Stretching for Good News...

Happy memories

Since last week it's been a mad scramble to catch up with the news. Some of it's been fanfared via iPhone news alerts. Other headlines have been less blatant. Did you see Mrs McClusky died? The best fictional headteacher from all our Grange Hill memories. Kenneth Starr also died. Perhaps a more divisive figure than the actress, Gwyneth Powell, who played everyone's favourite headteacher. Hilary Mantel of excellent writing fame has also left us too early. And then there's the sad news about Cherry Valentine from Drag Race UK. So young, so rubbish.

 
But there are some hints of good news. Sort of. It seems the tide may be turning positively towards Ukraine, albeit with threats of nuclear war being bandied about along the way. The Attorney General of New York, Letitia James, launched a lawsuit against Donald Trump and his kids for fraud. As I listened to her outline the case, it felt like a few wrongs were being righted. And then the world's eyes have been on the brave women of Iran. In the aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, allegedly at the hands of the Morality Police, they've taken to the streets, bareheaded and furious. I can't begin to imagine the strength it takes to defy such authoritarianism. I'm in awe.

But it's a bit of a stretch to say an ongoing war, an alleged criminal still at large, and protests after the death of a woman in police custody, are good news. They're awful news, let's not mince words. But people's resilience and tenacity, the power of collective effort, and solidarity from all over the world have got to be the positives to take in such grim situations. Surely?

Writing News
Not bad, not bad. Ongoing and almost there. The end of the rough draft is nigh. Then I must forget every word. So I can read it like it's new and delete the crap. 

Culture

The FA Women's Super League season kicked off a couple of weeks ago. I'd not been to a match since COVID, but was determined to return to being a Liverpool season ticket holder. And what a kick off it was. For their opener, newly-promoted Liverpool were playing league-winners, Chelsea. I sucked up the inevitable defeat and turned up anyway. So did 3005 other people - a record attendance for Liverpool Women at Prenton Park. Being back in the cold, clapping brilliant athletes amongst a home crowd, was ace. Better still - and defying all expectation - Liverpool won 2-1.  Wa-hoooo! (Let's gloss over their second match yesterday. A bigger attendance for the Derby at Anfield but not a great scoreline. Onwards!)

Do I LOOK like my
two year old niece?

Food and Drink

I had a mad craving in the week. Remember Heinz Space Invaders? Or Heinz Haunted House? The pasta shapes in tomato sauce that were stacked by the spaghetti hoops and beans? It'd been about thirty-four years since I'd last eaten them, but I was overwhelmed. I HAD to have them. Fast-forward to me on Wednesday, in the Sainsburys' beans aisle, scratching my head and wondering where they've gone. Turns out, if you want a sauce-covered pasta shape from a tin these days, you've got to get onboard with Peppa Pig. I felt ridiculous, but the end result was a joy. (Served over scrambled eggs on toast.)

Liverpool by night.

Out and About

Nights out in town used to happen every weekend. Now they're every few months. So with those factors in place, it was really bad timing to meet friends slap bang in the middle of the Labour Party conference. I mean, it's broadly my politics of choice, and I don't begrudge anyone having a drink come Saturday night, but blimey, Liverpool was busy. Stuffed to the gills with earnest types wearing lanyards. It takes all sorts.

Let's hope there's some actual good news this week. Proper stuff that brings happiness to the world. And if not that, let's hope that Heinz broaden their pasta shape range, ASAP. 

 

Have a lovely week, folks