With my amazing husband of 51 years – the man responsible for our adventures and a life at The Gables which was all his idea. I thank him for everything.

The children and grandchildren amaze and delight me every day although, let’s be honest, being a parent has had its challenges! But the grandchildren are my reward for not killing my children!

Credit where it’s due – holding my children’s books in my hands (both have written several) over the years was one of the great joys of my life and spurred me on to write my own after I became a a pensioner! I admire both my adult offspring and like them too!

I am of the generation lucky enough to have been born after the Second World War and into a democratic country where I had a free education, free and excellent healthcare, affordable housing, work and leisure, travel and recreation and now a state pension. I take none of that for granted. I was fortunate. The world in which I now live is a different place and I can only hope that my grandchildren will have as good a life as I have been privileged to live.

And my birthday treat today? My beloved husband insisted at 6.30 am that he, and not me, would get up to bottle feed the three lambs and I received a cup of coffee in bed and the chance to write this blog. Not many 70 year olds can give that as their birthday treat!