This week

 I know I owe you a post. Here are the headlines.

The docs have not found a solution to my annoying but minor health problem but they’re still on the case.

Dave is always very nice to me when I'm under the weather. I gave him a big hug the other day and said: "Thank you for being so sweet. I know you'll look after me when I'm old and decrepit," and he said "I already do."

The garden was bone dry and the seedlings not growing, but today we have woken up to steady rain and I’m delighted for the garden and the farmers.

I’ve been:

cooking and freezing stuff for the next Refugee Hospitality Day lunch;

picking raspberries every two days, eating some, freezing some for Eton mess when the Americans come in August;

picked and frozen gooseberries;

picked blackcurrants and we made some jam. There are more to be picked. 

I finished another painting, this one inspired by my holiday in Pembrokeshire. It’s called “To the beach!”

As for the news - I am shocked that Palestine Action, a non-violent protest group acting to stop the genocide has been classed alongside violent organisations and proscribed. And I am in awe of those brave people who protested about this proscription in London yesterday, including an 83 year old woman. They were arrested, and face up to 14 years in prison for this protest in this fine democracy of ours.

The protest was organised by a group called Defend Our Juries and they put out this statement:

They also said:

BBC photo

There was no need to proscribe Palestine Action. They could be prosecuted under criminal law for causing damage. Our government consulted with the Israelis, Israeli lobby groups, and arms manufacturers before this legal action, but not with the many civil liberties organisations opposing the ban. Since when do we need to listen to what the Israelis think when we are framing our laws?

There is still one thing we can do in the face of a repressive government deaf to the opinions of the majority of the public, and that is give to charities working in Gaza.

Medical Aid for Palestinians

Red Cross/Red Crescent

And you can join the non-violent organisation that has been organising the national protests against the genocide for the last 18 months. It's still legal.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign

And you could support conscientious objectors in Israel.

Refuser Solidarity Network