We managed to get to the river of blood installation at The Tower of London for Remembrance day yesterday which was a very humbling affair – the most celebrated public artwork of modern times that was finally completed yesterday by a 13 year old Berkshire cadet. Officially known as Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red it was a beautifully tranquil and yet incredibly poignant reminder of the horror of war. What an extraordinary sea of humanity there was to see – ranging from very old veterans to small children, all standing proudly to see the blood red moat. So sad to think that every one of the poppies represented a mother’s son.
The unknown soldier shot:-
It also happens to be my birthday and even worse than that….a BIG birthday so my daughter spent a lot of time announcing to whoever was around very loudly that it was my BIG birthday. In the end I had to pretend I was 60 so that people started being complimentary – before that, one complete stranger said “FIFTY??? Are you sure? You don’t look a day over 49!!”.
Here is my friend’s photo taken the other day with the amazing rainbow!
Here I am – just to prove I was there, sadly looking like a small dwarf compared to my daughter – that’s us on the left:-
We missed the two-minute silence, observed by millions all over Britain, including the Queen and the Prime Minister at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month which was a bit gutting (forgot and had a coffee that delayed our arrival!).
Although we did see the young boy after laying the final poppy – number 888,246 – one for every British and colonial serviceman killed in the First World War for his great, great, great uncle, cadet Harry Hayes, aged 13 – there he is – with Sophie Rawlins (is it her?) being interviewed:-
The installation will now remain on show until the end of the month and I urge you to go and contemplate – a very moving reminder of why we should never ever allow anything like it to happen again…
And I know you’re not interested…but I had TWO birthday celebrations yesterday – and TWO CAKES. WOOHOO – one at lunchtime:-
and one in the evening – LUCKY ME:-
