A rather pessimistic little post!

2020 lulled us into a false sense of security with some fine and even sunny days to start the year with. Today we are back to normal with dull and drizzly weather and rather chilly as well. Rain is forecast for he next few days. Bang goes our almost established routine of heading out for a long walk just after the one o’ clock news!

Christmas seems to be officially over in Delph village as well, despite it not yet being Twelfth Night. As I ran round this morning, men in hi-vis jackets were taking down all the “flying Christmas trees” (my five year old granddaughter’s description of the trees fixed above each shop doorway). I did think they might have waited until Monday.

Oldham town centre still has it’s Christmas lights burning brightly though, even if they include a big sign, in lights, that says “OLDHAM LIGHTS”, just in case you thought you had wandered into Rochdale or Ashton by mistake!

But on the international plane, the season of peace and good will to all men is well and truly over with America’s drone attack on Iran. I was struck by the fact that this has been justified as a defensive act to protect American soldiers from future attacks. Imagine a mother who smacks her child, just in case the child is naughty tomorrow!

That’s a good start to the year!

Are we due for a whole new series of apologies?

After all, we have already had the pope apparently apologising for slapping a woman’s hand on New Year’s Eve as she tried a little too insistently to kiss his hand. It”s a hard life for pontiffs!

So what does the future hold for our grandchildren?

Our three-year-old granddaughter tells me that when she is a grown up she wants to be a “maker”. She was busily stitching cards together to make a Little Red Riding Hood character, an activity-based Christmas present. A “maker”, eh? Quite a good ambition.

But since when do three-year-olds have to decide what they will be in the future? How does she already have that concept in her little head?

Where is the carefree magic of childhood?

I have to say, however, that I’m not really pessimistic. It just sounds that way from time to time.