Dear Sansa ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY sansa1970 !

I wanted to write something for you, but nap time insisted on priority. So instead I have a short note to say thank you. Now there's a short thank you for all of your fics, and a blushing thank you for the very kind support you have always given me, a big thank you for your friendship, and there is an enormous thank you for the work you do as a parent.

Hang on, you may be thinking, that's a bit odd coming from you, you old haggis Brammers.

Let me explain. When I was a wee bairn (and yes, I peppered my conversation with Scottish affectations even then courtesy of my Great Uncle Alec, but that's another story), I had loads of lovely friends and was welcome at almost all of their homes. And rightly so, I had lovely manners and always owned a spare pony or three -- high desirability factors in little girl land. But there were some homes I was never invited to, and there were some whispers that I was always half intended to hear. Because in those days some parents thought nothing of teaching their children to hate any difference, and they were satisfied that my mother's lesbianism constituted more than enough of a difference.

At the time I thought it was mean. Over the years since, I have concluded that it taught me excellent debating skills, and was also mean. But I always believed that it was a wrong way to raise children.

These days, I am privileged to know parents like you, Sansa, who raise their children with thought and care. Some do it because they have learned from their family, some from their friends, some because it is just the right thing to do. Your children will always be proud of you, but even more, in thirty years, some of their friends will be thinking back on their childhood, and whatever else is going on in their lives they will remember you with affection and admiration. Because you'll have shown them acceptance and friendship no matter what.

In a world that can be deeply crappy, there are some things that make me think it will all end up all right. You're one of them. Have a great birthday, and a fabulous year.

ETA: And, I can't believe I forgot this, lots of penis, too. In fact, because it's you, cock.

Dear Sansa ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY sansa1970 !

I wanted to write something for you, but nap time insisted on priority. So instead I have a short note to say thank you. Now there's a short thank you for all of your fics, and a blushing thank you for the very kind support you have always given me, a big thank you for your friendship, and there is an enormous thank you for the work you do as a parent.

Hang on, you may be thinking, that's a bit odd coming from you, you old haggis Brammers.

Let me explain. When I was a wee bairn (and yes, I peppered my conversation with Scottish affectations even then courtesy of my Great Uncle Alec, but that's another story), I had loads of lovely friends and was welcome at almost all of their homes. And rightly so, I had lovely manners and always owned a spare pony or three -- high desirability factors in little girl land. But there were some homes I was never invited to, and there were some whispers that I was always half intended to hear. Because in those days some parents thought nothing of teaching their children to hate any difference, and they were satisfied that my mother's lesbianism constituted more than enough of a difference.

At the time I thought it was mean. Over the years since, I have concluded that it taught me excellent debating skills, and was also mean. But I always believed that it was a wrong way to raise children.

These days, I am privileged to know parents like you, Sansa, who raise their children with thought and care. Some do it because they have learned from their family, some from their friends, some because it is just the right thing to do. Your children will always be proud of you, but even more, in thirty years, some of their friends will be thinking back on their childhood, and whatever else is going on in their lives they will remember you with affection and admiration. Because you'll have shown them acceptance and friendship no matter what.

In a world that can be deeply crappy, there are some things that make me think it will all end up all right. You're one of them. Have a great birthday, and a fabulous year.

ETA: And, I can't believe I forgot this, lots of penis, too. In fact, because it's you, cock.