I’m tempted to quote the guy
from ‘Airplane’ here, who, when asked by Lloyd Bridges ‘What’s the story
so far?’, says: ‘First the Earth cooled and then the dinosaurs came...’
Basically, I’ll try to post (significant) news here, in some sort of chronological
order.
2005 - ‘Poppy’ arrives
2007 - leave Bewdley after 13 years and move out of town to Far Forest
2008 - achieve Membership of the Institute of Biology (MIBiol)
2009 - old friend Martin Gough takes me for a spin around Silverstone
in his Radical SR4!
2009 - Great Aunt Kath Round eventually shuffles off - aged 101
2011 - Chartered
Biologist status
2011 - Fellow of the Royal
Society of Public Health. JAL.
2012 - One of the worst
years ever: Basil the spaniel dies in June, the weather is just atrocious
(even on holiday in Greece), Uncle Norman dies. One the plus side,
I am 50 and get taken to Venice - brilliant. Jannine makes a blinding
buy in the shape of an MX-5 for £1k and we treat the boat to a
new engine.
2013 - Complete lounge/dining
room/’library, start on kitchen. Weather is awful. Again. Sally is 50.
2014 - New kitchen, use
boat just the once (July) but the inflatable tender a couple of times. Find
new holiday spot in Skopelos. Jannine leaves Worcester hospital and starts
work at Touchwood, Solihull
2015 - All 4 parents are
ill to varying degrees this year. We have to cancel our annual Greek holiday
due to an ill parent, but we do get to go later in the year. Weather is
awful, first year ever that we have not used the boat at all.
2016 - Poppy the Springer
passes away, but within a month ‘Autumn’ the rescue Springer takes up residence.
2017 - no Greek holiday
for the first time in decades. Significant work required to boat engine.
My employer becomes ‘Sanofi Pasteur’. Jannine goes back to the NHS
2018 - best summer for
years, spend a whole week boating at Aberdyfi. Autumn loves it. Later this
year, Dad is hospitalised and has a major operation. I complete a course
at King’s College - Certificate in Medicines Development. Jannine buys
a blue MX-5.
2019 - another Welsh holiday.
Not quite the weather we had last year. Autumn loves the boat! Maidenhead
office closes and work moves to Reading.
2020 - Dad passes away at the
start of the whole Covid thing. We couldn't visit him in hospital or have
a funeral. His ashes are not buried
until June 2021. I become a
Fellow of The Royal Society of Biology.
2022 - I turn 60 and quit Sanofi,
joining Valneva in May as 'Medical Adviser/Senior Medical Liaison'