Confessions of a Flaneuse.

Portrait of Lord Riddesdale
by Singer Sergeant; le flaneur
par excellence.

 Flaneur: a person who walks around, apparently aimlessly, but keenly observing urban society in a cool, aloof way. An honourable activity.  Flaneuse: the presumed female version of Flaneur. 

Although I walk every day, routinely, early, through/around/beyond the gorgeous Abbey Gardens, I am truly less of a flaneuse these days, more of a slow, stick-assisted, walking-for-my-health, ancient kind of person who, nonetheless, adores the walk and glories defiantly in the flaneuserie. Perhaps, being a flaneuse, if frailer and slower, underpins not only physical health, but mental well-being too. And the intellect is certainly stimulated by The Daily News, especially politics, read as I wander in and out of the Internet! I tend to veer between the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera and MSBNC. Obviously I avoid Fox. I also allow myself one newspaper a week; at present, The New York Times. Alas I have not yet discovered a word for flaneuserie of the mind but that, too, is what I do.

No title needed! Trump, MAGA posters AND 
besotted followers in the act of worship.

So, this week’s blog is about things or sights that have caught my eye; maybe locally; maybe online; maybe nationally. Number One has to be the magisterial essay in the New York Times [an occasional treat] by Matthew Walther [19/20 Nov, 2022] which popped up to surprise and delight. Whenever the sudden reaction occurs, “I never thought of that interpretation!” then it is because a revelation occurs. I can see that Trump has backed losers in the recent elections; that he is clearly unfit for office; that he has, in effect, lost his mojo, but still, mysteriously, he continues to ignite vociferous support from millions, content to wear silly MAGA hats and proclaim clamorous approval for him. His policies and character seem almost irrelevant to his supporters because he carries the promise to 'clear the swamp'; 'stop the steal'; he promises the total destruction of the political ruling 

Napoleon Bonaparte in Emperor mode.
Two hundred years ago.

elite and the re-making of the legal, political, administrative and tax systems. He will make America great again. And THIS is a leader promising implicitly, as did Bonaparte, that lies, destruction of norms, rule-and law-breaking; tax evasion; vague notions that the world order is there to be ignored or damaged, are all to be embraced, not just changed, by his omnipotence. This is what your Leader will bring you because he can and you want it. Walther suggests that Trump sees himself, as do his devoted followers, in a quasi-religious light, as the embodiment of the nation; the Emperor, no less, with the throne as his birth-right. And the expectation of continued Emperor-ship!

And for an observation on the everyday; my favourite watch stopped so I popped up to the Wednesday market watch stall and left it for a new battery. When I returned to collect, the lady said it didn’t need a new battery, her ‘man’ had just given it a blow of air and it was fine. I couldn’t then believe there was no charge. AND the sun was also shining!! Such tiny courtesies do restore faith.

Roman grandsons and Birthday Boy as Zeus.

Then came my son’s 60^th birthday party with guests in various interpretations of togas a la Rome. It was an amazingly open-hearted, good-natured celebration and the abundant goodwill and kindness on display, struck me as a tribute to a good life being affirmed and lauded by friends and family, rather summed up in the entire crowd almost harmonising in the robust chorus of “You’re so fucking special” Sadly I only caught this tribute on video as I was abed watching Netflix by the time the singing erupted! But I continue to enjoy it hugely!

Today en route to a photographic exhibition in the Apex, discovered a splendid roundabout, a proper carousel, featuring dappled horses, no less, with the familiar hurdy-gurdy music alongside a small Christmas market which I hadn’t realised was continuing from the weekend. Shades of Brugge and its often magical Christmas market. A very satisfying discovery indeed! And the exhibition by local amateur photographers, proved to be remarkable in images and moods re-recreated. SO impressive I couldn’t resist a lovely photo of a kingfisher with a 
fish in his beak, sitting on a wooden notice which said, “No fishing.” Not only superb photography but, as always, embellished by the humour. How long did the photographer await that shot?!

Bury St Edmunds Camera Club.

At my usual Friday afternoon Mah Jong session, with four of us playing, I was ridiculously excited to win one game with a very rare combination indeed. It is rare because it is difficult, but amazing luck favoured me in a Goulash game. For me, winning is never the goal, though it is pleasant to stumble into it. It is finding a difficult combination of tiles that one might accomplish. Simple as that really! No more details as the uninitiated will be yawning!! Enough to say that minor, totally unimportant victories like this DO cheer a person on her way!

Nothing here for the uninitiated.
BUT for Mah Jong players, evidence of great luck +
All Winds and Dragons.

Post Script 

Baudelaire, a 19th century poet, is credited with identifying the flaneur in his essay, "The Painter of Modern Life", 1863, as a dilettante, but one who observes modern life with curiosity and panache.

Two elegantly-dressed participants in the London
Grand Flaneur Walk 14th July 2019.