The end of summer! A trip down memory lane. Chess for displaced children. Election fun and games.

Winter’s back! Our brief foray into summer is over for the time being. So it goes. At least I managed to run round the village this morning before the rain started. It could be worse, of course. In Switzerland and Italy heavy rain has been causing flooding. This is not quite the sort of view we expect of places in Emilia-Romagna.

According to Facebook memories, five years ago we were enjoying the sunshine in Sanxenxo, Galicia, Spain, where Phil was playing in a chess tournament. 

Indeed nine years ago, Phil was winning prizes there. 

We went to that tournament for years on the run. While Phil played chess, I enjoyed the hotel pool and walked on the beach, went on boat trips to the Islas Cíes. Unfortunately that tournament was stopped by Covid and has not been resurrected since.

Meanwhile, children at a camp for internally displaced people near Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are being taught to play chess by chess-players from Goma. They set up using a waterproof, foldable chessboard and pieces supplied by Chess in the City, a local initiative to introduce children to the game. Brilliant idea! 

Fun and games continue with election fever here and on the other side of the Atlantic. 

Here it seems that Reform UK campaigners have been making racist and homophobic comments. What a surprise! According to a Reform UK candidate interviewed on The World at One, the person who has been mainly making such comments is an actor, possibly employed by Channel 4 to bring his party into disrepute. His party, he declared, expels anyone who expresses such heinous opinions. According to Mr Farage himself, this might well be a stitch-up! 

According to Mr Starmer Mr Farage’s failure to deal with it is a sign of his weakness as a leader. He said:

“This is a test of leadership …

You have to ask the question, why so many people who are supporting Reform seem to be exposed in this particular way? It’s for a leader to change his or her party to make sure the culture is right, and the standards are understood by everybody within the party.”

Well, I suppose that’s what he’s been doing with the Labour Party.

Over in the USA, Mr Biden made a poor showing in his televised debate with Mr Trump. Maybe he is on his way out. Will they replace him before election campaigner starts? Who will they choose?

We seem to be a little short of statesmen worldwide! 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!