The joys of Meet and Greet

It has been quite sometime since I added to this page or pages and I decided that after the second chance meeting with a fellow Lions Club member from a Cruise ship that arrived here in Burnie this morning, I should make comment.
Thank you to Lion President Brendan Doyle from West Kirby, Wirral, United Kingdom for asking the question in the Makers' Workshop this morning and finding me on site. We had less than five minutes conversation, but it was long enough to swap business cards and email addresses.
When I arrived home I was determined to find out just where Lion Brendan and his good lady actually lived. West Kirby is a peninsular that is on the south side of the River Dee and so close to the border of Wales, its not funny. The River Dee reminded me of a poem that I learnt as a school boy a few years ago titled "The Sands of Dee" by Charles Kingsley. Oh Mary, go call the cattle home . . . . . . . . . across the sands of Dee."
So one could say that yet another friendship has presented itself that hopefully will be on going.
Bon Voyage Brendan and Margaret, and a safe return to your home in West Kirby.
Lion John C Medwin. City of Burnie Lions Club, District 201T1 Australia.


The Sands of Dee
Charles Kingsley. 1819–1875

'O MARY, go and call the cattle home,
And call the cattle home,
And call the cattle home,
Across the sands of Dee.'

The western wind was wild and dark with foam,
And all alone went she.
The western tide crept up along the sand,
And o'er and o'er the sand,

And round and round the sand,
As far as eye could see.
The rolling mist came down and hid the land:
And never home came she.

'O is it weed, or fish, or floating hair—
A tress of golden hair,
A drownèd maiden's hair,
Above the nets at sea?'

Was never salmon yet that shone so fair
Among the stakes of Dee.
They row'd her in across the rolling foam,
The cruel crawling foam,
The cruel hungry foam,
To her grave beside the sea.
But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home,
Across the sands of Dee.

Just for Jennifer.