What Will the New Year Bring?

It's 2005, and I'm already wondering how much this new year will be like the old year just gone. The kids are still fighting with each other, Malorie is still chasing Skinner around the neighbourhood, Simon is still sitting at his computer smoking and drinking tea, and the dog still wakes me up by sticking his cold nose under the duvet and nudging my bare foot. Ricky is nagging me for things I've already said he can't have (sweets, hot chocolate, Braden's Gameboy ...), and Jack is tormenting the dog.

The news doesn't bring much hope for more world-wide changes. The US is sending the Marines into Sri Lanka. The cynic in me can't help but wonder if this is purely humanitarian, or a chance to get a foothold and search out terrorists in a predominately Muslim country. Nothing seems to change. I don't see an end to the war in Iraq in 2005. No surprise there.

I think I'm growing very cynical in my old age. Okay, oldish age. I used to be such an optimist, but it's harder to stay upbeat when there is so much tragedy in the world.