Corker in Cape Town!

We are thinking of you Harry as you begin your first day on your placement at Tygerberg Hospital. As you spend your days and nights in the shadow of this beautiful and incredible mountain hearing the sea as it crashes on the rocks and splashes over the sand! Oh what a romantic thought, but it is true. Harry is in one of the most incredible places on earth and we wish him joy - as much joy as we had during our three months there last year. Yes, we were there this time last year - seems impossible to think that now, but we were. And it seems impossible to think how much has happened and how far we've come since then. What a difference a year can make! 
We know Harry will have a wonderful time. We know he will learn lots and come back a different person, even after only 8 weeks. But the changes won't be just in his head and in his improved knowledge and medical ability; no, the biggest changes will be in his heart, soul and spirit.
We tracked his flight right through to the 'Arrived' status on the KLM website and we cheered and cried as he landed. We look forward to hearing about and 'tracking' his journey as he lives there for the next two months. We will be praying for you, Harry. We love you very much!

How's Your handwriting?

Marking GCSE exam papers over the years has been an eye-opening experience. I'm afraid I'm coming to the conclusion that the vast majority of 15-16 year olds cannot write! Oh I don't mean that they cannot convey their ideas successfully onto the page.  They are as imaginative and inventive with the language as ever but they don't write with script that can be read. They are losing the ability to write legibly and I find that very sad. Keyboards and slide pads have taken over! Don't get me wrong, I love my lap top, but I also love the fact that I can, and often do, write with a fountain pen - it gives me great delight and it looks good and can be easily understood - well I think so. My dad had fantastic, beautiful handwriting. My sister has lovely, neat handwriting whenever she writes - it's always the same, always neat. Duncan and Harry both have very distinctive and lovely handwriting, as does Pam. As I said, what a sadness that this skill seems to be dying out in the future generations as they don't get to appreciate the beauty of it or see the need!