Blog #161...January 2025
Welcome to the new year with a fresh set of hopes and dreams, still waiting for some of the old ones to arrrive!
Although she was significantly damaged during the Revolution in 1792, she went on to withstand weather, wars and worshipping, until the devastating fire on April13th 2019 destroyed the wooden spire and severely damaged much of the roof and upper walls. Despite a great deal larger cost, the decision was made to conserve her, using the original techniques and materials, respecting the history of the building, its place in French culture and the skills of the original craftspeople. And, although it took more time as well as money, the world watched her open her doors on December 7th 2024, just about the 5 years President Macron promised. We always love a Canadian connection and there's one here...Montreal blacksmith Mathieu Collette was charged with forging ax heads identical to the ones that would have been used in the 12th century to fell the trees!
I always revisit A Child's Christmas in Wales and this year I was struck by William Prince's The Sound of Christmas... Manitoba's tip of the hat to Dylan Thomas. Check it out on your nearest YouTube.
And friends have recommended a couple of books that interest me: Karen in Nova Scotia suggested Hope for Cynics by Janni Zaki and Fiona in Collingwood is reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but I would like some hope to lighten my cynicism, and i probably have some habits that could use some tidying up.
So here we are a quarter of the way through the 21st century that just seems to have started. Remember the millenium Y2K scare that the world would implode or explode, I can't remember which. We're still here, well some of us, and I know we'll salvage some goodness and appreciate it when we come across it. Did you know they've eliminated malaria in Egypt?
Back here in February.
Always a great read Wendy!! Cheers to you in 2025!!
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