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2021

For the first time I can remember, I have not slept away from home once this year because of the Pandemic. I booked to go to Israel in April and again in September, but they both had to be cancelled. Luckily I have stayed well and have a lovely flat. My greatest luck is my Polish carer Ania. She has been with me now for 3 years and has continued to come two mornings a week throughout the lockdown and crisis. She looks after me--she does all the shopping, sets my hair, steers me through my computer problems--there is nothing she cannot do. Even when I had to stop my cleaner from coming, she took over. She is a true blessing.

I have had other support during the months of isolation. My faithful three. Yasmin phones me every morning. She cared for me as long as she could, from 1990 until Ania took over 3 years ago. My best friend Helen phones most days, and I have seen her whenever it has been possible, And my nephew Meir phones frequently from Israel, always worrying about me. So loving.

It was Meir who was responsible for the highlight of my year. He organised a zoom to celebrate my 96th birthday in March. I was able to see and talk to friends, not only all over the UK, but all over the world. It filled me with joy--what an amazing invention. Emails and zooms have kept me alert and in touch all year.

My worst upset is that the Wimbledon All England Tennis organisation is going to ruin and desecrate the beautiful view from my window, which has sustained me for the 30 years I have lived here. It is now a golf course, a Heritage Site, designed in the 18th century by our most famous Landscape Designer, Capability Brown. The tennis people are fantastically wealthy and have bribed all those who could have stopped them. They are going to rip up the grass, chop down the trees and build concrete-based tennis courts. It will take years, so instead of the glory I have now, I will overlook a building site. You can see some photos taken from my window in the PICTURES section of this Website.

I have plans for 2022 which I hope will materialise. I continue to love television and can always find a programme to enjoy--yet another invention I am so grateful for happened in my lifetime.