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What a week!

It started with the almost never-ending election of the British Prime Minister, who was voted in by a select few.  When two days later the Queen died, I almost felt sorry for Liz Truss.  Her promise to 'hit the ground running', ran into the buffers before she could get off the starting blocks, leaving her with a list of postponed problems but probably with more sympathy and understanding than otherwise she may have received.   While she struggles with her situation it seems the world responded to the loss of 'the Queen', even Putin had some kind  words to say.  This view wasn't unanimous  though as the news of her death brought up past imperialism, inequality and possible racism.  While these points are all valid it probably isn't the best time to complain about them.  I don't know who said, 'don't blame me for the sins of my father' but it is true.  I am  sure the Queen did not purposely allow these practices to continue, it was just the way it was, at the time.  I have had to endure many unjust things during my life but there is no point in holding grudges - the past is a foreign country, they do things differently there. 

I was talking to an acquaintance in the town yesterday when a woman, younger than us, walked by.  'I think older women should know better than to wear jeans, they look ridiculous, lack style and what are they trying to  prove, that they are still young?  I wouldn't be seen dead in jeans.'  I stood silently while she rattled on, not knowing whether to look outraged, nod in agreement or to smile.  I decided to smile, made my excuses and continued walking home in my beloved jeans.

Our café group is a mix of personalities and nationalities.  Yesterday one of the group tried to describe each of us as being a polyglot, a semi-polyglot or a trying to be polyglot.  Interesting.  We laugh a lot at our group and our views are probably irreverent, whether we are talking  about religion, politics or each other's countries.  A newcomer to the group can find this quite strange and it takes some time to get the hang of our sense of humour.  Our newest coffee drinker, who is Dutch, has melded into the group in a friendly way and is learning how not to take us too seriously and I would definitely say that he is a polyglot. 

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