Neil Diamond

I woke to the sad news this morning that Neil Diamond has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and will not be touring any more.

Sister and I both loved Neil and saw him together twice. She was a great concert goer and was appalled to realise when I reached the age of 50 that I had never been to a big pop concert. I had seen another favourite, Rod Stewart (before he was big) in a basement in Earls Court where I lived in 1972, but that didn’t count she said! So, for my 50th birthday present she bought us both tickets to see Neil at Earls Court, but the proper concert venue this time. Then, in July 2011 (through her work,) we also saw him (we were in a box) at the o2. It was the last good time we had together. She told me that evening she had some back pain, and promised to go to the doctor the next day. Four months later she was gone.

I’ve not listened to any of my Neil albums since, but i was still sad to think that he is no longer able to perform and I know she would have been sad to hear it too.

One photo today, as I left the house, not in darkness this morning, but sunrise which is getting earlier, hurray!