Topsy Turvy World

A day out in Birmingham - the first time I've been on a train since before the pandemic. I haven't been in Birmingham New St station for years either - what a revelation. I was a bit early for meeting an old friend for lunch, and became mesmerized by all the shapes, colours and reflections at one of the station entrances (two extras added, with other views).
So: lunch with one old friend from university days, who lives near Oxford. I helped him with the editing of a recent book draft he's written, and this was a 'thank you', as well as a good chance to catch up.
After that I got a taxi out to King's Health, to visit two other friends. This was a much more subdued visit. Liz, another old university friend, has known for some time that her husband Mark was becoming unwell. At first the diagnosis was depression, a problem he has had before. But the final diagnosis is fronto-temporal dementia. So these are very sad times now. In the year since I last saw them both, she has made a complete transition to being his carer, as well as his wife... They have a strong, wider family, and they have support. But the change in Mark is enormous, and the sense of loss for them all is huge.