Anniversaries of life

Tuesday 27th October, 2020

I had a letter this morning from a couple who had celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary last week. It was full of amusing stories and reminiscences of their life together. They even turned the fact of having to refuse dozens of invitations to dinners, celebrations, parties and other forms of entertainment in to a joy together. "We would never have had so many invites if it was not for Covid! We know people invited us as they knew we would have to refuse! And they did not send the cash they saved!" It gives us all delight to know that such a relationship is real. Their love and perseverance and mutual respect and tolerance and sensitivity warms all of us and gives us an ideal. So I sent them a reply saying that I was holding a party for them in Scotland, some 300 miles away. I enclosed one pence saying they could not tell me I was mean!

Then I telephoned another friend, in her mid nineties, at home. I knew she was leaving hospital today. She had broken her pelvis some months ago. Then after returning home she fell again and broke an arm. Well, she is home ' and thrilled to be here and not to be fussed by everyone. Of course I can look after myself....'

How brilliant to know such people.

Then in the pouring rain I went to the local garage for the third day running. Two attempts to fit a new wing mirror had failed as the replacements were not compatible. The owner of the garage was pulling his non existent hair out. This time he had a stick on mirror. So he stuck it on and did a wee Scottish jig and cried out some sort of Robert the Bruce battle cry. It is still stuck on three hours later!

Finally I had to buy some lemons on my way back from the garage for today is measuring and weighing day. Some idiotic Minister of State up here may have spoken of a digital Christmas....and had a thunderstorm of abuse....but we are preparing Christmas cakes for baking. The number of ingredients is phenomenal and all topped off with brandy. I felt like taking a swig as I prepared to beat the mixtures together by hand. Whatever else Christmas will have its cake and its pudding. Also we have the sherry and carrot to leave in the fire place for Santa. Time for cheer. From remarkable friends to a remarkable event to celebrate. So "be of good cheer" for unto us is born a hope, a truth and a festival of love.