Nijole

A Lithuanian saying runs along the lines of 'Where the heart leans, the feet must go', and that seems to be true for Nijole, pictured here. An ethnic Lithuanian, she was brought up in the US by her emigre parents in the Roman Catholic faith. But some things discreetly challenged this way of life, like choosing Jewish boyfriends and also certain aspects of old family photos.

Her heart prompted her feet 'home' to Lithuania and along the way she discovered she was Jewish herself. Her novel, in the writing, features a certain Mrs. Warner as the main character, a refugee living in Germany in the immediate aftermath of the last war and for whom she has been developing a fuller voice during a writers get-together these days near Beziers, France.

Nijole is a friendly and fascinating person who we met tonight on our way home. The world is a small place, it transpired, as she shared stories of her travels to and stays in the Middle East and Africa where she taught English, and her later career as the writer of English text books.

I'm sure she'll look in here tonight and, if so, let me say 'Thanks for the pleasure of your company, Nijole!'