An Englishman Abroad…
Thinking again of the delightful Alan Bennett’s wonderful play, ‘An Englishman Abroad’ brings much to mind if one is an Englishman abroad. Bennett wrote of the Soviets, that while the comrades were very good they could not do this that or the other.
An Englishman living in New Zealand often has similar thoughts. The Kiwis have an abundance of strengths. Most notable is the ability to use cows to turn grass into a very profitable endeavour and of course, the ability to play rugby union. How and what then are my Kiwi friends lacking?
This extract from the NZ Dementia Action Plan, prepared by Alzheimers NZ, the New Zealand Dementia Foundation, and Dementia NZ, with the voices and input of over 300 individuals and groups is the proverbial canary in the coalmine. It points to inadequate services especially to the elderly, those with disabilities and minorities among others:
There are so many good referendum arguments for and against the availability of cannabis and ‘end of life choice’ that picking the bones out of them and voting will take a little longer than ticking a box.
I’m a baby-boomer – and proud of it. So why is our generation, the first crop of boomers (born 1946), being attacked for simply reaching our age. After all we protested against Nuclear testing at Mururoa – and eventually won. 
This poem was written in March, 2020 by Kitty O’Meara a former teacher and chaplain from Wisconsin.