How to deal with the unexpected, watch and learn from an expert.
The spell of good weather ended with a thunderstorm last night and we look well washed and refreshed here in beautiful Rutland, we had desperately needed the rain. Looking back exactly seventy years ago, when between May 28th and June 4th an event Codenamed Operation Dynamo was taking place, the weather patterns were much the same as we have experienced lately. During this period approximately 340,000 allied service men were evacuated off the beaches of Dunkirk. An armada of vessels; large and small; civilian and military; from steamers and fishing boats to Thames river cruisers crossed the English Channel and saved the assorted forces from the advancing Nazi Army. Persons say it was a miracle and if it was, it was an Island race of people who had guts and knew how to handle a boat, type miracle, she says. Civilians and military alike dealt with the expected and the unexpected with flourish and endeavour. Mother Nature was kind and the weather was set fair, ‘a sluggish southerly airflow covered the British Isles and France and at times the sea was like a mirror, according to The Daily Telegraph article dated May 22, 2010. My scribe has no way of knowing if this is an official weather report from 1940. The article by Philip Eden also states if ‘Conditions had been as bad as they were in 1944 (D.Day) the repercussions’ scarcely bear contemplating; June of 1944 was the wettest and windiest of the century.’ Military Campaigns and Operations need good planning and a fair amount of luck it would seem.
After this topical walk into history you will want to know why I have been away from my blog for so long, you may well ask? The last time I was in print, two weeks ago, I was expecting what turned out to be the unexpected. I was looking forward to some fun; the Dear Ones were coming for an extended stay. The Little Accomplice came as a surprise; she was not what I had expected. There had of course been rumblings of the invasion force which was about to arrive, in earlier comments on the blog by the Aylesbury Two; but, I like that silly bird the Ostrich decided to stick my head in the sand. What I had expected, I think, was a smaller version of myself. However, what I got was a smaller version of the Dear Ones.
Living with the Little Accomplice and her strict regime creates wear and tear on the nerves I found. From 6.00 in the morning until 6.30 at night she has the persons in her life at full tilt. Even I can not keep up this pace. I am good at the high maintenance game, she is better. It was most impressive, and I watched with amazement and awe, she plots her day like a military campaign, she plans well and uses her luck with flourish and endeavour. My Persons took me to Llandudno to convalesce after her visit, after only a week we all needed Rest and Recuperation. It was an interesting and enlightening time. It would appear we have the analytical mind of a Field Marshall at work amongst us. Not bad going for seven nearly eight months. Wordly wise as I am, I now know I still have much to learn.
Also I must note that it was half term for our village children; this always shocks our pedestrian internet connection into Slow-Mo, which seriously frustrates my scribe, so there was no point in blogging anyway. Internet connections allowing we will regroup tomorrow.
I am of course
La Grande Sophie.