November 4th Never Go West Young Man

I awoke this morning divided. Should I turn on the news or not? I agonised and delayed and then did. The news was that the big toxin was doing better than the polls predicted. I was instantly bounced into such anger I couldn’t speak and resolved that because I was speechless I couldn’t possibly do a blog. So here it is.

It was a sparkling bright morning and the forecasts were for clear skies and sunshine, so we resolved to head west for the Roaches to walk. This was a walk which we had been planning for about three years and that just wanted a day like this. It would be for us a challenging walk, the sort of pioneering across craggy tracts that had made America Great. It would also leave WiFi behind, thus launching us unprotected and unaided in our expedition and untroubled by the US Election – buckskins and wagon wheels, woolly mittens, low GI rolls and a flask of coffee. So as we ran into the rain at Hartington and crested the hills beyond Warslow we had no signal with which to check the weather forecast. Ahead of us, lumbering over Staffordshire, was a great pitch grey effluvia of cloud and rain. After much indecision we settled for the more woosie path along the Manifold Valley, reproaching ourselves for our lack of grit and resolve. Then of course the sky cleared and the sun came out.

To take our minds off the Election and cheer us up I explained to Deirdre how the Chinese would use the current chaos to invade Taiwan and so start a World War. Except, not having WiFi I couldn’t check the name of Taiwan because I’d forgotten it. But when did failure to check facts and poor geography ever prevent a war!

We picnicked at Wetton Mill and watched the ducks ferry gliding on the pelting Manifold River. It was a time for moralising and metaphor making for our times.

– I favoured the duck facing upstream sitting still and unmoved on the fast flowing water. Deirdre favoured the duck standing on a rock while the stream raced all around it. Over to the west the clouds built up and the rain seeped down into the valleys, through the gloom lay America.

Our conclusions on this historic day: 1) Don’t believe pollsters and weather forecasters. 2) When it’s sunny in Crich never ever head West.