It was a shock today to find out that the Duke of Edinburgh had died, my daughter told me via WhatsApp. Whatever you thought of him because, let's face it, he could be a little controversial, the setting up of the Duke of Edinburgh Award was and is an amazing achievement. We've all seen those groups of young people wandering along in our wild places, looking weary and confused while studying the map, but they're learning, finding out what they're capable of and setting many of them off on a life of outdoors activity. Amazing!

Looking back, with almost all of our family holidays being in North Wales and with a father who was a climber and a walker, I wonder that we were never enrolled in the DofE award. We girls joined Brownies and Guides, and the boys Crusaders and Sea Scouts... but why not DofE?  Mind you, I'm pretty sure that I'd have wanted nothing to do with it, awkward and bloody minded child that I was! 

Anyway, I'm going to make a donation :-)

In other news it turned out that the plumber had forgotten he was supposed to be coming, and my friend hadn't realised he should've been putting Plan D into effect tomorrow, but at least I've made a dental appointment.