Wed Nov 1st All Saints Day
Yesterday evening I made up a couple of little packets of ginger biscuits tied with ribbon, in case any children called, it being Hallowe'en. A knock at the door, a child dressed as a skelton with a skull-mask, waving a skull-and-crossbones flag and carrying a plastic bucket with some sweets in it. He shouted gleefully and I pronounced myself utterly, utterly terrified, and gave him a packet of ginger biscuits. Sign of the times: his (young, rather jolly) mum and dad were in the background, loyally keeping watch. They called out "Many thanks! Happy Hallowe'en!" and I reciprocated. This "trick or treat" thing is new, an import from America, having of course originated long ago in Catholic England, children going from house to house begging for "soul cakes" in return for saying a prayer for the dead of the household.....Newspapers are full of "Oh, why do we have to have these American imports?" and it does seem a pity that it's all a bit of a spending-spree: plastic pumpkins, lanterns, ready-made costumes, witches' hats, flashing headdresses etc etc. But it does provide fun and at least gets children away from staring at computer screens.... Churches ameliorate the spooky aspects by organising "Pumpkin parties" and "Hallelujah parties" and having "Night of Light" prayer festivals. Our local church ran one of these, got children to dress as saints, and had a lantern-lit procession which all enjoyed....although apparently they also enjoyed jeering at other local children who were dressed as witches, skeletons, etc "Ya! Gross! We're saints! You're horrible!"......

Crisp, fresh, deliciously cold day. So at last, with All Saints, Autumn is here. Everything feels fresh and vigourous.

Newspapers full of reports about global warming, horrors to come, cities flooded, refugees moving in vast numbers from low-lying area like Bangladesh etc.....This warm Autumn has made fears like this seem real.....

A very grand invitation has been on our mantlepiece for the past few weeks, requesting the pleasure of our company at a major event in Rome. Jamie will be attending and for various reasons it will have resonances with the topic on which I am lecturing in America, so I will enjoy writing about this.....