“She hates her life,

and what she’s done to it”

Rockin in the Free World

Neil Young

The rain of the last few days has been interminable. Apocalyptic even. I read a prophesy that before the end of the world Ireland would be under water for seven days.

The fantastical and tragic truth of a Garda washed away as he tried to help people. The film Se7en featured incessant rain as a background. As the perpetrator carried out murders in the form of the seven deadly sins the background theme was rain and more rain. In Insomnia the Al Pacino becomes increasingly disoriented and confused as his lack of sleep starts to take a toll.

For the last three weeks I seem to have entered a tunnel period in my life where there is a consistent stream of challenging news. At one stage it necessitated repeated trips to hospital in Derry and back to visit my mother who was suffering a chronic stomach ailment. The drives seem to be conducted entirely in the rain and the dark or both. My memory of the visits is wet feet crossing the highly unsatisfactory car parks at Altnagelvin and sitting talking to my mother feeling damp.

The apocalyptic weather and the disruptive interruption to my daily routine meant that at a time when I was building a seam of work I had to continually step away to carry out other duties. To the detriment of both I would add. It was highly frustrating. Even trying to describe this I can’t articulate what I mean.

I will start again elsewhere.