Fed up with war? Let’s make this good news year - Fiona Duff

​I realise that I must have done something right in bringing up my children. All three of them are currently on holiday together in New Zealand for most of a month.

Now, I don’t think I could have done that with my siblings, and most people agree. But they do genuinely get on well with each other and enjoy themselves with shared humour.

Mind you, I do know that their WhatsApp chat tends to be ‘stupid things mum has said or done’. Sadly enough there is plenty of fodder for that.

I got a message to say that I have an eye test due fairly soon. I do know that my sight is getting worse – not so recently I would proudly read a menu while all my friends round the table would be scrabbling for a pair of specs in order to see what was on offer.

However, glasses are no longer something to hide behind and can be a great fashion statement.

I mean, did you see that cracking pair that Suranne Jones kept putting on in the latest series of Vigil? Best of all they no longer need to cost a fortune.

Talking of dosh, it is perfectly fine not to have an awful lot of it swishing about. Can you imagine worrying if people were sucking up to you because of your bank balance?

Well, that’s never going to happen to me. If someone is friendly it is because they like me and don’t care that I can’t talk about glamorous holidays or designer clothes.

So with so much to be miserable about in the world, let us all have a good news year.

No talk of pestilence and war just things that make life worth living.