Dear Lucie,

Yes, I called my parents on Thanksgiving Day: it could have been worse -- Blatant attempt at levity: thank you for the photos of Ellie feeding turkey to the dog; I can't believe she's going to be 3 next month! What are you doing for her birthday? Her Aunt Lucy has a present for her, but it might be a little late; I'm hunting down a copy of A Ride on the Red Mare's Back to go with the Dala horse and the wooden knitting needles. Three might be a little early for the needles, but not for the story -- our kids need all the examples of resolute determination they can get, and they need 'em right now.

Love you, honey. (And I am insanely jealous about the pie!)

Yours, always,

Lucy

'In the present circumstances many people are asking, ought we celebrate Christmas at all? There can be no doubt that this is the very year when we should think, not less, but more about Christmas - ' Picture Post Magazine, December, 1939

Dear Lucie,

You remember the running joke we had with David while he was at school -- "Mum, do you want my list?" "Don't need it; we're paying your tuition. Merry Christmas!" The odds were good that we were looking at a variation on that theme this year: "We're not sleeping in the street, wearing rags or dealing with a severe calorie deficit. Merry Christmas!"
We go on. We trust that the majority of our fellow humans want what we want: enough to eat, somewhere safe to sleep, a chance for their children to grow up happy, and a peaceful end. We trust that those people will act in defense of those things, even if it means sacrifice, or the "dirty" work of being politically aware and involved.

It may not sound like much -- but it's got us this far.

Good night, darling.

Love, always,

Lucy