Category Archives: FOWC

FOWC with Fandango: Inexorable

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Some things are inexorable
Autumn is on its way
The leaves are tumbling from the trees
They were never here to stay
But beauty can be found in everything
Of that we can be sure
Laying in piles on the ground
Cascading down are more
Eventually will be an avalanche
Are decomposing in the earth
The circle of life continues
And trees will enter rebirth

FOWC with Fandangp: Inexorable


FOWC with Fandango: Climate

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Has you brain already melted
Has the climate helter-skelted
Do not worry, there will be no bump
In the States we have Mr. Trump
And the Brits have the wild haired Boris
Although he has become quite a slow loris
We are all marching to do our best
The climate is changing, it will not rest
Now we grow pineapples on the North Pole
Let us frack a little more to achieve our goal
There was once a town, but it disappeared
It fell into a hole, which was really quite weird
But do not despair there is covid to aid
It was supposed to go away, but instead it stayed
You might think this ditty is a little black
Things can only get better, like a film soundtrack

FOWC with Fandango: Climate

FOWC with Fandango: Reconcile

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The end of the war 1945, it was VE Day and there were celebrations for peace all over the world. This celebration was in our little street in the East End of London where everyone knew everyone else. It was time to dress up again.

Just a photo, but a photo with many memories. My mum second from left, soon to be married. The other three ladies, sisters and our neighbours. I grew up in the same house where mum lived and our neighbours were still there. I knew all of these ladies, saw them get older together. I knew their mother. They even had chickens in their back garden in their house row. In our street everyone knew everyone else. If the people got married in the meanwhile, my mum would still refer to them by their maiden names. She was not interested in their married names, it was not important. She did not even know their married names. My mum was also referred to by her maiden name.

And so was life in the East End of London, working class, simple but honest. After the war the men returned and there were marriages and children born, but they still had the maiden names of their mothers according to my mum. Time stayed still in our little world. It is amazing how a war can change life for all.

Time goes on and I remember the last time I saw the sisters in the photo: it was at mum’s funeral. They are also no longer, so perhaps they are now celebrating in another place, another time, who knows.

FOWC with Fandango: Reconcile

FOWC with Fandango: Introspective

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The neighbour’s cat has found a new place
Waiting for Winter when the birds are in place
He wants to be the first to have the best choice
When they flutter past he will not use his voice
Better to be quiet, do not raise suspicion
You have a job to do, you are on a mission
On the other paw, I don’t think I’ll wait
My bowl is full of food, I must contemplate
A bird in the paw is worth more than in a bush
When they arrive I will know how to push
Feline meditations bring the best results
Bird for dinner and tea, my appetite exults

FOWC with Fandango: Introspective


FOWC with Fandango: Replace

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This used to be the local railway station in the village. Admittedly it was many years ago, before my time in the village. I can hardly believe that this little house was enough to house the waiting passengers, but things change. The little building is still there, no longer used, just a memory in time. It has often been sprayed and the paint removed again.

Of course the new station is something completely different, but the old one remains. There are some things that are irreplaceable.

FOWC with Fandango: Replace

FOWC with Fandango: Television

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Even cats like to watch their favourite programmes, which usually deals with bird life. At least our Nera was a keen bird fan.

Otherwise television is good to have, but if I do not have it I can still survive.

I began with the BBC, the british television. It was black and white and a very small screen, but that was how it all begun. With time the television sets got bigger, wider, and we had another TV programme, so there were two.

And then I moved to Switzerland. It was just at the time when colour television was beginning. For my first two years I had no television, but then I met Mr. Swiss, we got married had a home and of course a television. So now it was Swiss television, three stations for the three languages. One in German, one in Italian and one in french. The German programme was basically soijen so-called high German, but a lot of programmes were being broadcast in Swiss German. I suppose that was the reason why I learned this strange language.

And then we got satellite TV and were receiving programmes from all over mainland Europe.

Today we have a television with at lease 100 channels from many countries to choose from. I was mainly watching the German speaking TV leaving the choice up to Mr. Swiss as I had other hobbies than watching a square box every evening.

However with the years, age changes things. Now Mr. Swiss no longer bothers with his Swiss programmes and gradually the British TV has moved in. I have 5 channels to choose from and have gradually got back to the British way of life. I even understand British politics again.

Television is not so bad really, you just have to choose the right programmes.

FOWC with Fandango: Television

FOWC with Fandango: Obnoxious

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You cannot ignore this word, without mentioning a few of our politicians. John Bercow was for many years the speaker in the British Houses of Parliament, his job being to call the members of parliament to order. I loved this man, he made it all worth while watching the daily broadcasts from the parliament. This man was definitely not obnoxious, just those that he had to deal with.

FOWC with Fandango: Obnoxious