1st March 2008 - Hava nagila hava nagila - huva wit?

They were having a sing-song from around the world today. When I arrived it was, mercifully, already over but snatches of songs were still lingering in the air as people whistled and hummed while they did their work. One of the male carers was particularly taken with "Hava nagila" - Let us celebrate in Hebrew apparently - and was singing under his breath. Lily wasn't for having this, she was up for sparking a fight. "Huv a wit? Wit ur ye oan, ye daft basturd. Huva nagila? I'll huva shite. Naw, you huva shite, you awa' and shite. Huva nagila. I'll gie ye Huva nagila, ye daft basturd."

Amy decided to drown out this exchange with a tremulous rendition of "Danny boy", which seemed to annoy Bertha who started a very vocal tirading rant against the Irish. "Fuckin' Micks. Paddy basturds. Shut the fuck up - Danny fucking boy" she threw at Amy and continued to berate her. Amy was undetered and unflinching in her warble.

Sing-song had been a success in a way I suppose. Provoked a reaction at least. As I left I noticed a poster up for the next event - a tea morning. The poster was asking for volunteers who could tell fortunes by reading tea leaves to 'perform' at the event. Now, far be it from me to suggest that divination by any method is a best pointless, at worst a dangerous sop to placate the gullible but I will suggest that a fortune teller in a care home does not have a difficult job. I think I would possess enough of 'the gift' to be able to give a glance at the tea leaves and give a really rather accurate prediction as to the future.