Bright new beginnings

 

La Couronne, 1246 Corsier, Switzerland

Or gray, dreary dull starts if one is talking about the weather!

But then again, I would rather not: they had predicted snow during the night so when I woke up to grey, drizzly I was not well pleased

 

Pleased though to turn over a leaf, shut down 2020, get rid of last year, call it what you will, gone forever more 2020 and even if 2021 does not come with a guarantee of better things, surely it will be generally better for all of us.

 

My endings were good: I “last-footed” one of my best friends, i.e. dropped by with a magazine (for those wanting to know more about “last-footing” it doesn’t exist, but rather was my on-the-spot interpretation for ending the year seeing a friend as opposed to the Scottish “first-footing”) First footing’s origins are nebulous, some feel that it was the blond-haired Vikings, which struck terror into the local’s hearts, but it is accepted that it is the first person to cross one’s threshold after midnight. They are meant to bring luck and should be dark-haired (referring back to the terror of the blond Vikings?).

 

I did not stay up til midnight! My family did not have a history of celebrating New Year’s Eve, and my husband mainly did precious little as well, so it is fine with me if we drink our champagne at any time after 18:00 that suits and say “well it’s New Year’s somewhere in the world” and go have a normal night.

 

This morning as I went out to get bread at the local bakery, there was not a soul about, so the first person I saw was the chap who runs the “La Couronne” in my village. Full of light I was gifted a to-go coffee and feel that that went well towards having my first foot in 2021 be a very pleasant one.

 

Written to friends and family yesterday: “As we say goodbye (ok good riddance) to 2020, we have high hopes for 2021: may they all come true! Gather our small groups, look forward and work towards a better day, one which we can all have a part in making come true. I am sure that if we try we CAN improve things as long as we remember to pull together, to unite (or re-unite), to express our feelings, but not expect others to agree - and above all be willing to listen to other opinions”.

I wish you all peace, joy and happiness.