There were many reports at the beginning of this month about labour shortages, over 55s taking early retirement, furloughed people and working-from-home-during-the-Pandemic people not returning to offices, and an increase in the number of people claiming benefits. I am among the many feeling aggrieved by the rise in the state pension age…my formal retirement drifted into the distance when I was in my late 50s and the news finally reached me that I would not be getting a bus pass any time soon. Thankfully, I am lucky enough to receive income from a couple of sources, one of which is from the work I did for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission back in the heady days of the 1980s when waistlines were slim and pay packets were fat. Now it is the other way around. A simple solution, surely, would be to return the school leaving age to 16. Thus, a clutch of physically and mentally agile people would be released to the market.
Snowdrops provide welcome glimmers of hope when walking in the sunshine, feeling the warmth of the sun through woolly jumpers. This boosts one’s mental state no end.
I had a massive mental boost at the beginning of the month when invited to participate in a live discussion for a local online radio station. It proved stimulating and fun as we discussed various aspects of astronomy and stargazing. I reassured listeners that it did not need any special equipment or late nights to enjoy the Moon.
This event was swiftly followed a couple of day’s later by an evening talk at a local library. This was a talk about the movement of the Moon, which had been postponed due to the pandemic and required a reprise of the first talk of which this was designed to be a follow up. Everyone said it felt like ‘old times’ ie pre-pandemic which seems a lifetime ago, although it is only a couple of years. It was a lovely feeling to be among friends and sharing my research into the mysteries of the Moon.
Early signs of spring continue with the appearance of tiny lambs and an increasing amount of pretty flowers. The end of the month saw more sunlight reaching into our new home late in the afternoon as Earth tilts towards summer once more.
Karen Hedges 