Daphne the WWII doll

Here is a good blip story. Daphne belongs to Marianne, who is the mother of Hazelh. In our forthcoming Spring Walking Festival, we have an event called "War, Peace and Reconciliation". It's a walk to the site of the German POW camp at Featherstone Castle near Haltwhistle. I have written about the place previously. (It's through Blip that Hazel made the contact about Daphne.)

Many local friendships with the German prisoners were forged as they lived and worked amongst the local community. Marianne was a small girl at the time and met some Germans who swam in the river near her uncle's small holding. They gave her a doll and one to her sister. The Germans had a puppet and toy making workshop at the camp.

Daphne will be the star of the day when walkers visit the camp site. Here she is helping to advertise the festival, (just a small plug today!)

Notice that Daphne has had a knee injury. I feel this is quite appropriate. I've been to see the orthopaedic surgeon today. He says that he thinks all the pain I have now is due to deteriorating osteoarthritis. He can't explain the pain around the side of the knee but thinks all the problems are due to the patella. I'm to have a brace to help me walk and a steroid injection to help me get through the Bulgaria holiday but it's not sounding very hopeful. Looks like I'll be heading for a new knee sooner rather than later - all a bit of a blow when I went in to have a small portion of cartilage removed.

Sorry that's lengthy but some of you have been very kindly following Arth's progress and encouraging me along.