Rather like Sam and the other Hobbits, it does seem that I have been gone for an eternity. No great epic adventures, survived COVID with eight vaccinations and two bouts of the damned disease. It is as if your life was put on hold and of course it is time that can never be recovered. My retirement and live with Jun has taken different directions, from 2019 until 2023 we were unable to travel. That has been rectified this year with a trip to see the family in Guangdong, Jun stayed for three months and we are now planning our return for Chinese New Year.

Family life has changed with the addition of Max, our Doberman, despite his size he is still a puppy and at the moment we are enjoying the petulent teenager stage. Everyone assures us that it will get better.

After seventeen years in Shepton Mallet, the longest I have lived in the same place we are preparing to move, not far, but closer to a railway station. Rather than downsizing we are upsizing to a slightly bigger house, but with a much larger garden, for all three of us. A larger lawn for Jun, a larger space for Max, and an opportunity to produce our own fruit and veg and for me to realise a long held dream of creating a Chinese/Japanese style garden. The latter will be chronicled over the months once we take possession and have completed the work inside the house.

So lots to write about and having drifted for four years it is good to be back and looking forward to the discipline of regular editions and a change in lifestyle as we grow into retirement,