Hope everyone had a good Christmas and were given some lovely presents. Here is our little collection sitting under the tree. There was a tense moment however on Christmas morning, which looked as if it might lead to an “Emma Thompson moment” for me. In case you’ve never watched the much loved Richard Curtis movie Love Actually, Emma Thompson’s character who is married to Harry, had accidentally found a square-shaped box containing a beautiful gold necklace in his coat pocket, which she fully expects to be given as a surprise Christmas present. Come the hour, she opens this “surprise” gift with expectant glee, only to discover that it’s a Joni Mitchell CD boxset, a great present as she’s a big fan, but in that split second she realises that the gold necklace was for someone else, and she has to quickly extricate herself from the room. An emotional scene then takes place where she has to pull herself together before re-emerging to join the family.
I think this emotional scene has traumatised most woman of a certain age and we all dread getting that metaphorical boxset one day. This year I thought it had happened to me and this is why. Because I keep a tight control on the finances around WIAA Towers, and because we have a shared bank account and credit card, we tend not to be able to give each other surprise presents, but that’s fine by me – I’d rather be solvent than have a diamond ring. We choose our own presents from each other and then wrap them and put them under the tree. This year, just before Christmas Day, I had printed off the latest credit card statement to check all was shipshape only to find a purchase from a local jeweller right at the bottom. I usually question Mr WIAA about any entries that can’t be explained but this time I let it slide as I thought he might, for the first time ever, be surprising me with a piece of jewellery.
And so it came to Christmas morning and as it was just the two of us we had a cup of tea first, and then leisurely started opening the presents under the tree. I had some from friends so opened them first but then I spotted something new, a rectangular box from “Santa”, that hadn’t been there the night before. Aha I thought, the surprise piece of jewellery. I ripped off the paper only to find some toiletries in some nice Christmas packaging. My heart sank so I had to question Mr WIAA about the mysterious purchase on the credit card as I didn’t want to be like Emma and have to extricate myself from the room to listen to sad Joni Mitchell songs. It was at this point he reached for a smaller box hiding behind a bottle bag, also from “Santa”. I had kind of spoiled the surprise but it was indeed a box containing the beautiful heart-shaped earrings I’d casually admired when out shopping the previous weekend. He had apparently felt guilty as he’d had quite a few expensive items of sportswear and equipment this year whereas I had just chosen my perennial favourites, a few books, some pyjamas and some eats.
So, What’s It All About? – To all those middle-aged women who are now deeply suspicious of a “surprise” present from their partners because of that particular scene in Love Actually, try not to be. I spoilt my surprise which should have turned out better than it did. Of course it wouldn’t have been spoilt if we didn’t share bank accounts but I’m not quite ready to surrender control, yet. Maybe by next Christmas!?
The song Both Sides Now featured in Love Actually was from Joni’s album of the same name, released in the year 2000, featuring the plaintive sounds of a more mature woman.
Until next time…
Both Sides Now Lyrics
(Song by Joni Mitchell)
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere,
I’ve looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun,
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done,
But clouds got in my way.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels,
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real,
I’ve looked at love that way.
But now it’s just another show,
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know,
Don’t give yourself away.
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud,
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I’ve looked at life that way.
Oh but now old friends they’re acting strange,
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day.
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life
I really don’t know life at all
What's It All About? 