There’s still some dispute about how the world started. Scientists have observed galaxies flying apart from each other across the universe. From this they have deduced that in the past the galaxies must have all been much closer together. In fact go back far enough in time, they say, and you’ll find the universe must have been a single point from which all time and space came from.
Some people have uncovered other truths. They tell the story of Ymir, the first of the frost giants who fought against the gods and was slain. From this body the gods created the world. From his skull they made the sky and from his bones they made the mountains. From his eyebrows they made a barrier between Midgard, the world of man and Jotunheim, the world of giants. This is why you rarely see a frost giant in the supermarket.
Scientists had been reluctant to accept the death of Ymir as a reasonable explanation for the creation of the world. “Where’s the evidence?” they asked. Then the creationists smiled for they knew they had won. “Not only can we show you the sky and mountains,” they said. “We can even prove that Ymir had piles.” And they pointed to Derby.
I had hoped to write up something about passage graves today. N.S. Gill has pointed out there’s a live webcam feed of the solstice from Newgrange tomorrow 8:30 to 9:30 GMT. I thought it would fit nicely with that. However I have some essays I’d like to finish marking before Christmas. Today is going to be particularly busy as I also have the police round after someone tried to burgle some sheds.
It’s not just the burglary that annoys me, it’s also the stupidity. This guy left footprints after jumping into the potato patch while climbing the fence from next door. It’s a bit pointless when he could have used the unlocked gate that we have so I can get round next door without having to leap fences. This gate is just a few panels down from the potato patch.
Still, he’s not as stupid as the burglar who visited a couple of Christmases ago who split open some sacks I was keeping outside and rummaged through to see what I was hiding. I know, if I wanted them secure I should have kept them inside the house. But there’s something about sacks of manure that makes me want to leave them outside.
I know some places go for civic pride through great monuments and events. In Derby we tend to build a community through something more akin to a blitz spirit. There are plenty of people who are warm, friendly and helpful. Some are even are as honest as the day is long. That’s a nuisance at this time of year.
Nothing has been lost except time.
