Happy Christmas family ;)

I want to learn how major trends in human history, both hopeful and worrisome, work themselves out: the dangers and promise of our technology, say; the emancipation of women; the growing political, economic, and technological ascendancy of China; interstellar flight. If there were life after death, I might, no matter when I die, satisfy most of these deep curiosities and longings. But if death is nothing more than an endless dreamless sleep, this is a forlorn hope. Maybe this perspective has given me a little extra motivation to stay alive. The world is so exquisite, with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better, it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look Death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.”

Carl Sagan,  Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium.

Well it is Xmas day, my daughter phones, you haven't written anything on your blog for two days mum!  Well there is hardly anything to write about, my visitors, children and grandchildren have visited and it was truly lovely to see them.  Matilda asleep on the sofa after a late night, and Lillie as ever herself.  My daughter Karen, is just happy to rest after working long hours in her new job, with which she is perfectly happy, so we did not go out.

Matilda asleep

Lillie and the psychotic dog Lucy, who misbehaved all day

Xmas table, those crackers had useful items in like shoe horn and nail clippers.

Another branch of the family taken early in the year in London.  Leo, Paul's grandchild sits in the middle

I chose Sagan to head the blog, I like his tone and his extraordinary ability for enthusiasm, I wonder how he would see the world today though? What with Trump, Johnson and several right wing politicians in power.  I pick my gurus carefully, Sagan will always be one, and just to throw some pepper into the mix, I think Greta Thunberg will be another. 

Picked up the Times on Saturday, to read Matthew Parris, sadly he was away, but Giles Coren was there, as also Caitlin Moran for her sharp wit.

Finished my Newstateman, they have no answers to the future, think it rests on us to keep on fighting for a different world.  A rather good article on Woodstock and where it all went wrong.

And something we all watched on TV, the 1970s music era, Karen's 'growing up' period to her with music that has not been matched since!  Also she mentioned she still had some records of mine Leonard Cohen (dark and dismal) and Melanie, who never seemed to make it big in this country.  But hear she is singing 'Ruby Tuesday' though I always remember 'Lay Down'