New pages in the book

Foolish optimist that I am, but there’s something about the new pages in a diary – like snow as yet untrampled, the white pages seem to offer opportunities - new, exciting and as yet unknown. Yes, I know that the date is really arbitrary and meaningless, and I haven’t even got a diary to write on, other than this virtual one. Still I can’t shake off this childish or childhood feeling.

Already events are being planned – a wedding, a family trip to an opera, a birthday lunch in March; two Goldenford events - Anne’s book launch in February – mine in May – all occasions to look forward to.

The Son&Heir has visited with his clan. They arrived on Saturday, just after midday, when I was listening to Moneybox on Radio 4, contemplating high finance in 2008. When M shouted, ‘The family’s here,’ I was taken aback. I rushed out and told them, ‘You’re a day early,’ to which my son replied, ‘Aren’t we going to the theatre today?’ In a great panic, I inspected the tickets, but no, it was as I thought, they were dated 30th December. So then I had to magic up a lunch. Thank goodness for pasta. My storecupboard stand-by, tuna pasta bake was duly served up. I still had to go to Sainsbury’s to get extra fruit, etc. later on, and GD1, now a very sensible (some of the time) 9 year old accompanied me. In the supermarket, I met someone, who, like me, had a cot death some years ago. GD1 asked me how I knew her, and I told her. After we talked about it, she said, almost as if reading my mind at that moment, that she didn’t think it would be sensible to tell her younger sister about it, in case it worried her.

GD3 (now 6), is however, quite pragmatic herself. At the theatre the next day, she told me she thought that Peter Pan might be better on the television, as you could make sure the strings holding him up, when flying, would not show, whereas in the theatre, they did (very slightly) . You could do all sorts of things with computers, she assured me. Apparently, so I hear, she also told another small person, accompanied by a parent, on some earlier occasion that there was no such thing as the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus. ‘Don’t you know it’s your parents?’ she said. The parent, apparently, was quite upset at GD3’s revelation to her offspring. GD3, nevertheless, yesterday sporting a gap in her front teeth, had no objection to accepting a pound from the Tooth Fairy. Nor did she mind, in case you’re wondering, shouting at the top of her voice that she believed in fairies, when it was required to save Tinker Bell’s life.

The family left yesterday morning, and we had a very pleasant early evening with several of our neighbours, before bringing in the New Year at home.

Politics on a global scale may leave us wondering if there can be room for any optimistic thoughts, but I hope that all my actual and virtual friends can look forward to a very Happy New Year – peace, health and prosperity in 2008.