The caption says it all: this will be my last blog post. It isn’t a decision I’ve come to suddenly; the thought has been in my mind for a while, no doubt because of the uncertainty with Pat. We saw the haematologist last Thursday, hoping to hear she could go back on chemo, but unfortunately she isn’t well enough. There are two problems, and one needs to be tackled before they can think about chemo, so the doctor has put Pat on steroids in the hope she’ll regain the strength she needs to fight the cancer. The underlying message though was not helpful.

Spending time in front of my computer while Pat sits alone in the front room, just so I can maintain an on-line presence, seems selfish and unnecessary, so that’s one of the reasons I’m packing it in. I stopped writing some time ago even though I still retain the desire to write, but the inclination is no longer there. I cannot see me being creative in any way for some considerable time either. At the moment I am committed to a multi campaign on Amazon ads, and will need to check in on that from time to time. Once the ads have run there course, I may not bother to put them up again.

I started this blog about seven years ago while living in Spain. The idea was to engage with people and, hopefully, establish a kind of rapport with them. I know that my blog is read all over the world, but the number of readers never rose above about one hundred. My family and friends read my weekly posting, and I know of two ladies in America who became on-line friends after Pat and I met them on an Alaskan cruise who read it. That’s Mary Beth and Julia (in case you two are reading this). So although I know some of my readers will be disappointed, I just cannot summon up the will to compose a chatty column each weak and fill it with good news, little jokes and bonhomie.

There is really nothing else for me to say now, other than to thank all of you who have taken the time to comment on my posts, and to wish you all the happiest of Thanksgiving (for my American friends) and a Happy Christmas to all those who choose to celebrate our Christian Festival. And for those who are neither one nor the other, thanks anyway.

Mick.