I HAD started writing a few lines for this very column when I took a look at the publication date of the South Bucks Star.

June 1.

Can you believe it? Almost half the year has gone and, as John Lennon would ask, what have you done? Not a lot in my case, which feels a bit depressing.

It seems just five minutes ago that we were digging our cars out of four feet of snow, or buying pressies for Valentine’s Day.

Indeed, when you look back over your life it is incredible to see how those months have just turned into years.

I remember on the morning of my 21st birthday my future mother-in-law presented me with a breakfast of grapefruit in brandy (it started well) and said something I would never forget.

She told me that once I had hit 21, the years would zip by, in fact 30 would appear before I knew it.

After that, she continued, the years would fly quicker and quicker. I politely laughed and nodded and carried on tucking in to my boozy breakfast.

But I have found she is absolutely right. My 20s were great fun but thinking back, I feel they flashed before my eyes.

Discussing this with friends, they concluded that it was due to extremely busy lives and that we, as humans, couldn’t help ourselves but continually look forward to exciting events, holidays away etc.

Testing this theory with another one of my pals who is taking a couple of months off from work, I asked her if the days now drag that she has more time on her hands.

She told me that the hours still whizz by as she is busy doing other stuff – but importantly, she said she looks forward to her husband returning in the evenings.

Thus, I guess, confirming the theory to some extent.

But here we are, it is now officially summer time and almost six months or so to go until Christmas.

Or, just three months away from the stupid festive adverts that crop up too early on the telly – whichever way you want to look at it.