Three friends, have recently taken me to task for not keeping up with my blog the last time I posted was April 2008, I'm ashemed to say. Truth be told, I was getting fed up with blogs. There are so many of them and what to say that is even a little bit different ? And some are so good they made me feel defeated. (My favourite is Liz Fenwick's – www.lizfenwick.blogspot.com) And who would be interested? What to write about? Well that's a question that implies that nothing has happened. And that's not true. Since I last wrote I have: Been sacked by my publishers. Interviewed by Jeremy Paxman for new series on the Victorians. Became a mentor to a group of writers. Did crits of other's manuscripts. Went to France for a holiday in our house in the Auvergne. Decided to sell house in France. Returned to cottage to find it flooded. Moved into son's house. Taught a course in Italy. Joined a new Parkinson's Forum: www.parkinsonsforum.org Decided not to sell house in France. Enjoyed the best Christmas ever. Went to a school to talk about the WWll – huge fun. Dropped from the Paxman series. Began to give talks about my life. 15th grandchild born – Jemima, Now looking forward, this month,to moving back to cottage after over six months – took all that time to be dried out and restored. I seem to be busier than ever. I'll let you know about the above, in more detail, bit by bit. Thank you Lois, Meg and Karen for waking me up - which they did in the nicest possible way.