It's that time of year again ... the end of the old and looking forward to the new. My mother recently told me that she hates New Year's Eve, but couldn't say why. I really think it has a lot to do with the fear and foreboding that many people feel as 12 fresh new (unknown) months loom over us.
I often remember back to being a young student in my Junior school in England. Our school day would always start with every class assembling in the all-purpose gym. Our head-mistress, a very aloof and formidable woman who was aptly named Mrs. Loveless, would sit high up on her raised platform, behind a huge desk (at least it seems huge in my memory!) Peering at us all from behind her gigantic glasses she would tell us every year that this was the time to "turn over a new leaf".
Now, remember that in Junior school we were aged 6-11 years of age ... and I heard her use this expression (plus the accompanying lecture) every single January!! I hadn't got a clue what she was talking about, and I remember thinking about physically turning over leaves in my hands - but certainly couldn't see how this would make me a 'better person'. Mrs. Loveless would always talk literally as well as figuratively way over our heads - usually addressing the staff more often than us! She would sometimes go on and on about how "delightful the dawn chorus was this morning" ... totally ignoring the fact that almost all of 'her' children came from the rows upon rows of small 'council houses' which surrounded the school. We felt lucky to see the odd scrubby tree and perhaps a few twittering sparrows - and certainly had no idea what a "dawn chorus" was!! (How on earth did such people get into the important work of education???)
Anyway, it is now time to turn over new leaves, and like many others I want to get fit, and have pledged to actually get onto my treadmill every day. How long I stay on it, or even how fast I walk remains to be seen. But, I will try! (This 'poor' treadmill is a magnificent state-of-the-art machine that does everything except lace your shoes for you ... and has been glaring at me for months for abandoning it!)
Whichever leaf you choose to turn over, I wish you every success!! But, more importantly I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year!
See you in 2008!
3 comments:
Happy New Year to you and yours Pauline - and good luck on the treadmill!!
Love, Susan T.
Happy New Year Pauline and family. Is there room on that treadmill for me too? !!!!!!
Will write shortly.
Sue - Scotland.
Thanks Ladies, I am very sad to report that I have already let the first day of this new year pass without getting on the treadmill ... I am impossible!!!!!
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