Had to Cancel Our Return

So we had to cancel our plans to go back for Christmas, Trudy healed well and was in good spirits, even though we were mostly on our own.  We had to wait till after Christmas, New Year, and the Three Kings to find out what other treatment would be needed.  We could not make any travel plans.  But we were so glad the worst was over so quickly.  We just had to make the best of our time, it was no good to worry, since doing so would make no difference, and would just make us unhappy. 

We spent a lot of time on video calls with Josephine, Michelle, and Jason.  It was the next best thing as we were not able to be together, we had also been kept busy with lots of messages with good friends.  Sadly, it has now been two years without being able to be with our children and grandchildren because of the virus. 

After the New Year Montana came to see us, also Helen and Andy managed to come over for a five week stay nearby, and it was great to see them as we always have plenty of laughs, never a dull moment.

We were told Trudy was so lucky, and only needed a short amount of radiotherapy, about a month after her operation, completed within a week.  After that only regular check-ups will be required. 

We eventually returned to Switzerland and were relieved that Josephine was doing well, and we celebrated her 101st Birthday together.  We were looking forward to seeing our daughter Michelle, she was going to visit us soon after Jason came to see us, but sadly the day before her flight, she tested positive for Covid and had to cancel.  If all goes well, we will be able to get together in August in Switzerland.


A Sound Recording for the Birmingham Museum Archives

Making a Sound Recording
for The Birmingham Archives

Whilst in Switzerland, I received an email asking if I would agree to being recorded whilst talking all about Jacey cinemas.  I agreed to do it, and I soon had a visit by Felicity McWilliams, Curator of Science, and Industry for the Birmingham Museum Collections Centre.  She specially flew over, with equipment, to make the oral history interview recording to be kept and made available, in the Birmingham Museum Archives.  It was an interesting new experience for me, and the transcript ended up being about 20 pages long! Available as a PDF: The Transcript.pdf


Get Together After 50 Years

On our way back to Spain we had two nights, instead of our usual overnight stop, in Orange because we managed, at last, to meet up with Martin and Madeleine Stern from London.  Like us they drive to and from London to Antibes, where they have a place, and they also stop sometimes in Orange. 

So, we organised to all stay in the same hotel, and it was a wonderful time - it really seemed like we had not been apart for so long and we had so many laughs, it was great!  We agreed that we must do it again.

Together with Martin and Madeleine