This and That

Two debased words:

Complicated

Now used as a euphemism for hopeless or impossible.

Partner
You can tell that this word has been gutted of all meaning when Vladimir Putin can refer to Europe and the United States as his "western partners".

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In Egypt the authorities can't bring themselves to sentence people to death. Or rather, such is their sensitivity, they can't bring themselves to pronounce these words. Instead, the hapless defendants "have their papers referred to the Grand Mufti". And we all know what the Grand Mufti is likely to do....

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The atrocious acoustics of the church at Cîteaux and my poor hearing make listening to the sermon (or anything else for that matter) an all but impossible task.From time to time the odd word or phrase detaches itself from the "wall of of sound" but, devoid of context, I cannot be sure of understanding correctly. Last week, for instance, the following two words registered on my brain: "livrer à".

Did this mean "deliver to", "yield to", as in "to yield oneself to Christ"?

Or had I actually heard "Livret A" (National Savings Account A)?

***

My good friend Caroline reported hearing the cuckoo for the first time last Monday. Can't say I have, but everything else is well in advance this year. The colza fields are almost in full bloom and the summer lilac coming into flower.

I saw a swallow for the first time on Thursday.