Monday, March 14, 2011

Difficult times

I feel certain most people have reacted as I have, and were/are transfixed by images of the Japanese earthquake and following tsunami on TV and in the newspapers. Even though I've seen the photos over and over many times, I still watch them again--just can't imagine the enormity of such an event. Now there is an additional nuclear threat. I've been switching channels back and forth ever since the disaster occurred.

It all makes me realize that one doesn't appreciate when things are going (relatively) well and the daily vexing occurrences which come along seem, well, just petty. Makes one appreciate again how peaceful knitting is.

On a happier note: I read that during 2011, there will be a travelling exhibition of the Lewis Chessmen in different venues throughout Scotland. Fortunately, it will be at the museum in Stornoway while we are there. As I understand it, this is the first time that the known 93 pieces have been shown together. (82 pieces are held in the British Museum and 11 in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.) They are called the Lewis Chessmen as they were found on Lewis but their origins are Nordic. I don't know how to play chess--just found it too confusing and boring. In fact, when my grandson Sam was four years old, he tried to teach me to play and gave up in disgust--I just didn't get it! Saying that, I find the concept of the Lewis Chessmen very interesting.

1 comment:

Lise said...

I too have been mesmerized by the images coming out of Japan since last Thursday. And every time I see a house swept away by the tsunami, I gasp.

How cool about the Lewis Chessmen. they will be interesting. I never learned to play chess - way too much to remember and keep track of.