30/03/2026
Gratitude. I've just spent a few days with my Lincolnshire family. We are a cobbled together crew of step and extended family members. This year has kicked off with dad having radiotherapy for prostate cancer, my bro in law having chemo for stage 4 non Hodgkin lymphoma, my 'sister' having heart surgery in her 40s, and a scare about a baby that stopped growing and was expected to go into NICU when he came out. Dad is not too well but is OK and slowly improving, my bro in law has gone into remission, sis is back to her lively chatterbox self, and my nephew, baby Xander, came out 1lb bigger than expected, was allowed home and is thriving. I took dad's dog out on some long and soul-therapy walks as she's been missing out on those, and soaked up the Lincolnshire countryside. I was also able to continue the long held family tradition of hiding a rubber ducky in the house on my departure. They will get their revenge later in the year.
Remember to be grateful for the big and little things. It's a coping strategy in hard times and a way of marking the good.
