LEAP YEAR DAY

Long ago, when I was a young child, a voice from the radio would occasionally declare in deep and solemn tones: “lift up your hearts!” I subsequently discovered that this phrase was used in Church, but in those days I remember clutching my chest and trying to stand up very straight. I was convinced that in so doing I could – literally – lift up my heart.

Today the radio informed me that it was Leap Year Day and I should make the most of this ‘extra day’ which only comes around once every four years! My immediate thought was that I wanted to do something cheerful and fulfilling which might improve the way 2016 has gone so far. My spirits were somewhat dampened as I turned to the necessary task of telephoning the garage where our car must limp to tomorrow after a three week wait for a ‘senior technician’ to plug it into the Nissan computer. Such unavoidable calls are depressing, particularly when they promise to phone back and don’t.

So we decided to go out and stretch our legs. The sun was almost out. The road closure half-way down the hill was actually being worked on. And the view from the viaduct over Tavistock was stunning.

It wasn’t really a phenomenal way to celebrate this ‘extra day’, but it lifted our hearts a little and brought a smile. I failed to write anything other than these few sentences, but I hope today has brought a few smiles and laughter to my readers. Roll on Spring!