No.115, Saturday, 4th. April 2026

It is dull and grey and cold out there and I am beginning to wonder if I can live without heating for a fourth consecutive day. My ambition, if I can call it that, to ensure that April is a heating-free month seems to override the feeling of cold but not the lethargy that accompanies it. However, in this instance at least, the irresistible force of temptation is pulling on me, and I might just cave in.

Sadly, the woman who lived opposite me passed away during the week, not at home but in hospital. She was 95, a good age and one that I would like to think I might reach. I have been thinking this morning about two things in relation to her passing. Firstly, I would have 25 years of life left if I was able to reach that age. A quarter of a century. For me, that is a comforting thought. Secondly, she died in Newton Abbot Hospital, a modern hospital with plenty of natural light and fresh air. I was born in Newton Abbot hospital – the old one – and I feel sure I would prefer to die in hospital – the new one.