Oh my days it’s August. How did that happen? The last couple of weeks have been covid full. Fear not. This dam covid hits every single day My own health, swallowing antibiotics, patching up painful limbs, spine and pelvis. Then r eceiving 100 letters texts and emails telling appointments are postponed due to ‘covid training’ wtf that is? And appointments are virtual not face to face this is endless. My electronic calendar is discombobulating. Totally lost the plot.
All this pales to insignificance. My very awesome AJ died last week. His wife my totally awesome CJ has had to isolate because her eldest tested positive the day his Dad died. Funeral will be tiny. Online. But as CJ tells me the stories of the legend that is AJ have been widely shared. The cricket club has flags at half mast. The golf club too.
CJ asked me to write emails of funny stories not a handwritten letter. This an excerpt to hopefully make everyone laugh:

What an incredibly sad day …the passing of AJ, husband, father, grandfather and absolute legend to so many people far and wide. I first met CJ then AJ when a few days after my 18th birthday, I had been given a long list of accommodation addresses for University of London students. As my parents lived abroad I was dispatched to London to sort myself out for student life. Not a clue did I have as to how to proceed. By some quirk of fate, I circled an address in Holland Park. On the basis that it sounded nice. I made a decision that if I did not like it I would give up, not bother. In teeming rain I trudged from Notting Hill . Big suitcase trailed along beside me. Up those infamous steps I stumbled.I knocked the knocker. Wet through, bedraggled and hoping for respite I crossed my fingers this would ‘do’! Chrissie opened the door . Oh my giddy aunt she cried ( or words to that effect) come on in, have a gin and tonic, you looked drownéd. In I flew, downed the gin and never wanted to leave. So began my lasting friendship with the most welcoming kind and downright hilarious family ever .
The Sunday lunches, the late nights the raucous laughter …I lived in the cupboard under the stairs. My rent of £6 plus 3 nights babysitting was soon enhanced to joining in the family meals and family banter.

My studies took me across London most days but I was always assured of a big welcome home and gin. My cupboard under the stairs was where I hid when a stalking young man from SubAqua club arrived to hassle me from his little white mini, AJ stood hands folded at the door of number 2. ‘ Young man’ he admonished…’Jacq Jacq is not available’. Off that boy scarpered never to be seen again…I crawled out of my cupboard and giggled with gratitude. 

My wedding to Daniel was prefaced by introducing him to AJ. More nervous a fiancé at this meeting there never could be. It all passed well. Daniel seemed to pass muster on account of his cricket knowledge.
As Daniel spent most of our first years abroad it was CJ who had to be my stand in birthing partner in the event of Daniel’s non arrival. As due date grew ever closer I stayed in the ‘spare room’ upstairs…upgraded from the cupboard under the stairs! AJ refused to hear anything about pregnancy births or hospitals at all, on account of being too squeamish. To his infinite relief Daniel turned up just in time to attend the birth of our first child.

AJ I raise a glass to you and all of you . Absolute legend I miss you dreadfully already.