If the government's new Happiness Inspectors (see the story here) had asked me where I stood on their "well-being" index at 6.00 pm on Friday (as I struggled down the M4 trying to get home) then the result would have set off alarm bells in Whitehall and Cardiff Bay and calls for more nature trails, sensory gardens and soothing paint-work on public buildings - some of the things which the new research might result in we have been told without irony.
By contrast a few hours later the Inspectors would have found me early Saturday morning swimming outside in the (heated) pool of the Esporta Sports Club in crisp sunshine. Only the 3 second dash from the door into the water creates a moment's discomfort (it is still below zero). My cup is full, I would tell them, go find somebody else to cheer up (or, better still, leave us all alone and go and look after the economy, health and education).
Later on spirits remain high walking in the Towy valley (click on the picture for a bigger image). Powdery snow and warm sunshine are making everybody smile and Christmas is around the corner.
Ken Dodd memorably sang:-
I've got no silver and I've got no gold
Just a whole lot of happiness in my soul [a lazy rhyme that one, Doddy!]
I hope when you go to measuring my success
That you don't count my money, count my happiness
Amen to that but I don't think when Ken said "you" he was addressing David Cameron. Mind you, the veteran Scouse funnyman has admitted that he isn't very good at counting his own money - he was found not guilty of tax evasion after his counsel the late great George Carman QC observed "Some accountants are comedians, but comedians are never accountants".
Anyway, if you really want to you can listen to the whole mawkish horror from 1964 here. Tattyfilarious.
