Since departing Northampton, on Wednesday morning, we have been cruising leisurely (roughly Eastward) along the River Nene. That’s pronounced, hereabouts as: ‘nenn’; though I am assured that nearer Peterborough the received pronunciation is: ‘neen’! Peterborough – Cambridgeshire – is our jumping-off-point for The Fens; also known as The Middle Levels. This is n extremely flat region of England, and the home district of (the late) Oliver Cromwell. Latterly; during the recent unpleasantness with our German cousins; this area was home to many personnel of The United States Air Force, and their bases. We’re investigating this part of the world for no better reason than we’ve not been here before, and now we can.
Despite the seeming isolation of many of the small communities we pass, I’m still keeping up with the news. Since returning to the U.K. I’ve been giving free rein to my ‘inner political junkie’! There is rarely a day passes when I do not manage to lay hands on my newspaper of choice ... The I Paper, a small brother of the long-standing ‘Independent’, and a ‘tabloid’, rather than a ‘broadsheet’. We live in strange times when the only (two) truly autonomous print media in the country, are owned by a trust; funded by an exiled (by Vladimir Putin) Russian plutocrat!!!
For those who's eyes will glaze over at my political diatribe; you are welcome to slide quickly past the next section, in a blue font.
My current attention is focused on the competition for the leadership of the Labour Party; recently vacated by Mr. Edward Milliband. ‘Red Ed’ was never any deeper than a barely perceptible shade of pale pink; though the first three pretenders to his throne ( Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper) all sail so close to the Tory wind, that they seemed in danger of challenging David Cameron for leadership of the Conservative Party!
(This next, mainly for the benefit of our colonial readers.) If you’ve never heard of any of the above, you would be blameless ... about a month ago most Brits would not have recognised those names. However; the least recognisable of all the leadership candidates is definitely the joker in the pack ... Jeremy Corbyn! Because the first three proposed candidates were so bland, some idiot suggested that: “in order to widen the debate”; a candidate representing the more progressive philosophy of the labour movement (read ‘left wing’) should be proposed ... enter (stage left?) a man with actual principles. Having proved the democratic values of the leadership election process, Jeremy was supposed to sink quietly into the background. If wishes were horses then beggars would ride!
The bizarre thing about Mr. Corbyn is that he has - for nearly three decades - been a good, involved, hard-working member of parliament; for a very mixed bag (both socially and economically) of folks in his North London constituency; all the while remaining true to his egalitarian ideals ... and he’s got a beard!!! During that time he has received no preferment, been appointed to no positions in government nor the ‘shadow cabinet’, and voted against his own party whip over 100 times; and all in a non-blustering, quiet, even retiring way. He simply feels that the least advantaged in our society deserve more consideration than is currently the case, thinks that public services should be adequately funded, and holds that this country should not be invading other countries on flimsy, trumped up evidence. Oh, yes ... he also believes that Tony Blair should be tried for war-crimes and crimes against humanity. How can a man like that be entrusted with the leadership of a political party; much more with the leadership of a government?
Strangely enough; tens of thousands of previously politically unengaged under-30s, and similar numbers of recently estranged, previous members of the Labour Party, are flocking to this unlikely banner. The Labour Party hierarchy are aghast and panic-stricken; crying ‘foul’ for a myriad, spurious reasons; whilst the Tories are reported to be jubilant, even going so far as to be taking membership of the Labour Party, in order to ensure an ‘unelectable’ leader for their party of opposition! Has no-one ever said to them: “Beware what you wish for.”? Much less, drawn their attention to: ‘The law of unintended consequences.’? As to Jeremy Corbyn (aged 66) he is barely campaigning; just giving straight answers to straight questions, in a quiet, unassuming manner.
By this point you will probably have guessed the candidate for whom I’ll be casting MY vote. I’m old enough to remember the old truism of electoral politics ... “Opposition parties do not get elected to government; government parties get booted out”!
Enough of my 'grumpy old man' act! on with the (b)Log ... where were we? Oh, yes ... rural isolation. Here it is:
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| Miles ... |
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| ... and miles ... |
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| ... and miles ... |
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| ... and miles and miles of it ... not that we're complaining ... we're not! |
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| Yes we went under here; the 3rd. arch from the left. |
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| The biggish one over on the right, on this one.
... but here's the puzzle ... for the greatest part of the time there is barely a habitation to be seen ... so who went to the multifarious churches we keep passing.
These aren't what I'd call 'small country churches; in parishes of several cosy thatched-cottages ...
... some of these are HUGE ... without another building in sight!!!
One of the unexpected benefits of being aboard Moonstone, is our ability to stop at waterside bramble patches, and harvest the berries, unavailable to land-bound foragers.
 
In what seemed no more than an instant, Lyn had these made up into a delicious blackberry and apple (a friend gifted us some lovely - Bramley - cooking apples); which she (Lyn) served up doused in thick custard (Bird's, of course!); which we ate whilst basking in a glorious sunset.
More later. Great to hear from some of you folks. T.
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