Several weeks ago, I got a letter from the DVLA people saying that because I’d had a stroke [13 months previously !], I had to take another driving test. I’d been driving quite safely in the meantime, but like HM Revenue and Customs, the DVLA is not a body to be ignored. They’d already confiscated my licence and they told me that unless I undertook and passed a new test, I wouldn’t be insured. Hmm.

Anyway, Sheila drove me to the appointed meeting place where we met a very pleasant chap in a little Renault. I absolutely hated my first driving test – which I failed – and the second which I passed. But that was 50+ years ago.

Now, I like driving – especially my Jaguar XK8 – which is a beast – refined, but still a beast. The little Renault turned out to be very easy to handle, and after a much longer and pickier test than the original, the pleasant chap passed me ! I was and still am very relieved. First thing I did when I got home was to go for a blast around country lanes. The Jag’s twenty years old now but it’ll still do 0 to 60 in around 6 seconds AND it passed its looming MOT.

Sheila’s been hugely supportive throughout as has daughter Dr Jen. So has son Nik [immobile presently because of a knackered knee] and daughter Kate, from 12,000 miles away in Oz.
Cartoon – wise, its calendar time – a huge job. All gags are chosen by committee – from around 100 roughs – and there’s a really complicated A3 cover to do as well.

Dog Wilma is still up at Dr Jen’s near Hull because she’s seen as a calming influence on her dog Kes who is a completely loopy border collie. But she’ll be back soon. Out here in the sticks, there isn’t really a Covid 19 effect, but we’ve all got lots of masks.

Right – back to the calendar cover.