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6 February 2011

Posted by DMC on 7 February 2011 in Diary |

A tired old England side played the last of the seven ODI;s cricket series after 100 days in Australia. It’s been a long trial and all downhill since they won the Ashes. In this match they certainly let Australia off the hook, having got them 103 for 4,  then allowed them to clock up 279 for 7. In chasing this score England lost its two opening batsmen in the first two overs, Captain Strauss on the second ball and Davis in the second over, both for a duck. Even the good faithful warhorse, Trott, who has played magnificently throughout, failed on this occasion scoring only 14 runs. In the event England were all out in the 44th. over having lost the series 6-1.

They return to England with barely 2 weeks before the beginning of the World Series with four of their 15 suffering from injuries, probably the most serious of which is Morgan with a broken finger, who was our great hope for that series. Frankly, I doubt if we’ll even get to the knockout stage. I promise my readers to give only the scantiest of reference to this World Series as I know the majority of you are not the slightest interested in cricket.

Fortunately, my dear daughter Chloe, arrived mid-afternoon yesterday to spend the night and lend a hand to mum, looking after me for a few hours.

It was lovely to see her and, no doubt, even a short break from her family would have done her some good. As a working mum with three young children and a husband heavily involved in his legal work, she needs a little respite from time to time. As it turned out Chloe was an enormous help in sorting out my jumble of wiring from all of my equipment and labelling all the plugs and leads, apart from a few other little job she did for me. So, not much of a rest but certainly a change and great help to me

She brought with her to cards from my little granddaughter Lara, or rather one picture and one card. The picture had a very large sun drawn in the right-hand corner against which Lara had written proudly, I am 6! dear Gram Pa (Her birthday being on 9 January). Under the sun, or almost touching its rays, were two quite large, same height, figures,  one of Grampa, flatteringly dressed in shorts and a short sleeved shirt and the other of Lara wearing a floral dress with long curled hair -both appropriately labelled.. (Grampa’s large bald head adorned with a few flecks of what appears to be hair!). Both figures were holding a large flower. To the left of the figures and under a large cut-out montage of a Rain bow were a row of tall variegated flowers, appropriately labelled in case I didn’t recognise what they were!

The card, on the other hand, was written for a specific purpose. On the front of which was a passable drawing of a dog, labelled Woody (the name of my beloved black labrador who died a few years back; in fact before Lara was born). Inside, on the left-hand side was a large circle, divided into four quadrants, in each of which was drawn a heart. On the right-hand side was the message – the purport of the card –

Dear Granqa.

I hope you get better soon and  not your not happy . (Presumably, the double negative meaning ‘ not unhappy’)

I wish you are happy and I also wishing you a Happy New Year.

Lots of  love

Lara. XXO

***    alongside which she had pasted a shiny golden heart.

On the back of the card she had written a Happy Chinies New Year adorned above  and below with what she  considered were Chinese characters. (Apparently, there is one little Chinese girl in her class and they had obviously been told that 3- 5 February was the Chinese New Year.)

Now this reflects a kind and caring nature. Clearly inherited from her mother and grandmother before her. What a dear girl -she will go far. I sent her a little card with thanks, written out by her mum, assuring her that her picture of Woody had made me very happy and I loved her very, very, very, very, very much. I’m not sure that the children yet know about the  donkey’s demise, so that is something else that mum will have to deal with, certainly by half term when they are due to come here for the day.

1 Comment

  • Russ Manion says:

    Hello Mark ,

    Your thoughts on the card from your grandaughter Lara touched a cord here today. My wife Joyce who’s MND is very advanced gets such pleasure when she gets to see or hear from our dear grandson Sammy aged five and a half, the half is very significant to him ! The delightful acceptance he has of her condition is always a comfort to her. Keep on blogging Mark we look everyday, best wishes

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