I thought I would write for a little while to try and cheer myself up.  I usually put a lot of effort into being upbeat , but it’s just not happening these last few days.

Waking the other morning,  still dark, it felt cold, a kind of gloom hanging around. In the UK after an extremely long winter we were treated to over a week of the most amazing conditions. The British public, bless them, rose to the occasion. There was a wonderful buzz in the air and strangers passing in the street would exchange their personal joy and gratitude. Summer attire, sometimes creased and aged had suddenly seen the light of day, their first outing of the year.

But as quickly as it arrived it left. Leaving us all a little dispirited, I think. We had needed that. We needed more of that.

As usual each morning I listen to LBC and look to the socials for what’s new, what’s happening, what is still happening. With a mug of fresh coffee on my bedside table and tablet in hand I began scrolling. I knew I had about 30 minutes before the dog would be telling me to ‘get up, already!’.

Immediately I read the disturbing news that for COP30 8 miles of Amazon Rainforest had been cut down to build a four-lane highway, for the summit. How ironic is that? My heart sank.

We are all aware the lunatics have been let out of the asylum to rule our world, but really are there no grown ups left in charge? Who signed off on this madness? It can’t be happening, but it is. What is Joe Public supposed to do? They all go off to the Amazon, up to 3000 of them,  for wonderful jollies and we are left asking why.  How about they cancelled COP30 and used the money to provide clean water across the world to the people and animals that don’t have it? The ones who get sick and die in their thousands, every single day. They just want a water pump. Is that really too much to ask. #WaterAid. That would give COP30 meaning.

I carry my frustration, anger and sadness down the stairs and begin to get the dog ready for the first of his three outings of the day. He thinks it’s fun to give chase, but I’m just not feeling it. And then to my absolute horror and disbelief I hear the chain saw, and there he is, a tree surgeon felling right behind my home. ..And what of the squirrels who live and nest there?

The hours passed and more trees came down. Not one solitary soul visited my outdoor space during that time….Then this morning the same. I had to get us in my car and leave the neighborhood. I couldn’t bear it. The noise and destruction just too much.  One squirrel came back, took a quarter of an apple and left. A blackbird his mate and a couple of robust pigeons remain.

On the scale of things I know I am incredibly fortunate and there will be women all over the world who would give everything simply to have the rehoming of squirrels their main concern and  the Amazon Rainforest could not be further from their minds. I get that. But it doesn’t stop me hurting, knowing that those who govern us don’t see the big picture… Or they could if ego, greed and selfishness did not cloud their vision.

Have I cheered myself by putting pen to paper here? No, not really, but if I can get one solitary person to begin voicing their concerns of how the world is governed, all is not lost. I thank you for reading this far. X