Dear John

On the first day of the month, there is obviously some sort of old tradition or social custom that the first thing you say in the morning is..

Well, we could never agree.  I had heard/learned it as ‘White Rabbits’, whereas you said ‘Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits’.

We somehow never came around to each other’s expression on this, so it was a bit messy – you would say ‘Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits’, but I would stick to ‘White Rabbits’.

Sometimes instead of saying it (or as well as), one of us would leave a toy white rabbit or two lying around for the other person to find in the morning, in the hope they had forgotten and it would be a little joke surprise.

I said it to you once in hospital, John.  It must have been on 1 December.  Also maybe on 1 January, but somehow then you don’t use it, because ‘Happy New Year’ is the bigger thing.

Since you’ve been gone, John, I’ve changed it to ‘Black Rabbits’.