With cheerful voice

It is probably far too late for New Year greetings but this is my first post in 2011, so here goes: Happy New Year!

Where have I been and what have I been doing? Well, the days have been full and have flown by but there is nothing terribly exciting to report. I've been quite preoccupied with some difficult situations among family and friends, where cancer is affecting far too many people who are dear to me.

Then a few days ago, I had an email from my long-time blogging friend, e, who said she was missing my 'cheerful voice.' That made me realise how deep into despond I was sinking and that I really ought to shake myself out of it. I have been reading some of my favourite blogs and finding that many of you have been writing about things that make you cheerful and grateful and this morning the postman brought me a package from Nan at her Hill Farm; it was a book that has had me chuckling all day.  Thank you all for kick-starting my optimism. I'm now ready to think of my own reasons to be cheerful.

I have plans for writing about the book that arrived today but that is for later in the week. In the meantime I will just remind myself how lucky I am:

My three lovely grandchildren

 

Living by the sea

 First signs of Spring

A lunch date with my dear friend D at the Exeter Inn tomorrow

Now that I have started, I can think of hundreds of reasons to be cheerful. I must be out of the doldrums at last!  I've been in something of a royalist mood since seeing The King's Speech last week so here is a clip from the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation in Westminster Abbey. It is undoubtedly "with cheerful voice."
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