As part of our life it's worth recording that both Anita and Melanie are talented artists. Both have exhibited and both have sold their work. Anita concentrates on landscapes and nature scenes whereas Melanie -hopefully this is correct - is more abstract.

Nothing much that is new might be happening this year but there are a number of 15 year anniversaries. One is driving the buggy at Wisley Gardens. Of course it is no longer a golf buggy but the description has stuck.

There was a ring on the door bell on 27th and next door neighbours Guy and Lis were found standing with items that they wanted to present with some apparent joy. Now Paul is reasonably gracious and so allowed them time to explain. Someone had misalculated and they thought it was my birthday in which a nought figured. Ah well. Making the best of it and attempting to save their embarrassment Paul accepted the chocolates but suggested they kept the card for 2026.

It is the joy of parents to pass on good things to their offspring. Unfortunately Paul is carrying a genetic fault which can result in his female descendents being prone to two deadly cancers. In consequence Melanie had a procedure last year and a very substantial op this month. First recovery signs are good but it will be a very long time recovery process.

La Gomera. Considering Pat is often 'lost' even at Fosters. Considering Pat would ask at least four times a day 'when are we going home?'. Considering the site is on a very steep hillside - and Paul has heart failure. Considering the sun always shines - and Paul has skin cancer, you could ask whether it was a good idea to go to La Gomera for three weeks. Nevertheless we did. Within an hour of our arrival Pat had escaped and a search party of five staff had to be raised. Very thoughtfully they then made her a badge with her name and apartment number. We had a lovely time.

Little birds like keeping to the hedges so it's a bit of an ask placing the bird feeder in the middle of the garden. The timeing is interesting - the parakeets stay longest (up to six at once sometimes) then the woodpecker followed by the nuthatch. The smaller ones don't stay long and the robin is mainly interested in the suet ball. The pidgeons, magpies and dunnocks do the housekeeping ensuring the patio is not covered with crumbs etc.

Boltons Close is less busy these days as Belinda has forsaken Woking for Stoke on Trent. Moved into a lovely new home with Jay - they have both secured transfers with their employer Toolstation.

Helping Others. Another looking back - Paul was on Jean's team in 1971 but that was almost a one person outfit whereas today there are half a dozen administrators with mobiles at the ready who probably create spreadsheets with all the details which they offer to 22 drivers via Whatsapp. Drivers then bid for the opportunity to convey someone somewhere - mainly medical appointments. There is a suggested mileage payment for the clients - for that I carry an envelope for the hospice, who have gained over £300 a year from this source. My clients are encouraged to contribute with the suggestion that they might get their money back one day!

Joy, Pat's sister, is 3 months older than David, Paul's brother, and has just made 93. Things were getting a little too much and so her children arranged for her to move to Belsize Manor. Not a country estate but a care home! Jonathan kindly brought her to Fosters for lunch: good to catch up with her. I think she enjoyed the outing.

Even more looking back. 2019's Journal mentioned that Pat's memory was on the blink - 2 minutes and the memory was lost. Now it is sometimes only 10 seconds! A few months ago Pat could still make the coffee and tea - following printed instructions - but no more. She can still do the washing machine - with a few blips! Her difficulties are not meant to be catching but several times Paul has made coffee rather than tea (we use the same cafetiere for both) and a couple of times has made the coffee without remembering to put the coffee grounds into the jug! In public it may look as though Paul is so kind, considerate and helpful but at home too often he fails to keep calm and Pat is subjected to a cruel outburst. It's then very difficul to return to a normal pleasant self in any reasonable period of time. I've always thought that the liturgical prayers that invite the person praying to describe themselves as wretched as being parroted without meaning but now I know what the word means.

October 13, 3 weeks before his 93rd, David left us. His feet had not been too good for some time and sadly he fell down stairs and died as a result of hitting his head on the hall table. Some of Joan's family were staying and so, very small mercies, she was not alone at the time. David's life was rich in service. He was 40 years a non stipendiary curate at his parish church - preaching the very day before he died! He had led many pilgrimages to Orthodox Monastries, had served the local community care organisation for decades and doubtless done much else. To earn his pension he was a Principal Inspector of Taxes, one of a small number in the country with the grander title of Assistant Secretary to the Board of Inland Revenue. In that role he only had half a dozen companies to look after - but they were all household names.

Along with the rest of us the grandchildren are getting older. For some it means getting shorter and for others getting taller etc - brighter and dimmer, more beautiful and more wrinkled, brilliantly energetic and running out of breath ...... The first pic taken after the twins arrived in a helicopter (dustcart? electric scooter? local bus?) for their school Prom. The second pic is a guess who. Could it possibly be Stella winning a ballet pose competition? Turn your screen around and all will be revealed.

Boxing Day saw the family all together again at Fosters starting as usual with a walk. For the sake of the older fella it has to be flat. This year we went along the river bank from Tannery Lane back to the same place - just as well as the cars had been left there. No whole group pictures - indeed it's 2 years since we've had a family group photo.