A Fish out of Weather

It was a sad day on BBC TV and Radio on Wednesday, as Michael Fish delivered his last weather forecasts for the Beeb. Actually, I'm surprised he's stayed on this long, as I am sure he turned sixty some months ago- the official retirement age for the BBC (lucky people!) and most civil servants, which is what he remained. Ah well, such are the strange ways of the Met Office, I suppose.

Naturally, it was a day of affectionate reminiscing, including of course endless re-runs of the notorious "hurricane" clip. As was his privilege on his final day, Michael put the record straight on that one- more information on the website. Just goes to show, though, how easily things get taken out of context and get misquoted.

Fish may not be everyone's favourite dish, but he certainly has personality if not always the best fashion sense in the past. Nevertheless, did BBC producers really have to mar his last day with those embarrasing seventies non-fashions (he's been in the job for thirty years!) and David Bedfordesque moustache? In later years, he was actually voted Britain's BEST dressed man, maybe when wearing one of his stylish blazers. I loved his own quip about one of these "the colour's supposed to be salmon, but I think it's gone off". Well, what more could you expect from a fish!

The BBC Weather site is a wealth of information on a Briton's favourite topic, actually. Read it in full and you could be well on your way to becoming a top flight met man yourself, I imagine. Mr Fish though was apparently one of the old style met forecasters who could tell from the signs what was coming and didn't rely on a supercomputer. Maybe he was even able to use that gift with his early girlfriends: he could look into a girl's eyes and tell weather. Mmm, the old ones may be the best, but they don't work on screen as well as they do on radio, do they?

Talking of radio, I got an e-mail from Mark Griffiths at Classic FM a wee while ago! I'd entered his late competition by identifying that beautiful piano piece Fuer Elise by Beethoven, more correctly known as Bagatelle number 25. It was written for a love of his life; I wonder if a girl I was thinking of a few minutes ago likes classical music? I was reflecting at this early hour that maybe I don't know how lucky I am in some ways to have the single life and this degree of freedom, but it doesn't make up for a cuddle up on a chilly night with your ever-loving and I'd rather be woken at this hour by the sound of joyful children's laughter than the noisy piece of equipment upstairs,possibly a fan heater, which seems to have mercifully stopped for the moment.

The radio is a great companion, though, and unlike other halfs, you need never have a cross word with it. Except, maybe, when DAB Radio 4's Daily Service disappears entirely with no rhyme or reason, or when interference or fading cuts a programme at a crucial moment. I do love the overnight show on Classic FM- so comforting and stress-relieving,at least when I AM stressed. Leaving my previous job has rid me of much of that for the moment and in some ways I shall actually regret it when I have to return to work. I recall though what a comforter the radio was when I was a wee lad and my Dad was, I thought, seriously ill-turned out he was in hospital with stress, interestingly at the age I am now.

Dad's much in my thoughts this week as we approach the anniversary of his loss five years ago on Saturday, but time is a healer so I don't need to dash to the American Forces Network (AFN) like I did back then. For years after that, whenever I heard Blue Mink's "Band of Gold" with the line "Now that you've gone", I couldn't help thinking it was about someone who had died, as I feared my Daddy had back then as a 12 year old. As you may have gathered reading these posts, I have a very over-imaginative mind at times! I often find it hard though to not think about the next loss I will have to face in the not too distant future, that of my Mum, and fear how I will handle that.

Like all of us, I want to be happy, all of the time. Life is not like that of course though, but Jesus did say that those who mourn, those who make peace, those who thirst after righteousness (i.e try to better the world for the sake of those unable to do it for themselves) are blessed, which is often translated as "happy".

Michael Fish's last day certainly gave the weather most associated with him-strong winds, but it didn't stop me feeling really quite happy yesterday as I spent time in the afternoon contemplating spiritual things as the wind made it's presence felt though mercifully with much less force than that frightening day back in 1987 when SE England took the brunt of the "Great Storm". As it punched the rooftops, I went into the marvellous Anglo-Catholic edifice which is St Saviour's Eastbourne, which was apparently designed by Street, the architect of the Royal Courts of Justice in London. This church is a wonderful building where one wants to linger, contemplating particularly the marvellous glass and ceramic mosaics telling bible stories with life-like faces showing real emotion and feeling. Iconic almost.

Afterwards, I strolled down to the seafront, for a cup of tea and a scone along with the wrinklies in the sun lounge of the Wish Tower restaurant. I shouldn't jest though, as soon enough I will join their league. It's time to Carpe Diem, as my old school motto says, gather the day at this harvest time- something else I have much had on my mind this week as the prolonged Harvest Festival period draws to a close.

But WHAT exactly is a tare? I was contemplating that great old school favourite "Come ye thankful people come" with it's line "Wheat and tares together sown". Now not being a farmer, I really don't know: perhaps I should ask Tim at church who is! I remember freight wagons on trains used to say "Tare weight" or something like that. My ever inquisitive mind wants to know; if I can't find out from the internet, I guess I never will. Or perhaps just a good old fashioned dictionary! Instead though, maybe www.factcheck.com might be able to help-apparently quoted by one of the Vice Presidential candidates in his debate yesterday. It appears however he may have shot himself in the foot: I'd better read it to find out why.

Things are starting to look up on the work front. I have had contact from no less than three agencies this week, and I registered with another (The Work Shop) yesterday. I feel I have reached the point where I am content to take something to pay the bills while my quest for that job which is "just me" goes on. Who knows, I may be pleasantly surprised. Not so sure, though, that I really want to spend out £40 a week commuting to a Brighton call centre for eight weeks, which was one offer I had on Monday. We'll see.

Well I guess it's time to get back to the DAB set in the bedroom for a bit more shut eye after catching the end of the shipping forecast (Fisher, Dogger, German Bite- Woof!) I know, it' spelt Bight, but you know what I mean. Then afterwards, another Prayer for the Day from Judy Merry who is always insightful and I like a lot. Radio is still a far from perfect medium, but will we ever reach perfection in audio visual technology, I wonder? We certainly won't reach it in our personal lives this side of glory, but that's no reason to stop trying and it is the essence of taking one more step along the road as Christians. From the old into the new, keep me travelling along with you! And help me Lord, to be in your catch of fish. Amen.

(PS: I just missed the prayer on air anyway, so time to check it out on the website before catching more Zzz's. Freedom, don't you just love it!)