It's a Dog's Life

Old age is a bit of a bugger, but if we are lucky, it catches up with all of us eventually. We recently spent a week with my dad who at 91 physically can't do everything he would want to do and what he can do, to his frustration, takes more time and effort than he would like. He is of course from a generation that just gets on with it and he keeps busy doing the chores he can do around the house. His speciality is pot washing. In answer to the question 'Dad, where are you going' the answer usually will be 'I'm just going to tidy up in the kitchen'. The dishwasher is loaded after every meal, there are no pots to wash, but a few minutes later we'd hear the familiar rattle from the sink. He is like a pot washing ninja, somehow always finding a cup or glass to wash, quite where they came from remains a mystery to me. 

My dad isn't the only one showing some signs of age related wear and tear. Oscar the Dog, who is now 10, has developed a limp in his front

Nodding Ducks, Suncream and Seat Pads

Apparently the age of 25 is a turning point, it is the end of youth and early adulthood and is the transition to serious 'adulting'. This, according to my youngest daughter Meg, who has just set off on her latest great adventure, travelling through Africa. In the heady days of her youth, she set herself the target of visiting all 7 continents by the age of 25, with Africa being her final continental challenge. To plan, fund and travel to some of the most remote and beautiful places in the world, is an amazing achievement at any age but to have done this when she is so young I think is just incredible, and I'm a very proud dad. 

Meg isn't the only one though working through her bucket list, admittedly my desire to see Yorkshire play cricket at their beautiful ground in Scarborough isn't quite on the same scale as travelling the world, but nonetheless it is an important rite of passage for someone born and bred in Yorkshire. I only wish I'd taken more notice of Megs packing and organisation skills before embarking on my journey north. Admittedly I wasn't climbing 5900m to the summit of Kilimanjaro and having to plan for the transition from the Tanzanian