Usually, I try to make my posts upbeat and maybe a little humourous.  I am afraid I cannot do that today.

My sister and I have just lost our mother at the tender age of 87.  She would have been 88 on December 21st. It was a combination of an appendics attack, pneumonia, fluid in the lungs, three heart attacks and an unpronounceable intestinal disease she picked up in hospital.

She passed away at home with the immediate family by her side.

I hope you can understand why I have not been active on the forums for the past number of weeks.

 When all the formalities are attended to and things settle down, I will be back.