After the horrific tragedy in Manchester last week, this week myself and Lady Ann have had a Duvet week to try and recharge our emotional batteries. When we were younger we had duvet days but as we are a little older we like to savour the delights of this ritual and take advantage of the fact we are growing old disgracefully.
By Wednesday we were ready for a change of scenery and stretch our legs and go out into the world and the sun shining we ventured out into the bright summer sun.
Now I am partial to a bit of sculpture and I had heard of one I hadn’t yet seen yet so it seemed like the ideal time to go and have a look. Now in our house we play the game of if you do that then we have to do something I want to do game and over the years its worked pretty well.
So, it was agreed I would go and look at the Singing Ringing Tree in the middle of nowhere and that would be followed by a retail based activity for Lady Ann, so off we went.
50 minutes later I was stood looking at this fantastic sculpture on a windy hillside overlooking the town of Burnley. It was by any measure a work of genius, not only does it look fantastic set against the landscape but if you sit for a while the wind makes the pipes hum and it sounds fantastic.
After a couple of photographs and a ten-minute sit down I returned to the car and we set off to a great little place called Hebden Bridge. It is a small market town set in the Pennines and has a very compact shopping centre with all the shops that Ann likes. After copious amounts of Coffee, Cake and the obligatory purchase for Ann all that was left was to return home having had a very pleasant day out.
It amazes me what a little bit of sun on your bones does for your soul, it somehow recharges my batteries which of late have felt a little flat.
After the last two-week emotional roller coaster ride in which I have been unfortunate enough to witness the worst in humanity, tonight I saw the best. I watched in awe a concert organised by twenty-three-year-old Ariana Grande and her team, who showed me that with a little faith and a great team around you can achieve great things.
After watching the fantastic One Love Manchester Event it warmed the cockles of my heart to see the next generation take up the cause of love not war.
I now feel our generation perhaps did something right in raising a compassionate generation of peace makers. For all our sakes, I hope they do a better job than our generation have. I am sure they will.
John D Eccles 
I’ve been thinking about the great people of the United Kingdom this week. Our hearts go out to all. Glad you and Lady Ann got a chance to let off a little steam and reground. I am off from my teaching post for the summer. It is amazing what a little nature will do for your spirits!
Thanks for your kind words. I hope your summer break away from teaching is as enjoyable as it sounds.
Take care.
Husband and I watched that amazing concert from our weekend couch in Switzerland — it was indeed a wonderful demonstration of love. Here’s to more cockles-warming events like it, and hopefully fewer horrors than those witnessed in Manchester and London.
I watched it from the comfort of my favourite chair. Those young people certainly showed great courage just turning up. There is hope in this world after all and god bless those 22 people who needed to be remembered.
Love not war. I’m with you. Peace.