To those friends to whom I sent blogs a year and more ago, you may be surprised at receiving one now.

Most of you know that Doreen my wife died in December. A week later I found myself in hospital, the victim of a heart attack was the diagnosis.
It was not a Merry Christmas!

My friend John Wilkes with whom I played golf would have been the ideal companion at such a time, but John has been going through times as bad as mine and golf is no longer our salvation.


What do you do when you are lonely?

Get and do something is one suggestion: get back to painting.
There are many things that fully fit can do. Not me unfortunately.

Being with other people is another answer and I have the pleasure of a very attentive family, but there are still long periods alone.
Could watch the television but have you really seen what's on? I could watch sport, but have you seen where Bournemouth are in the Premier League and can you imagine where they might be next season. Talk about lonely.

And then I thought; when I wrote my blog years ago I often received nice replies.
And so I am taking the plunge. Some of you I haven't seen for years, although old workmates Trevor Jones and John Beaty Pownall came all the way down from Cheddar and Devizes to join me for lunch this week.

This then is a trial blog to see if you will write  to me and bring me news of how you and you families are. Write about anything - except your football team if it is the level of mine.
If you live or worked where I did, write and tell me what's going on in Welton for example.

I have had one piece of good news today: John Wilkes is coming to collect me next Tuesday for lunch.
Coupled with what you can do for me, perhaps things are changing.