Well, things have been up and down and up...such is life.

Phase one of returning to work was a disaster. Falling into the hands of a Boss who treated his workers like slaves was misery. I braved it out for a while and then beat a retreat, thankfully into the waiting arms of the most wonderful publishing company, where I am loving every minute whilst producing academic journals, the contents of which I don't understand. Being happy at work is a liberating experience and it should be against the law to be otherwise.
Hebe and Hugo are cared for in my absence by the World's best dog-sitter. No you can't have her name, she's ours!

Steve has spent plenty of time in Blighty. Whilst with a career each there isn't a great deal of time for much else, it is so lovely to be able to see his beautiful face every day.

My Grandfather died. He was 95 and entitled to shuffle off but he still left a hole in a lot of lives. His funeral was held in a charming old Church in Devon. There was rousing singing of 'Jerusalem' and not a dry eye when The Dambusters March was played (he was RAF 617 sqn.). I hope he's living it up in Heaven with Nanny.

The big 'down' is that my best friend is drawing closer to the end of her life. She has been ill for nearly two and a half years and is getting more and more frail. She has no Mother, Her father is quite understandably in denial about the imminent loss of his only child,nor siblings, so I am the listening ear, and my God it's hard. I am not the easiest person to know. I am secretive, judgemental, proud -and I don't give my feelings away easily, but she 'gets' me. She has always 'got' me. She is joyful, beautiful, kind and utterly, utterly good. It seems such a waste to rip her away from us when she has only spent 46 years on the planet. I have a devotedly happy marriage and a close family but she is the one person who I have been able to say things I thought no one else would bear to hear. From drunken days on bar stools, to wild dancing, to heated debate, every minute with her has been a joy. Much of my adult life has been spent knowing that whatever befell me she would be there. The rest of it will be without her. That fucking sucks.