Winston & the White Cliffs

I do remember the death of Winston Churchill being announced on this day in 1965. I was 10, so I guess my view of things was different to those who had lived through the 30s, 40s & 50s. I seem to remember his death was not accompanied by any shock, wailing or hysteria, but mainly an outpouring of thanks and honour for an incredible, world statesman. I also remember all classes being cancelled on the day of his funeral and the biggest classroom turned in to a large TV room.

Churchill amazed his doctors several times, just as Flash has amazed us with his will to live. Yesterday and this morning his temperature has stayed abnormally normal. No doubt the painkiller is also helping him to move more freely with his arthritic hip. However he does seem to know his limits: as Angie, Luna and Sultan were about to set off for a ride, I opened the car boot and he made a beeline for it rather than try to join them.

So we had a pleasant walk at the lakes where the Blip was taken. This particular lake (ex quarry pit) is mainly used by those who prefer not to be "overdressed" - not many to be seen at this time of year. It took me a year or two to get used to how the Germans (and many other northern Europeans) go about saunas, nudity on beaches etc. Seems that simply treating it as normal/natural i.e. ignoring it, is the best advice: then it's simply everyday and boring.

However the future of the lake is the subject of dispute between the Animal Naturalists, fishermen, sunseekers, county council, parish council. I don't know enough of the plans and issues to have a view but will look in to it. In the background is our parish capital "Sontheim" (pop. 1900) while we only have 700. Since local council area reforms in the 1970's moved our Attenhausen from Ottobeuren to Sontheim, there has been a silent war between the two villages, going as far as the highest Bavarian courts of law. Still sometimes a bit of distrust. Doesn't affect us as we have only lived here 14 years and won't be fully integrated for another 16 years or so.  

We don't have a pub any longer in our village so it was nice to see a Bavarian TV report this evening about the "Winston Churchill" pub in Kensington London which could have been my local back in 1976 but the "Windsor Castle" just around the corner was my choice or rather that of sisters Luglia & Amanda who also lived nearby and were famous for their wine and peanut butter dinner parties and the best ever Béarnaise sauce, ever.

Just hope Flash & I don't meet up with the St Bernhard or, from the Béarne area, Pyrenean Mountain Dog look alike that attacked him on Monday. Been a roller coaster ride this week - Luglia and Amanda could have helped, they came from a family with the second longest experience, in the UK, of such things.