From the black stuff Oct. 30, 2006

In the region where Maria started her walk home from the convent, as in my story where she walks nude through Western Europe, all sort of black stuff has been washed down into the sea from rivers inland. This is all testimony to the creeping environmental disaster engulfing Western Europe.

Western Europe is being transformed into an extension of the Sahara Desert. Each spring, summer and even autumn, huge fires arising from weeks of drought are devastating the land. Then, when finally it rains and pours in a storm, the ravaged soil gives up what is left of its scolded greenery and great blackened trees slip away into the torrent (and so on to the sea).

I will rewrite my story : Maria will emerge from her swim in the sea not merely nude for having having had her clothes washed away, but blackened by the grunge around her.