Anticipation is a great thing. Most parcels sat unopened until the day.

On this frosty, but sunny morning, parcel-opening is a delight.

A heck of a lot of men have been born on this day. The first woman on the list is Eliza Ann Gardner b. 1831, an African-American abolitionist. (We won’t mention Rudy Giuliani b. 1944.) There’s Dame Thora Hird (‘Last of the Summer Wine’ – how appropriate), Kylie Minogue, Gladys Knight (Empress of Soul – ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ could be the tune for today), and writers Ian Fleming, Maeve Binchy and Bernadine Evaristo (Booker Prize winner and teacher. I’m currently reading a book written by one of her PhD students). Some good company here.

I am on the cusp of the next decade, like a 19 year old about to step into the 20s and leave being a teenager behind.