The worst of the bad weather is way to the North of where we live, so other than plenty of 'normal rain' & some gusty wind, we're safe & dry. A tributary of The Thames flows behind our house, some four hundred yards away, I would guess, but as a tributary, it benefits from the protection of The Thames Barrier, so we have to put our trust in the engineering skills of others.

Maeve, your quotation above: "...a prerequisite to empathy is simply paying attention to the person in pain." is a perfect fit for our thread. I think it encapsulates what we do best. I'm also reminded of some words written by our sorely missed Friend, Pat Patterson. He wrote of his amazement at how real our virtual relationships become. Over the past four years, we have created a 'vessel' that can sail wherever she is needed; that can weather the worst of Life's storms. Onwards we voyage,
                                              With Love to You All,
                                                                               Nigel xxxxx