Afrika

Coincidentally, I got this piece of fabric at the school clothing swap, on the same day that I went to see Twelve years a Slave. My friend Dorte, who lived in East Africa, says this is West African cloth. I intend to make it into a cushion or bag.

I took several photos of my colleague, one of the few male teachers, wearing a floaty green evening dress and co oordinating jacket at the clothing swap, but they were on the class iPad cam, and he wouldn't thank me for posting them!

After work, I made my way to the cinema under a tipping-down sky and mini-rivers running down the road. Dorte likes jelly babies, so I got a big bag of them to steel our nerves for the film. What can I say? I can see why it won all the award nominations, and the cinematography is amazing. There is also a lot of blood and gore. I had to look away at times.

That it is based on a true story is remarkable. Before the film, I had no idea that free men were kidnapped from the North and sold into slavery in the Southern States, where slavery had not yet been outlawed. Earlier, after visiting The Gambia in 1997, I had read Roots and later watched the mini series when it came out on DVD. That was life-changing for me, moved me to tears on many occasions.

And now it's Friday night, and we're at home, with the fire lit, and the dinner eaten, and Mastermind on TV. Outside, a storm rages, and it is with dread I contemplate tomorrow's journey to Somerset to attend our dear friend's memorial service. I still can't believe she's gone.