Doug

Having trusted the weather forecast (cloudy in the morning, raining in the afternoon) I went up to the allotment early, and of course got drenched in a downpour. I saw this odd little sign on the back of a little white van on my way - made me think a lot about my dear old friend Doug who died last Saturday. He'd had come of his motorbike and been seriously injured (including a brain injury) over a year before and had been hospitalised or in a nursing home ever since, deeply frustrated that he couldn't play music. So sad that I never got to visit him.

Later in the day it was announced that the Queen had died (Elizabeth II of England, Elizabeth I of Scotland). I was amazed to be able to find a commemorative book I'd been given on the occasion of her coronation (see extra) - the inscription says "Presented by the Townspeople of Alton...." on June 2nd 1953. There are some amazing old photos in it, but I have never read it.