Pat has this story her father told her. It’s really not a story, or rather a non-story. Yet, it’s quite unbelievable. Something we are all too young to have experienced. It’s not a story of war or hardship. It’s short. And here it goes: There was this Sunday, many years ago. Sunny. Warm. Quiet. He switched on the radio to listen to the news. The hour came, the familiar voice of the newsreader went on air, the whole nation could hear him, and he said, in his familiar newsreader voice: “There are no news today. And here is Met Eireann with the weather forecast.”
Hey Thekla, Viva-la-Thekla was out again. It was really good to see Pádraig sitting out again. Brill oxygenation, all perfect. Almost no medication, except for the thrombosis. Very little oxygen. Therapist had been with him in the morning, working on his swallowing and the respiration. He closed and opened his hands a few times, held a ball and let it fall into my hand, stuck out his tongue a bit when I asked him – all really small but significant things. Good. Right direction.
There is going to be a swim. A full mile. By some who did not really swim that much before. That far. – Did I tell you about my sea swim last spring? No? Well, it’ll be a bit like that (with ‘perdón’). But all for a good cause. On 04 April at the Swim Ireland ‘Swim a Mile (!) Challenge’. Go Lynn Go! Go Irene Go! Watch this space!
Listening to the 30th Anniversary Concert for Bob Dylan in Madison Square Garden while writing – and Willie Nelson is coming up. Putting 1 (sport) + 1 (Willie Nelson) together made me think of what Willie once said about Lance Armstrong: “I think it is just terrible and disgusting how everyone has treated Lance Armstrong, especially after what he achieved, winning seven Tour de France races while on drugs. When I was on drugs, I couldn’t even find my bike.” Classic.
Today’s German Music Tip
Nena, In meinem Leben (2010). Yes, there is more than 100 Bunte Luftballons!
What’s hot
Swimming a mile
What’s cold
Water
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Krass!
Twitter: @forPadraig
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Hospi-Tales 
Reinhard, when you tell with the viva-la-Tekla Pádraig gets out, is it out of the bed or out of the room or out, out, to a park? It sound very well if he holds de ball and all these things he his starting to do!!! For those who are going to swim all my best wishes!!!!
In Spain we are living a very difficult time for people who are dependent. Normally they are given a grade and then the state helps them accordingly to that “number”. What is happening at the moment is that due to the lack of money the state has started to change the given “grades” although the dependents have not improve in their situation. As a result of that the little money there were given has been lowered even more,…. I will no comment anymore,…. Besos y abrazos
See, Ana, when we plot the revolución, we’ll send some international brigades down your way. What’s going on is not for ‘no comment’ it’s for shouting out loud: no more. Basta. Wouldn’t you say so?
I agree, completely!!! In fact we have the so cold “marea blanca” which is the movement fighting for the public health care which is very active and has been able even to win against the gobernment some important things like avoiding that 6 hospitals in Madrid were privatize. The marea blanca has even manage to make me run for the niño Jesús hospital (children hospital).
Hello, Reinhard.
Just thinking about that story of no news … perhaps we might sometimes benefit from following the example of the newsreader of yore. We are at the opposite end of the spectrum now – information overload everywhere we look. Of course, this doesn’t apply to news about Pádraig – I think the 444 of us followers can probably never get enough of that.
Best wishes,
Louise
The thing is, Louise, that news are no news anymore but sales clips for advertisement.