Leviticus 176/84: Morrisons reminds it's Friday 13th as CheckOut falters...

Eyes in at NGH and Morrison's shopping for myself. Tests the previous Saturday had resolved to give Avril a right eye injection at 10am today so we were at NGH on time and then I set off for my customary visit to Morrisons at the Old Cattle Market. First I did the diesel fill up then bagged a good disabled parking slot right outside the door. My mission was to buy the white wines that Tesco at Wellingborough had not provided at Click & Collect which was a straightforward task. But I knew there'd be other things to tempt me not least restocking our depleted haggis cupboard. And Yes a bottle of Armagnac and that caused the problems at check out of course because being alcohol a staff member had to sign off my age and in the process recharged me for a second bottle I never received. I'd also acquired Avril's lunch extravaganza, a Mowbray Vale Pork Pie from Yorkshire. New location for us but a search shows it is indeed there in North Yorkshire. It's a tradition that after her injections I prepare the meals whilst she recuperates. Supper was a quick trip to Richards Fish & Chips at Far Cotton and with mushy peas they were excellent too. P.S. No, we didn't miss coffee this Friday but we were late … Avril took chocolate+cocoa when we got back to The Lodge and I the coffee. We basked in sunshine in the sitting room bay window. It barely seems a month since I penned the Foreword to Existential Normal but it is. Will I get the printed copies by December 13th or preferably sooner to get in the post to Canada … I dare not think what the Royal Mail/ DHL cost is going to be …

More than a little excitement at # 10 Downing Street for 13th too. The picture shows Dominic Cummins, PM Boris Johnston's Senior Adviser, leaving the job after a tumultuous few days and well before the Brexit Trade Agreement is finalised. Psychologically it's a parallel with the defenestration of The Donald in The White House really; Dominic was the splendid disruptor, a challenge and a threat to the woke and the complacent in government, parliament and the quangos. I shall certainly miss him and so one suspect will Boris … just wonder where/ when he'll resurface as my ex Cranfield VC Henry Chilver cajoled me when I popped up to see hm at Milton Keynes Corporation. I've placed Dominic next to the dust jacket of Michael Nevin's new book on Bonnie Prince Charlie published on 13th also. It's the only statue in the UK and it stands at Derby although we are gunning for one in The Pans. He argues that The Prince didn't really intend to give up the Jacobite Cause after Culloden but sought by letter to persuade the King Louis XV of France to back a renewed attempt. Maybe but that was no solace to his supporters left stranded in 1746. He uses selected documents to give insights into the Uprising which means merely cameos and their severe limitations e.g. when he relies on Sullivan's account of Prestonpans and gives a one line mention and finance-wise makes no references to the Irish Catholic slavers who funded his sea travels. But he does devote good attention to some of the Gaelic poetry that emerged to tell the story. Will Cummins suffer the same fate as The Prince? It's too soon to say of course …..
Talking of the Gaelic … how does US05 relate with what Sharon Beck has just completed? [175/84] .. and why is it so late? US07 of Princeton & US17 of Morganite Granite were late too … but not this late! Truth is that Yvonne Murphy has difficulty getting the US diaspora stitchers organised and our anchor man there couldn't either. US05 crossed to Maine twice. First time it simply disappeared; second time a new group made a fresh start but made little progress. So we brought it back to East Lothian to finish it here in town. It tells the tale that "from 1718 to 1760 over 30 communities along the coast of Maine were settled with Ulster Scots. Although the history of relations between Europeans and First Nations people sometimes resulted in tragedy through misunderstanding and exploitation, the historic and cultural similarities that the two groups shared is thought to have helped foster understanding and a willingness to co-operate. Both were tribal, valuing family relationships, supporting the members of the clan or village, fostering children to build allegiances and honouring elders. Resourcefulness, resilience (symbolized here by the beaver), independence, loyalty, courage and humour are all qualities that the two groups hold in common". In Gaelic that reads: "Sgìre Maine Bho 1718 gu 1760, chaidh còrr air 30 coimhearsnachd a thuineachadh sìos costa Maine còmhla ri “Albannaich Ulaidh”. Ged a bha eachdraidh nan dàimhean eadar Eòrpaich agus muinntir nan Ciad Nàiseanan a’ toradh uaireannan ann an cùis-mhulaid tro mhì-thuigse agus gabhail brath, dh’fhaodadh gun do chuidich na coltachdan eachdraidheil agus cultarach a bha an dà bhuidheann a’ co-roinn, le tuigse a thogail agus deòin air co-obrachadh. Bha an dà bhuidheann treubhach; a’ cur luach air dàimhean teaghlaich, a’ cur taic ri buill den chinneadh no den bhaile, a’ cuideachadh chloinne gu bhith a’ togail dìlseachd agus a’ toirt urram do dhaoine nas aosta. Is e innleachdachd, fulangas (samhlaichte an seo leis a’ bhìobhar), neo-eisimeileachd, dìlseachd, misneachd agus àbhachdas, feartan a tha cumanta don dà bhuidheann".
The significance of US05 … .. is that John Unwin can now go to print with that final stitched image and a number of updates/ amendments to produce the 3rd Edition of the Official Guide to the tapestry. It's a great design by Andrew Crummy and Sharon Beck has done it justice with her stitching - a first but absolutely determined endeavour on her part.