Marcia's readers
are really lovely people. A huge thank you to all of you who have
sent in emails – or commented on this site. I am only sorry that it
has been impossible to answer all of them. This is very unusual as in
normal circumstances Marcia insists that the only emails that are
ignored are the ones that contain foul language or rant on in an
extremist way about Marcia's sympathy with people who, finding life
difficult, do things of which the ranter disapproves. These are in a
tiny minority – over the years the count is less than twenty –
and are, in my opinion, written by people who have fashioned their
own god in their own image.
However, these are
not normal circumstances and I fear that a few emails have remained
unanswered simply because we couldn't keep up. Must do better!
Just to keep you up
to date: Marcia sees the surgeon again on Monday and he should have
the result of the latest biopsy. The wounds are healing well and so
there doesn't seem to be a problem with them. Next week I shall let
you know what the consultant has to say.
So, what have we
been up to this week? The answer, as you would expect, is not a lot,
really. The weather has been generally dreadful which has meant that
what we had planned to do – which was to go to various places where
I need photographs for the Marcia Willett's West Country book that I
am writing – had to be shelved. The forecast isn't that good for
next week either so . . . Nevertheless, I did take one picture on the
way to the surgery. If you have read The Way We Were you will
remember that the slogan TO THE WEST. You get some good views right
into Cornwall from the old main road through the west of Devon but it
seems we are never there when the visibility is really good. It was
not good when this was taken.
Meanwhile, of
course, we weren't the only ones affected by the weather. It was, to
say the least, impressive to watch on television the Queen's Diamond
Jubilee being celebrated throughout the country and to be able to
watch her and the Duke of Edinburgh on the River Thames during the
River Pageant. For two people of their ages to stand for so long in
such conditions was truly incredible. How sad, then, that the Queen
did not have her 'rock' (as she describes the Duke) beside her when
she attended the truly magnificent Jubilee Service in St Paul's
Cathedral.
It is interesting
when I look through the photo files that there are some photographs
that I am absolutely certain that I took that I just can't find.
Obviously with a photo collection with (literally) thousands of
pictures in it, there has to be some method but clearly some images
fall through the net. Yesterday I spent over an hour and a half not
finding one such. I have given up and that now appears on the 'photo
needs' list.
THE TADPOLE TIMES
Things are on the
move. After weeks when all that happened was that the small little
critters gradually turned into bigger little critters, the last few
days has seen changes which I am sure have taken place far faster
than in usual years. Now something like a quarter have developed both
back legs (which come first) and front legs – at which point they
are moved into senior school which includes rocks and things so that
they can climb out of the water when they want to, rather less water
(to discourage them from climbing out over the school wall) and
virtually no food as they give up eating while they are absorbing
their tails: already one or two now have half tails. As soon as the
tails go, they are put back in the pond on top of pond weed near the
side so they can decide whether they want to stay in the water or
not. Here are some of sitting on one of the stones - look away now, Tracey!
Meanwhile, the
really tiny one is still with us although I have no idea what will
happen to him. Oh, well, yes. You are quite right. It could be a her.
