7th August 2022

 Does it really matter what others think of us?  When watching the two Conservative leadership contenders, I don’t care whether I like them or not; I’d choose the one more capable of running the country. When writing An Englishwoman in America, I remember how I felt when staying with my aunt in Brooklyn. I had just purchased a carton of orange juice which was out of date, and felt mortified when she insisted I return to the store to complain. In those days I was still like my mother, not wanting to ‘make a show of myself’.  But these days I’ve morphed into my father, who would often storm out of a place shouting “you can stick it!” Recently there was an incident at one of our holiday hotels, so - in the manner of my father - I wrote to the hotel chain CEO to complain. But the advantage these days is that, with email, I don’t have to shout “you can stick it” in person, nor when reacting to strident political posts on FB. So, when watching the Truss v Sunak show on TV, I can shout at each of them  - like my father used to - all I like.  But essentially, I no longer care what others think. I’ve lived long enough to have formed my own opinions.