L'Abbé Pierre's legacy lives on : Les Enfants de Don Quichotte

Nous sommes les enfants des hommes libres qui se sont fait, ici comme ailleurs, les porte-paroles des sans voix. L'abbé Pierre fut l'un de ces hommes. Il nous a quitté aujourd'hui mais, ici comme ailleurs, l'insupportable misère demeure. A l'instar des ces hommes libres, nous ne cesserons de dire notre honte et de poursuivre le combat pour la dignité de tous.

The scenery in Paris has changed -- a distinct cherry red has been added to the palette and bright splashes of the colour has been painted all along the edge of Le Canal du St Martin...
In a brilliant stroke of genius, Les Enfants de Don Quichotte have continued the legacy of L'Abbé Pierre and not only provided shelter in this bitter winter weather for many, but also shown the government up for doing what they should be doing and are not.
L'Abbé Pierre did that brilliantly -- on an almost daily basis put egg on the faces of governments around the world. --- If a small band of energetic, innovative, enthusiastic and caring people can provide shelter for hundreds - overnight and at minimal cost, why can the government not do the same - and better?
Too busy twiddling with their political spinning wheels. Too busy seeking recognition for themselves. Too busy making impossible promises for the future in order to get your vote, in order to ................. (fill in rest of sentence of your choice)

Augustin Legrand (pictured left) and Jean-Baptiste Legrand, two brothers, formed the non-profit association "les Enfants de Don Quichotte" with which they are now continuing the legacy of L'Abbé Pierre -- in keeping the plight of the homeless in the sights and minds of the governments -- and us, the people.


Bon Courage, Les Enfants de Don Quichotte!

(If you wish to donate money towards their good work, please e-mail Augustin or Jean-Baptiste at information@lesenfantsdedonquichotte.com or go directly to their site where you can subscribe - and add your splash of red to the scenery of Paris!)

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Does one insure against Apprentice Pirates?

I just had to add a little post on the Wreckers' party on the beaches at Branscombe - across the channel this week!
While I have been sitting here racking my brain 1) whether I should insure - at exorbitant prices - pieces of furniture, a couple of valuable and beautiful paintings and other bits and pieces left by my father and which I am having shipped from South Africa, and 2) if I do decide to insure - at exorbitant cost - those bits and pieces, where would I find the money to pay for that insurance, the containers that had washed up on the beach in England were being looted and pillaged -- containers that contained goods which were being shipped back to South Africa!
Hundreds of scavengers swooped onto the beach at Branscombe in southwest England on Monday and carted away motorcycles (-- 17 brand new BMW bikes -- with fuel in the tanks and the keys in the ignition -- to be driven away!!), wine barrels, car parts and tennis shoes and household possessions being moved to new homes -- which had spilled from a container ship damaged in recent storms and listing about a mile off shore.
The British cargo ship was deliberately run aground close to the Devonshire resort of Sidmouth, 165 miles southwest of London after it was damaged during a storm Thursday. Its crew of 26 was rescued.
One woman on the scene made the reamrk: "People should be able to be allowed to take what they like. It is clearing up the beach, and it is part of the beach culture,'' said one woman who carried away some carpet. She refused to give her name to reporters, but said she would report the find as the law required. Yeah! As if!

So -- should I insure? Well -- first I have to decide whether I believe something like this would happen a second time -- say -- in six months............

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It is Snowing!

I had a couple of appointments this morning, and what was my delight when I came out of a building at midday to find the world looking like a snow globe you have picked up and shaken! Beautiful!

Although it is snowing across the country and especially the eastern parts are gripped in cold, it is still quite mild here with temperatures just scraping on the bottom of the thermometer, and I doubt that the snow will be as much as last year's when it continued for days on end and left a winter wonderland in white frosting, and softness and silence. But nevertheless, for someone coming from Africa, this is enough to get me very excited! And as long as it lasts, I shall be spending my time looking out the window and enjoying the magic falling down on the river......




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L'abbé Pierre est mort : "Il a essayé d'aimer"

L'abbé Pierre, defender of the poor, founder of Emmaüs, --- and one of the most loved figures in France, died in the early hours of the morning yesterday in a hospital in Val de Grâce in Paris at the age of 94 years.

Martin Hirsch, president of Emmaus in France, made the announcement after abbé Pierre died of a pulmonary infection.

L'abbé Pierre, in a recent interview - which had me laughing, crying, in awe of this most amazing man - said that he is ready to die now and thinks God has been "a little remiss in his duties" for not having called him yet! "For," he said, "death is not really a separation - it is simply a continuation. It is time for leaving the shadows and entering the light."

President Chirac echoed the people of France -- and indeed the world, when he said yesterday that the hearts of whole of France are touched to the core. L'abbé Pierre
was an immense person, the conscience of the world, the reincarnation of goodness and compassion. He did wonderful work in the Resistance, but never in his life stopped working in a spirit of the revolution against suffering, misery and injustice.

L'abbé Pierre was a devout Roman Catholic, but nevertheless one of its most vociferous critics. In his book "Mon Dieu, pourquoi?", he commented on "just about everything" -- as he said at the time of the publication, he may not get another chance! He criticised the church about celibacy for priests, women in the priesthood, bans on condoms to help fight AIDS, the Pope not being able to retire, homosexual relationships, --- the list goes on. He was infamous for telling the Popes off but nonetheless had regular interviews with the last three Popes. He also criticised governments and world leaders and did not hesitate to tell them to their faces what he thought of their reluctance to fight poverty and suffering. ("No", he said in a recent interview, "I did not call Bush a fool. I called him ignorant!")

50 ans après l’appel, la cinquième puissance économique mondiale, devenue entres-temps 4 fois plus riche, ne fait toujours pas mieux pour loger ses citoyens...

Hamba Kahle, Cher abbé Pierre! May you travel safely into the light, but may your work here in the shadows continue.....

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A Brand New 007-ish kind of year!

After a looooong absence – I note my last entry was on 5 December!, I am finally back in the land of the living blogs! – and it is good to see all my regular and loyal readers still out there!
I wish you all a brilliant new year…….
This is going to be a good one ---
It HAS to be a good one….
It WILL be a good one!

So – where were you to see the old year out?

I always thought the big bash on New Year’s Eve was a bit of a damp squib, most of the time. Much more a night to reminisce and perhaps feel a little rueful or sad or nostalgic. Celebrating on the actual New Year’s Day makes much more sense to me…

Anyway – this New Year’s Eve I had the good fortune to be in THE in-place to be for the event – along with everyone who is anyone – and, although so NOT in that category in my books, even Hilton Paris-- or Paris Hilton – whatever – was there. Yes! The beautiful City of light and luminosity, fireworks and festivities – Sydney!
It was magnificent! The
huge bats in the botanical gardens might not have approved, and Mrs Macquarie might have shaken her head in bemusement, and the silly neon coat hanger on the harbour Bridge (No! NOT the Coat Hanger! Please!) might have looked just that – silly, but the atmosphere of excitement all day in the city as people queued up for kilometres and hour after hour to get a good vantage point from where to watch the display, the smiles and goodwill and sense of fun and anticipation – the general wonderful feeling in the air in Sydney on the 31st of December 2006, was something to be experienced!

And the fireworks? Splendiforous! Spectacular! Superb! One just had to forget for a moment how many people could have been fed, or housed or clothed with the AU$4 000 000+ that the pyrotechnics cost the city, fill up another glass of champagne, wipe away the last few caviar crumbs, and enjoy! 2007 started with a Big Bang for me and I fully intend for it to continue that way! I do hope for you too!


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