Evidence of Autumn

Jan telephoned me from Nottingham where she was meeting with Penny. Together they both run a new venture called; 'Big Windows Theatre Company'.They plan to take a play called 'Whose Shoes?' on tour later in the Autumn around Derby Schools. She said that she was unable to get back in time to collect Annie from school, so could I go? Of course I could, so I set off at the right time. Now it should be pointed out that Derby had only an hour or so before experienced a 'mini tornado'..heavier rain I have not seen before!.So I didn't know what the weather would do.

I needn't have worried..the sun came out and it was lovely..leaves golden yellow scattered all about.

As we walk home Annie likes to climb on to walls and balance with me holding her hand. We talk about all sorts of things, espescially the trees, plants and wildlife, the seasonal differences. I had been thinking of an old poem I wrote years ago..it went something like : 'It's that time of the year again, the changing of the season, where nature's outstretched hand deposits the spent change of summer upon the ground'.....( I forget the rest! ). I said to Annie.." Look, the streets are paved with gold! "..she laughed and said.." it's not real gold Daddy! "...I thought about Dick Whittington, I thought about the hundreds of Albanian and Polish immigrants who now live in our city...I thought about climate change and the melting perma frost in Siberia.

"No Annie, it's not real gold, but it's worth the Earth"