Sandra Chapman: After the New Year festivities some snow to cheer us up

I’m too money illiterate to handle this accountancy thing myself so I visit the man who tries his hardest to put me out of my misery, an accountant who has known me for years and probably hates a visit from me more than from anyone else.

Living in the United Kingdom means that one and all of us earning money has to give some of it back to the tax man, whom I presume in turn hands it over to the government or the treasury or whoever’s in charge of the nation’s cheque book.

The trouble for the financially illiterate, such as me, is that I had far more interest in English classes at school than the maths ones. In fact, I was the despair of the woman who tried to teach me book-keeping. She knew she would never make an accountant out of me, but bless her, she tried.

It was essential to me then that I would have to find a partner who would have no trouble doing the domestic accountancy. How was I to know the one I chose could build a boat from the bottom up – even to making the keel – but hated domestic finance only helping out when he was threatened with having to make his own dinner.

I struggled along with his help but then technology raised it’s ugly head. I managed the first couple of years but then the nightmare set in, when everything had to be done ‘online’.

So I find myself having to switch on the computer if I want to send someone a bill or even pay for something.

Booking a flight somewhere? Oh, that one has knocked me for six and so I’ve insisted Himself does it.

This unfortunately shows him I haven’t improved much with technology. It also means he has more say about where we go.

I can only get my own back if he wants something written up, handwriting not being his best skill.

The month of January is a difficult one for most people I suspect. So must jollifying before it begins can’t be good as it puts us in a what-am-i-going to-do-next frame of mind.

Royal fans will be wondering how the new King gets on, others of them will be looking out for Queen Camilla who could well be a punch-bag for other royals and staff missing her late Majesty.

The snowy weather has been a surprise but it has made January, otherwise a rather dreary month, a bit more interesting. Not far from me are mountains, normally dull and dreary looking at this time of year. But there they are, gloriously proud of their white blanket, the first time I’ve seen them like this since I moved here six years ago. Then, it snowed as though in welcome.

It means I’m back to feeding birds, scattering salt on my pathways, trying to explain to my rescued dog what this white stuff is as she spent the first two years of her life at the mercy of illegal dog breeders.

My new year wish is that evil breeders are removed from society.

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