On balance, in our recent move, more things seem to have gone astray than we had bargained for. The first batch of shelves get fixed to the walls tomorrow so the boxes of books currently filling the living room can be unpacked then – so here’s hoping we shall be a bit nearer being able to lay our hands on to books and favourite bits and bobs absent from us for less than a fortnight but somehow deeply missed.

Birthday card for a 6 year old by David Addison

On the plus side, I did, however, stumble upon an envelope containing photocopies of some of the vicar’s hand made birthday cards and I thought it would be nice to blog them – a happy discovery as embroidery and even knitting have lurched to a halt. The vicar began making these cards in desperation, being on the verge of forgetting a birthday and some miles from the nearest shop. Later we discovered the family loved and looked forward to them, so he couldn’t really stop. Each card is directed very specifically at a particular individual and if there are exotic fish or classical temples you can be sure foreign travel or humanist studies were in the recipient’s immediate hinterland.

Birthday card for a 6 year old by David Addison

We, well he, never knows what he will produce or where his inspiration will take him.  The two cards with 6’s, for his twin granddaughters, suggest little stories in themselves and the wonkiness of the number just adds to their charm.

Birthday card for a boy whose name begins with M (by David Addison)

We have no idea where the letter M as a pair of pantomime breeches came from, nor why one so splendidly dressed should be so down at heel but there you are…

Birthday card for a boy whose name begins with O (by David Addison)

The vicar’s elder grandson’s name begins with the O being loaded on to a builder’s lorry and once again cats, spiders and a bird put in an appearance, yet why the image came to mind like this is anybody’s idea.

To see a couple more of the vicar’s cards, look here.

It all seems a million miles away from last week when I spent election night deep in the HQ of ITN babysitting the new granddaughter while daughter no 1 did the all night election programme. The baby continues to be placid and contented and apart from a bit of grizzle from 8.30 to 10pm as she channelled ambient tension in anticipation of the polls closing, she was a dream baby. Even come 6 am, she was so completely at ease (and asleep) that she was oblivious to the political earthquake that had occurred (in general) and to Tom Bradby (in particular) who picking her up in her car seat swept her into the post programme debriefing to be with her mother. We hope she will be a good deal older before the next election, but we’re holding our breath…