It’s rather cold today but the sky is blue and the sun is shining. It might be time to get wrapped up and go out walking again.
On the radio news they’re discussing the latest proposed bill to stop people arriving in small boats. Labour’s Yvette Cooper has pointed out to parliament that the latest proposal is really a reiteration of a bill that was passed, but which didn’t work, a year ago. Groundhog day! I wonder what will happen when Rwanda decides it too has decided it doesn’t want to accept refugees. That day might come.
In the meantime this country’s plans to prevent illegal arrivals from having recourse to any means of seeking asylum might well break a whole lot of international agreements. But then, we have supposedly “taken back control” so maybe the government can just tread roughshod over everything. However, these are real lives being toyed with. It’s hard to imagine the prospect of trying to bring up your children in a refugee camp! And think how cold those camps must be just now.
I was reading yesterday about the trials and tribulations of people living in boats on canals and waterways around the country. I suppose most of them live on boats as a lifestyle choice. However, apparently most of them do not receive the various bits of government aid to pay for electricity and so on. They fall through various loopholes in the system. I imagine it can be very romantic, the idea of living on the water, being rocked gently by currents and so on. But in the winter it must be hard to heat them, especially as the lower half of your home is under water and subject to the cold coming from that water.
One woman talked about the cost of fuel to heat the boat and having to collect wood from trees that have been cut down for reasons such as Dutch elm disease. In this way she keeps her stove going all day. And I find myself thinking of the statistics I’ve come across regarding the extra pollution that comes from burning wood. Oh dear!
Thinking of water, canals, river and so on, here’s something else. Close to our house there is an industrial estate. What was probably a textile mill in a previous life is divided into separate units which are, I presume, rented out for small businesses to use. Among other things there’s a gym, a place that does repairs and cleaning of expensive cars, and an Italian restaurant. That sounds much grander than it is. It’s really a small cafe that serves meals. Space is limited but on fine days you can sit outside on a sort of terrace.
When it opened it called itself La Rustica, which is a bit of an exaggeration. Delph has a very attractive village centre but an industrial estate is hardly rustic, even if you can look over a wall and see the River Tame trundling past. You could shut your eyes and listen to the water and pretend you were in a more rural setting. When it was La Rustica we celebrated our granddaughter’s second birthday there, having asked first if they minded if we took our own birthday cake. That was four years ago but the now six-year-old girl and her best-friend-cousin still remember having a lovely time. There was a very Italian accceptance of two small girls dancing round their premises.
Then for a while it called itself Maggie’s Caffee, a nice mix of English and Italian heritage. Recently “Maggie’s” was scratched out and this morning a flier has been pushed through our door giving us information about “The Riverside Lounge” which sounds very grand. However, it’s still the same place. Technically it’s beside the river, or at least it’s outdoor terrace is, but you still need to look over the wall to see the river. I don’t know how Italian it is now as their menu for breakfasts and sandwiches looks much more basic English than continental. However, they seem to be thriving and I wish them well.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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