Today

Finding myself in possession of a sum well in excess of £1 million, with more to come, after the disposal of my company, I find myself reflecting about what such a sum means to me and how it will change my life view. I feel absolutely no different. I'm not inspired to spend vast sums on irrelevant jewellery or a yacht. I don't yearn to mix with footballers' wives or other vacuous celebrities.

I'm thinking with excitement of our lovely Brighton flat, especially after it's been lovingly restored with the help of my friend John. I'm thinking how I can free my Lizzie so that she can do her last year at uni without also working 30 hours a week, and maybe gain that first she so richly deserves. I'm hoping to enjoy the next 30 years, but not arrive at age 90 or so either destitute or still with 2 million in the bank which neither I nor my friends and family have enjoyed.

So not exactly the "spend, spend, spend" mentality.

In My Day

I remember the day when we had twelve and a half pence. I had no money at all and Paul was waiting for his first month's pay as a bus driver (payable in arrears).

In the house we had some butter and an onion. I went to the shop and bought some potatoes, some packet soup and a very small tin of cat food for my cat.

We ate soup and boiled potatoes for lunch. We had baked potato and onion fried in butter for supper. And Ariadne the cat got to eat.

I've absolutely not forgotten those days, nor the way that our friends and family shared what we had. It would be seriously bad manners to let my folk struggle when I can give them a hand.