Today I am thankful - global - and local - community and lunch

- for the outpouring of despair around the world in response to the horror of earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It is very hard to find something to be thankful for in such circumstances, but recent disasters have shown that we can be a global community when it comes to these things and that is the one positive on which we can focus. There is no description for the feeling which descended upon me as I saw the footage of that water consuming everything in its path.

- for local community - in the midst of the horror of Japan and Libya, there was a pocket of hope in my very own neighbourhood. As I returned home from walking the dog, I joined a neighbour who had stopped his lawnmower and another who had stopped her car, to come to the aid of a disabled woman whose electric scooter had come to a halt just as she began crossing the road. Her battery was flat. But it was no big deal - her shopping was placed into the car, she was carefully and respectfully helped into the car and driven home, where the power cable was to be collected and brought back to where the scooter was being kept safely and would be recharged and returned to her. This is the world in which we all should expect to live.

- for my lunch - leftover Vietnamese Chicken Salad I made last night, inspired by that served at lunch on Monday at the breastfeeding seminar. A quick Google, import the recipe to Plan to Eat, shopping for ingredients and quickly assembled - that is tastes even better after overnight refrigeration was a surprise (Asian food usually best eaten as soon as possible). Will now get added to my work lunch menu!