LEFT THE BUILDING

At the end of a day when I took Mum for a GP appointment, blood tests and then a really delicious lunch at Sister R's house, we received the sad news that my cousin Dave died peacefully this morning. Last autumn he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on top of other problems he was suffering and told that anything after Christmas would be a bonus, but he beat that by a long way and carried on fundraising for charity almost until the end. We were poles apart on many things (if we'd ever stopped to discuss them), but he was a great character with a huge and generous heart and utterly devoted to his /our large family (and Elvis).

Thanks for all the stars and hearts for the woodpecker yesterday. The squirrel was doing acrobatics outside the dining room window this morning.