Creak and Coventry

I'm back. Or some of me is. My feet are still not sure where the floor is and don't even ask what my head is doing, but I can tupe, I mean typp.

So what can I tell you about? The Cahooties (Lovely Younger Son and The Lassie) were away in Coventry this weekend, which is where the Lassie comes from. I know that a lot of you live far away and might not know about Coventry, so I'll tell you a bit.

It's a city in the English Midlands and goes back a long long way, and later became the home of the British car industry and a lot of engineering. It had a beautiful mediaeval cathedral until the Second World War. Because of all the engineering works in Coventry the city was heavily bombed, much of the city was wrecked in a firestorm, and the cathedral was destroyed. There's nothing left of the old building now but the ruins.

After the war, the time came to build again. What arose from the ashes was a modern and beautiful building, full of light. There are rainbows filtering through blocks of stained glass, soaring angels etched on windows and, over the main door, St Michael beating down the devil. Above all, it is dedicated to the cause of peace and reconciliation. Everywhere, you are reminded of it. And in the ruins of the old church there is still an altar. On it stands a cross made out of two pieces of debris rescued from the ruins. On it is the inscription 'Father, Forgive.'

Treat yourself and look at www.coventrycathedral.org.uk