potions from the pharmacy for us humans.  I’m not supposed to drive during an Orange Alert.  I’m supposed to cower in fear with my blankets pulled over my head.  I’m supposed to be a quivering mass of nerves in case Agnes comes after me.

I shall wear a hat in case it’s still raining.

I shall use the chin-strap on my hat in case it’s still windy.

Life must go on.