In a room, warmed by the wood burner, the cats doze all evening.

Although I grew up in a council flat it was located in fashionable St Johns Wood near Lords Cricket Ground. My father had an eclectic range of clients and many of them became friends. One of them, Laslo Hoenig, was a Hungarian architect, interior designer and cabinet maker who studied at the Bauhaus in the 1920’s and practised in Berlin until 1933 when he fled to England as Hitler rose to power. He opened a showroom in Mayfair and ran a successful business as an interior designer and bespoke furniture maker. In the 1960’s Laslo turned his design attentions to our small council flat, incorporating these stylish side tables into our living room. There was a matching coffee table that my parents gave away when they moved from their council homevto a private flat in Hendon 20 years ago. I’m so pleased that I brought the tables to The Gables and saved them from being dumped.

Black turnips, celeriac, parsnips and carrots

One of them is a “foster dog” brought here via a Romanian animal charity.

My friend thinks she might have found a permanent home for him in the village. He is a treasure and I am sure he will prove to be a loyal companion.

A perfect gift to savour today and also to toast in the New Year

After an early dash to Tesco (how can we possibly need all this shopping?) it was on to Borehamwood and a “masked up” walk with the oldest grandson. No cuddling or kissing or hugging but at least I saw him for a few previous minutes. Then I picked up some Poundland toys and met up with the other grandchildren outside mum’s care home window

There was great excitement at the home. The first batch of vaccines arrived there late last night and this morning mum, and her pals, got their first shots.

The staff will get their shots today after the residents. Everyone was smiling and I confess that as I walked back to my car I shed a tear.

Back home I was pleased to see the new bird box in place on the annex wall.

Arrived on these shores from Poland at the turn of the century. Penniless immigrants, they worked hard selling tailor’s trimmings – buttons, thread and the like. They eventually took a shop and lived above it with their growing family. 13 children were born but only 8 survived. They prospered and moved to a big house in Willesden and my grandmother, the oldest of the five daughters (who had wanted to study but had to work in the business) was married from there in grand style

Grandma and grandpa received a dowry and went into business but it failed as grandpa was too sweet and gentle to run his own shop and eventually they both went to work for a cousin which they did together for many years. Their only child married my father (also an only child) and they had 65 wonderful years together. Celebrating their 65th (and final) wedding anniversary with a party at The Gables.

Today we celebrate 46 years of marriage. I was 18 and Jeremy had turned 22 the week before the nuptials. We made the decision to wed on a Thursday and were married two weeks later! We had a luncheon for 60 family and friends on the day, then flew off to America for a road trip honeymoon

Returning to attend a cocktail party that our parents had arranged – for 350 of their friends and family. Who knew it would last? So far, so good! The grandchildren are the icing on the cake. Bless them in these difficult days. Bless all of us right now. Party postponed but maybe next year?

I would never have travelled to hear lectures pre covid. Now I just need to register and I get to listen to and watch presentations on a huge range of subjects. Tonight it was Al Jolson

Born in a small town in Lithuania in 1886 the son of a rabbi (below).

The rabbi travelled to America to find a position and later brought his wife and four children to join him in Washington DC. Tragically the rabbi’s wife died giving birth to their fifth child when Al Jolson (still known as Alas Jolsonas) was only 8 years old. His father sent back to Lithuania for a new wife to take care of the family.

Although the rabbi trained his two oldest boys to sing, hoping they would become cantors in the synagogue, both Harry (Hersch) and Al (Alas) changed their names and went on the stage.

and when I was a child the Black and White Minstrel show was a regular feature of prime time BBC television running for 20 years until the 1970’s! Extraordinary and shameful.

Jolson became an extremely successful entertainer and songwriters knew that if he recorded their songs it would guarantee them success. In the 1920’s he was the highest paid performer in America and also dubbed “ The World’s Greatest Entertainer”. In 1927 Warner Brothers released the first talking movie, The Jazz Singer, starring Jolson. This film ended the era of silent movies and Jolson became what we would call, these days, a superstar.

When America entered the Second World War the intensely patriotic Jolson immediately volunteered and was the first performer to entertain the troops overseas. After the war two films were made using Jolson’s singing but a younger actor playing him in The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings again.

In 1950 Jolson travelled, at his own expense, to entertain the American troops fighting in Korea. 64 shows in 16 days led to Jolson returning home sick and exhausted and he died from a heart attack three weeks later aged 64.

Jolson’s fourth wife, Erle Galbraith, applied to his estate for the funds to move his body to a memorial that she commissioned in a cemetery in Los Angeles at a huge cost of $75000 then ($800000 today).

On a frosty and misty morning

The ducks emerge slowly, reluctant to leave the warmth of their straw strewn house. I know that they will get a surprise when they try to swim on the icy pond. They will find themselves “walking on water” until (very quickly) the heat from their little bodies turns the ice to liquid

Down at the goose pond the big birds are happy to be back in their own space.