Chips Ahoy!

 

What to write – my mojo is around … trouble is I have too many mojos … where to start – but today January continues, named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions … which we seem to have succumbed to …

Eastbourne shoreline

So towards food I go … would you like some chips? – they come pre-prepared, par-cooked and lightly salted … if you would – please be ready for a cold dip!! A container's worth has disgorged itself onto our coast … nothing like a view of Beachy Head with chips!!

Chips ahoy!
Beachy Head lighthouse in the background

The walker who apparently spotted them first … could smell vinegar … not what one expects from a shoreline.

These are the British version of chips!!

We've had a few ocean going vessel spills recently – these chips are probably not the worst … except for the plastic bags, they were stored in. People have been down clearing the plastic away … there's a seal colony nearby …

A Canadian blogging friend from days of yore (2010 days of yore!!) … has had a similar health problem to me – so she's offered to give me some clues and I can at least have some idea of what the future holds. I just remembered her situation from a few years ago – and so emailed to ask her for some guiding help: I'm very relieved to say.

Beachy Head lighthouse without being
framed by spilt chips

I've no idea what I'm doing … but this will suffice before February rocks around …

Three Mojo Sauces

However – I'd never realised 'Mojo' is a sauce from the Canary Islands … also that there are a lot of Mojos in the world … live and learn again, I guess!!

We are living in very odd times … take care to you all in the cold, the heat down under and just generally …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Tuesday's Child ...

 

Odd - today is a Tuesday … and thus all those many years ago … a child who is full of grace was born …!?!?!?

Monday's Child lyrics - as published 
in St Nicholas Magazine (1873)

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace.

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go.

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living.

But the child that is born on Sabbath day,

Is bonny and blithe, good and gay.

**

'Twas on a Tuesday morning

The gas man came again …

… the gas men never stop …

they'll be around for a while - 

... on, on and on ...!!

Daffodils and Narcissi

I just hope 2026 gets my health sorted out … or at least eases – everyday it's a nuisance.

I note that Damyanti (Damyantiwrites.com) is still a week ahead of me … I just hope she won't give up her blog …

I give up … I can't count – but think I'm going into my 18^th year of blogging – a bit of a shock to me … but my blogging mojo has returned …

Champers all round - around here!!

Busting out the champers ... 

Thanks everyone for being here – I really enjoy the interaction with you all … here's to more ...

Damyanti's blog – latest post …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blog Mojo returns …

 

I've taken myself off to visits to Namibia that occurred in the late 1990s … one came about as I belong to a TED group and introduced two TED talks … more on those later, possibly via another blogger …

... and then I came across this artist, Uli Aschenborn – born 1947, who just mesmerised me … there's another South African artist on the way later in the year …

The National Art Gallery of Namibia situated in Windhoek … displays exhibitions from local artists on Namibian, African and European Art …

This way up - the drawing is of a Mountain

... Aschenborn has had some of his work displayed here … much of it has movement as an integral part of the art, and so falls under the genre described as Kinetic Art.

Here it is ... the other way up it is
of a Crater

I've linked to his Wiki page – where you can see a few of works … one where the drawing, Mountain or Crater, can be turned upside down, another 'Sculpture-Morph, Male Life Cycle … where the artwork shows us an ageing boy, changing to an old man eventually to a skeleton …

Namib skyline

People are so clever … and this blogging world is always opening my eyes to new areas – so thank you for allowing me to be me and let you see into my way of thinking …

Uli Aschenborn Wikipedia link ... 

Happy New Year … I'll see you around soon …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Happy New Year 2026 …

 

I still can't quite believe … 2026 … where did that come from … I was only seven 'a few years ago'!!

An 1880s
New Year salutation

Still onward and upwards … 2025's health challenges have to be put back in their place in 2026 … somehow – we shall see … life continues and is interesting – albeit quieter as the years tick by … thankfully 'you encouraging lot' are here … cheering me/ us all on …

Gerrard Winstanley's quote from 1649 seemed to ring rather too true today – from nearly five hundred years ago …

"Was the earth made

to preserve a few

covetous, proud

men to live at ease;

or was it made to

preserve all her

children?”

