View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Tuesday 4 May

As I'm typing this, the rain is once more closing in from across the Arnish hills, a mile away across the water. It has been a dreich day, with frequent drizzle although not really cold. The northwesterly wind has brought us a return of 'volcanic conditions' and 'dirty air'. The latter quote is courtesy Hebrides News, and can be happily misconstrued, which I'll do for a moment. If planes can't fly in dirty air, how come they are able to fly around London, where the air can be pretty polluted at the best of times?

Away from levity.
I was deeply saddened to see that Jane, "A journey of another kind", has now reached the point that once her pain has stabilised, she will return home to die. It is not that long ago that she was in Brazil on holiday. My thoughts are with her and her husband Martin, who keeps us informed when Jane is not able to. I posted on Call for Support yesterday, when things took a turn for the worse.

In just over half an hour's time, the Netherlands will come to a halt to observe a two minute's silence in memory of those that lost their life in the Second World War. The national event will take place on the Dam in the centre of Amsterdam; another event in the dunes outside The Hague where up to 280 people were summarily executed by the occupying forces of Nazi Germany. I observe this, as well as the Armistice Day commemoration in November.

In the context of the latter, I have been looking up further information on the Canadian casualties from Lewis from the First World War. The attestation papers give the address in Canada where the man in question lived before he signed up. It is possible for me to view the house courtesy Google Streetview. It struck me how many came from Fort William near Thunder Bay, Ontario. There is also a Fort William here in Scotland, 100 miles north of Glasgow. Many Lewismen emigrated to the Maritime Provinces of Canada, and were then transported up the Great Lakes to end up in places like Thunder Bay. Some crossed over into the USA, not far down the road, and abandoned all identifying items in order that they could not be sent back into Canada.

1 comment:

  1. Sad to hear of Jane's news-I pray that if her time is up she can leave in peace ,with no pain. My thoughts go to her and her family(i've been through this on a few occasions ,so ,sadly I know what they're going through:
    On a happier note-"thunder bay" sound so romantic!!no joking!when ,on the rare occasions I have had to fly,via transit in LA,looking at the map on the plane ,I've noticed the name thunder bay---don't ask why,but to me it just sounds fantastic!

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