18 June 2011

Today, son Smiler came down for lunch on one of his regular visits to check up and see if there was anything he could do for me. Fortunately, things seem to be running fairly smoothly, so apart from one job. everything else seems reasonably under control. In our general chat, we did discuss Terry Pratchett’s Choosing to Die programme and the Living Will which I’ve made, as I think it important that both the children are fully aware of my wishes when I reach a certain stage in this illness. Although Smiler would not assist me to commit suicide -quite rightly in my view -he will obviously respect my wishes when it comes to the Living Will.

 

He did assist me to go through the Agreement and Contract for the Fourth edition of Cato on Arbitration Practice and Procedure, which is currently being updated by Dr Julian Critchlow,and Prof Robert Mirkin. I had very little to contribute to the draft contract as it is being very ably dealt with by my other Literary Executor, Dr James Snowden Barnett. In James. I’m very fortunate in having not only an excellent lawyer, but also one who has owned his own publishing company for many years and is therefore ideally placed to nitpick a contract between Author and Publisher.

 

I had hoped to go out in the garden in my electric wheelchair with Smiler today, but unfortunately the weather was very unsettled-intermittent sunshine and heavy showers – so we decided against it. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better when the German family arrive.

 

One or other of the Ross Nursing girls comes in daily at mid day and six o’clock. Their only purpose, at present. Being to ‘run my tummy’. In other words, continuing the good work being carried out by the aromatherapist. I shall not bother to mention this again as it would be too repetitive to include reference to it in every entry.