Goodbye 2018!

Way back when I was teaching last century, one of the things my classes enjoyed was the 'Word Race'! I would write a word on the blackboard, something like 'brownies' or 'refrigerator' or 'dinosaur', and then set the timer... my cooking timer that I never used.... and the race was on! It's amazing how many words you can get from the word 'brownies'... give it a go!

So this year I thought that instead of saying the usual 'Happy New Year', I would try to use the letters to make a phrase... a good old anagram! The phrases weren't too good, but I did find a few words to share with you...

Weary.... as this year closes, I think we are all weary. Of politicians making false promises that they will never keep, blaming someone else for all the wrongs that need to be righted, and inciting their followers to violence in the name of 'culture'. We are weary of the cost of living going up and up and up and the bribery, corruption and embezzlement that is happening daily. We are weary of listening to the radio and hearing the same pleas about road safety over the festive season. This year alone, as I type this (and remember that we are only half way through the travelling period as there is still the homeward journey to do), our Christmas death toll is 16% up on last year's figures. So far since the 16 December, over 767 road deaths have been recorded. Read that aloud. We have not had any traumatic events like a tsunami, an earthquake, cyclones, tornadoes, volcanoes erupting. No, these deaths are purely due to human error. Unroadworthy vehicles, overloaded vehicles, drunk drivers, speed, overtaking on solid white lines. Add to that pedestrians that are too drunk to walk straight so they veer into the road, or pedestrians running across double lane highways. Just to let you know... 'we have the world's poorest road safety record'.... and that was a direct quote.

And guess what? It will happen again next year and the year after.... ad nauseum.

My second word to share with you is yearn.

Another word that sums up a very strong feeling in us all. I yearn for an end to poaching, to murder, to child rape and molesting, to any animal cruelty whatsoever. We have one of the worst Animal Rights Programmes in the world. Our animal shelters are overflowing with unwanted and abandoned animals, our roads are littered with carcasses, especially after New Year's Eve when fireworks send hundreds of domestic animals crazy enough to jump through plate glass windows. I yearn for an end to 'demands', protests that turn violent, looting and destruction of property. I yearn for the farmers in this country to be free to farm without having to look over their shoulders and carry rifles, to be safe in their homes and not to have razor wire, spotlights and guard dogs keeping them safe while they sleep.

Finally, the word pray. That needs no explanation...... but are we too late?

But, is it all doom and gloom??? The word 'happy' is there, as is 'yay'. Both are good words, but they are lost in the overwhelming chaos around us.

This is not my usual jolly writing, but I think sometimes the truth needs to be shared before we put our rose-coloured spectacles on again and try to look forward with confidence.

Maybe it's time for a new year with new hopes and positive outcomes.....

Let's all hope that 2019 is a year that we shall look back on with pleasure!

As Alfie would say

'Repay when yap!'