Yesterday my youngest grandchild, aged 17, passed his driving test (first time). Quite an emotional moment for us since it doesn’t seem all that long ago since we held him in our arms for the first time and wondered what characteristics he would inherit - in the event, physically not many of mine because he is over 6 feet, lean, has a golf handicap of 6 and is good at football and cricket.  Maybe some of my wife’s who. in her time, was a good tennis and badminton player. One thing he did inherit is a love of music though he has long ago surpassed any technical knowledge I may have. so much so that he was offered scholarships by three leading music conservatoires. Sorry to boast.

Milestone events like this make me feel old until I realise that I am so lucky to have survived to the end of my seventh decade more or less intact, with my mind, I hope, as sharp as ever it was (notice the limiting statement) and still enjoying all life has to offer. Every day I try to learn something more, maybe quite trivial but enough to keep the brain cells active. I am even, like some of my colleagues, investigating the possibilty of doing another degree in something quite different to my original one. Perhaps more of this anon.