Not terribly sure if I want to commit to a blog a day this year although I did get a deal of satisfaction in having achieved the goal.
I may spend some time later this evening, when it is quiet, re-reading what I wrote last year and maybe cheating a little bit by adding some updates to some of those musings. Might also delete a couple of last year’s.
Today, though, my concern is politics and in particular the lying, brutes of this current British administration. I am used to heartless politicians who lie to get into power and who are only interested in serving their own segment of society. It is par for the course that the Tories would be more interested in tax breaks for their mates than helping the working poor. (How I hate these sound-bites that mean nothing; “working families” – what does that mean?)
I don’t think I have been as politically depressed since Thatcher slithered into power. However in 1979 I was at least cheered by the birth of the first of my two beautiful sons who were a wonderful distraction and whose smiles and hugs and brilliant progress gave (and in fact still give) me such joy. I wrote a diary in those days but daren’t sit down and read it tonight because that would be several hours of reminiscing instead of creating anew. I am far more interested in the future than the past and this whole ancestor researching thing leaves me cold. Yes, we need to understand the past to get some sort of handle on the present but whether my great-grandmother was a martyr or bully does not really affect my future.
In 1979 I was thirty-five years younger and it is terrifying to realise that the entire life of our elder son – a generation – the political climate has hardly changed at all. Selfishness is still the mainstay of government and whilst the ‘97 era produced so many good things, this current lot are bent on destroying even more of the great institutions that indeed have made Britain great. The NHS is being sold to the highest bidder, the BBC is about to be gifted to Murdoch and our flagship comprehensive education system is being setback by the creation of more grammar schools. The United Kingdom itself is being fractured with Scottish independence on the cards, once again we are dithering about allegiances with either Europe or not Europe and fascists – masquerading as ukippers – are grinning as they watch old prejudices (which never really died) simmer to the surface.
So, shall I bother to write my diatribes, tell the odd funny story, boast a little about some rather jolly things that have happened lately?
Maybe.
Watch this space.
It might get filled.
Or rather the next page might.