That festive feeling

I definitely got in the festive spirit in London. How could I not? (Pictured above, a hall in the Royal Academy.) This weekend, it continued. Saturday morning, after walking Paddy with the neighbours, I went to an artist/craft fair with Fiona and Ann. It was very festive and we all bought a few treats. Vegan cheese made from cashews was my big find.

Saturday night I went to a play with Marek--his treat. And it WAS a treat to be back in The Lyric after so many years. The play was aimed at children so I reconnected with the inner child who went to the circus and then got hot chocolate in London. All of the actors were superb--some very talented singers. Mainly I enjoyed hearing about Marek's recent trip to Kuwait, where he gave the keynote at a law conference. I am appalled by the Middle East jockeying to host a Formula 1 race, a professional golf tournament, and, of course, the World Cup. At last count more than 7,000 people have died building the facilities for the FIFA event. I can't imagine why anyone would put football ahead of the abuse of the workers who made the stadium.

Here's an excerpt from an article about the Saudis wooing European golfers:

"Since its inception in 2019, the Saudi International has been widely criticized as part of the government's effort to "sportswash" its human rights abuses. The Kingdom has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in sports to improve its international image, including Formula One, tennis, horse racing and wrestling."

The Middle East offends me on the grounds of the women and the workers who are under the boot, behind the veil, or both. But it also has an emissions record that is worse than the US. The region responsible for bringing the world to the precipice of climate catastrophe is putting its foot on the accelerator.

Where was I? On to Sunday, which is walk Paddy, play golf, walk Paddy, make dinner, collapse. Here we have Paddy poised waiting for someone else to throw him a ball (a random stranger who was throwing a ball for her own dog).

And here we have Stormont (teeny tiny) seen from the golf course.

And Belfast seen from a different hole.

Dec. 4-5