"Concert"

It's Hannelie's [redacted] birthday next week and, as Hannah and Charlie return to university this weekend, they suggested that we have a party this evening to celebrate.

As you might imagine, sometimes getting all eight of us in the same place at the same time without some last minute organisational crisis is both a logistical and a statistical challenge but on the this occasion, everything ran smoothly, despite the additional risk arising from the fact that I was in charge of food and drink.

Under a special waiver of birthday rules, Hannelie had her presents from the girls tonight: a bottle of 'chocolate wine' (predictably rather sweet); some long, woollen gloves; and a sort large hooded scarf thing, that looked unbelievably warm and comfortable, and rather glamorous.

After we'd eaten, the older girls all clustered 'round Hannelie to help her choose a top for her birthday night out with her friends on Saturday night, while Dan and Abi played on his new Wii game (something to do with dancing along to hip hop). It was one of those rare little parcels of experience where you're fully aware that you are in a lovely moment and you actually have the space to sit back and enjoy it. So I did.

A little later, while the little ones were dancing away and we were still sat 'round the table, Izzy was looking through the photos and videos on Hannelie's iPad and she came across a clip of Dan and Abi playing a cornet duet. As Abi only started this term, this caught Hannah totally by surprise and within a few excited minutes, a recital had been set up in the arch between the living room and dining room.

It was lovely watching Abi organising and Dan's good-natured patience at being bossed about, and then they played three or four pieces. It was obvious that Dan and Abi were chuffed to bits by the older girls amazement and excitement at their playing. And at the risk of sounding like an old hippy, it did make me wonder why, when there are so many simple pleasures to be had, so much happiness to be found amongst ourselves and so much generosity of spirit, how the world can be such a messed up place? More seriously, when those safely in work have been barely touched by the recession, do we really have to go after those people on benefits?

As it happened, later on in the evening I went to a small fund raising dinner at which Lord Wallace was the guest speaker. As is the way with these things, he spoke for a while after dinner and then there was a bit of discussion around the table. It was interesting enough and, as these occasions often do, provided a bit of insight into the extent to which the LibDems are moderating the callous excesses of the Tory party.

I must say I didn't come away thinking that matters are going to improve much very soon. Feeling that way, my first instinct is just to make sure that those people around me are taken care of, yet right now I think it's important that we do reach out to those around us, even if it's only obliquely by turning out to vote at the next election, to establish a government that ensures we genuinely are all in this together. Sorry, I'll stop right there!