I have written before about how interesting/comforting it is to read my old blogs and the replies. Often a blog can be on a specific point, (the day I write this, 14th November, Fathers and Sons, somewhat poignant as it was Prince Charles's birthday, and one gathers his relationship with 'Dad' was not easy).

Coping with widow-hood, no longer responsible for another, long nights, dark days, make the hours drag, and the need to do something, anything positive is vital to fight off 'winter blues', whether the SAD syndrome or real depression.

My grand-children, bless them, are very interested in my welfare, and, bizarrely, they are mirroring my Dad in finding me things to do. Also, they ignore any bleating about age. About 30 years ago I was referred to as a 'cool' Granny, then, in an article in a French paper as a 'cinquaintaine distinguee' (distinguished 50–year-old). These are the sort of things you stick on the fridge door and try to live up to.

So, what is the 'point' of this pre-amble? A grand-daughter introduced me to 'Future Learn' part of the Open University, a short, inter-active course on line. Students are all ages and world-wide. My first course is 'Global Water Security'; I DO try and concentrate, but every item gets me into 'déjà vu', or, more, with 40 years of travel and 60 years in agriculture one thinks 'Why has it taken so long for people/governments to become aware of the damage we are doing?' Off at another tangent, I got a book out of the library (French) on 'Climate fluctuations of 1,000 years'. Mind flies off to the terrible floods in the North of England. Then, coincidence, a film on the land and agricultural discussion afterwards tomorrow night here. Right up my street. And the weather forecast for this week-end is cold and wet way below the seasonal normal.

Like all old people I am always cold and worried about heating bills. Could provoke another diversion on best ways of heating, keeping circulation going by exercise, or, just don't get up. Not practical, however tempting. I remember as a war child, no heating of course, taking clothes for the morning into bed with me the night before, and dressing as much as possible under the bedclothes.

Back to my course. We were in Malaysia, at a World Heritage Site. A typhoon had funnelled down acres of plastic bags and bottles, way before the emphasis on plastic in our seas and re-cycling. There, also, when going to look in a rock pool, a large python came out of the forest. The fact that I am writing this means it did not eat me and I did not die of fright. And I am now a science freak. Forensic scientists are using modern methods to find out how Saint Louis (French king) actually died.

I am able to stick to the point, two degrees and endless articles, 400, 800 and 1,000 words to prove it. A prize if you can find a thread in this!

The Gardener

A Moodscope member.