The Monkey and Nina

My glass is half full today, in fact I could almost say that it is almost completely full, but that little bit of pessimism lurks in the rim.

The sun shone just enough for it not to feel arctic; my foray to buy buttons for a cardigan hot off the needles for Glasgow daughter was a such a success that they were sewn on by the time she and the family came for lunch; the soup made from the frozen stock of the Christmas turkey bones was palatable and my Camembert and grape sandwiches seemed to be acceptable.

Even the cardigan fitted, and granddaughter Nina, aged 4, kept us entertained with her chatter and prowess with Gaelic and German counting.

Her East End Glasgow nursery is promoting Gaelic. One has to wonder if the money Alex Salmond has earmarked for teaching a language which has only been culturally important in certain parts of Scotland, and only spoken now by a small minority of people , is perhaps connected with his bid for independence. Whatever, it was interesting to note that the Gaelic for 'pink' is 'pink', since this is a colour not instantly recognisable in the Western Isles!

So why the rim of pessimism in my glass? I'll think of something.

Nina is the one on the right.