One, two, tree.

The majestic Chestnut tree in the middle of HamiltonsBawn is no more. It was cut down to make way for 50 town houses (or somewhere round that number) with building well underway.
The tree was usually a flag pole for the 12th, and some poor sap had to climb it to fly the union flag. I remember big Mervin swearing he would never do it again. The tree was to be taken down many years ago, due to the damage it would cause if it ever fell in a storm, but the good people of HamiltonsBawn, or H. B. City as the young poeple call it, stopped its destruction.
As we all know the legend that if that tree falls, Ulster will also fall to peddlers of untruth and decievers of the people.
Elections are March 7th.

It's for charity!

This years comic relief single is the hard rockers Aerosmith song 'Walk this way'. I liked the 1986 verson with rappers Run DMC, and the video inspired a generation. To do what, we may never know.
This years tries to keep that spirit of faux 'battle of the band' with Sugababes vs Girls Aloud. And there is the problem. Apart from the obvious trouble with words/tune for some of the groups members, the battle between a pop girl group and a pop girl group is slightly non discript. I find it hard to tell the difference between the groups in both look and sound, they both are bubblegum pop, and they all dress in skimpy outfits (PC way of saying they look a bit tarty, especially when they are rubbing them selves up against walls like cats in heat).
But it is for charity, and both groups being at the top of the pop bubblegum tree, will sell well, and I still have my copy of the Bananarama and La Na Nee Nee Noo Noo version of 'Help!'.

Tired

Just back from work. Really disapointing night with J. He was barred last week for throwing stones at others in the centre, and told that it was his choice what he did. He has a nasty habbit of causing trouble when he is barred, and was warned that if he chose to caused trouble he would get a longer barring. He did soo well, (and I was proud of him, I really was) right up to tonight, his last session of his barring. He was a nightmare, between spitting, loud swaring, hitting people, constantly trying to get in, trying burn people with his lighter, and generally demanding the worst type of attention.
J is discribed by many as 'just bad'. Should i accept that. 'He is just bad, and there is nothing that can be done with him, so it's best to give up.' Should we barr him fro life, should we give up on him? No, I guess not. It's not the way Jesus delt with poeple. But what do we do? How can we provide what he needs when he does not want it, and we don't know where to start? And what does he need? Is it love? Is it a kicking? Is it realisation that he is not the most important person in Garvagh? Is it understanding?
I don't know. I feel I have failed him. God, give me strength and wisdom, because I have run out of both.