Gerrard Winstanley (1609 – 1676) – Political Philosopher amongst his other talents and ideals … I call upon us all to ...

Think,

read, and seriously ponder between the lines,

concentrate on the quieter words,

no need for division … I like marmite – I know many don't – but I'll be happy for you with your vegemite!!

2025 was not the easiest of years for most people in this world … 2026 doesn't portend well …

Let's do all we can to help others in all ways … so many far worse off than we are … 'doing good does us good' …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Christmas cake … not!

 

My road is being dug up to put in new gas pipes … they had a practise run with the block opposite – ok I thought – that's it …

... but oh no! … hell and begone continues – even on Sundays … I think they're behind … but men at work with toys for boys are mighty noisy!

Do you remember this song sung by Bernard Cribbins in 1962 … The Hole in the Ground …

Don't dig there, dig it elsewhere.
You're digging it round and it ought to be square.
The shape of it's wrong, it's much too long,
And you can't put a hole where a hole don't belong.

I've mislaid the will to get things done … but a quick update … I had my hospital consultant 'meet up' … it looks like no op … just various other alternatives … ongoing into 2026.

Record Cover 1972

I just feel exhausted, disinclined to get up and go … so I move forward in my own time frame.  Also just to add to the fun and games ... my right knee is causing me problems, to compound it my left achilles has come out in sympathy ... 

I'm sure my mojo will return – the brain tells me it will … it just needs the body to be more willing or feel able to ...!

I came back today after a couple of meetings to find that said men were digging 'an 'ole' under the block of flats next to me … not the lot opposite: 'twas a big deep 'ole … !!!'

Oh – life is fun!!

Sorry – no cake going here … I can offer you lots of noise, lots of men in very dirty work-gear, lots of road mess, lots and lots of badly maintained road … lots of pretty squiggles on the road …

Oh that looks delicious! c/o BBC

... anyway Christmas is coming – the goose is getting fat … if bird flu doesn't get them first …

Oh dear – I can easily become a misery guts!!

I will get back in the mode …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Armistice Day … Great War Poets ...

 

The slate stone slab at Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, commemorates sixteen of the Great War Poets … unveiled on 11 November 1985, the 67^th anniversary of the Armistice.

There's an inscription which quotes from Wilfred Owen's “Preface” to his poems:

My subject is War, and the pity of War.

The Poetry is in the pity.

Poets of the First World War
Memorial in Westminster Abbey

Isaac Rosenberg who died on 1^st April 1918 at Fampoux, near Calais, is one of the sixteen poets recorded on the slate.

Rosenberg's self-portrait … he became interested in both poetry and visual art … he has an interesting history – sad, he like so many others, died so young.

Rosenberg's self-portrait

Thinking of what these incredible men and women endured for us … their courage … and suffering.

If … if only … if only … we could respect each other in this world … we are all human … we would live happily together and benefit with this life of ours …

Let's spread peace without destruction of our lives, our culture, our societies …

I list the poets inscribed on the Memorial:

Richard Aldington; Laurence Binyon; Edmund Blunden; Rupert Brooke; Wilfrid Gibson; Robert Graves; Julian Grenfell; Ivor Gurney; David Jones; Robert Nichols; Wilfred Owen; Herbert Read; Isaac Rosenberg; Siegfried Sassoon; Charles Sorley; Edward Thomas.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Remembering Cee of Cee's Fun Foto Challenge ...

 

Dan Antion, along with Marsha Ingrao, are posting in her memory … I didn't know her – but I'm happy to support Dan and many blogging friends.

Appropriate links at Dan's site … here 'Remembering Cee'. 

Victoria Falls Bridge under construction in 1905 – as part of the Cape to Cairo railway – an unfinished project in the late 1800s, early 1900s …

Construction across the Zambezi in 1905

... so many won't get to finish their project of life … remember we have whatever time we have left – let us not waste our days … live and enjoy …

With thoughts to Cee's family and friends on this her birthday day … as too Dan and Marsha, who have their birthdays today ... with wishes ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories