Is it 2015 already?

It is in the nature of blogs and bloggers that long silences occur. There is always a reason, but in my case, I would like to reassure my readers that “rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated”.

Years back when I was very much on the lecture circuit, I was asked to give a talk at an upcoming conference where I had in the past given presentations. I declined saying that I had nothing to say. It sounds a bit brutal but it was true. I see no point in talking for the sake of talking. So my blog has been quiet lately because, frankly, nothing of interest has happened - though I could scream reams about some things that are going on in the world.

Anyway, this is a note to respond to a follower, Chris, who asked me about something from one of my blog postings. I had written that my first attempt at kissing a girl was when I was about five, and the victim of my advances was Margaret Benbow, the youngest of the three children who lived in the farm opposite. She spurned my advances, quite properly. It seems that Chris was a regular playmate of Margaret Benbow and has asked me what happened to her. Given that I left my natal village of Hadley some sixty years ago, it is not surprising that I have no answer. In fact, not only has Margaret Benbow disappeared from my view, but so has the village of Hadley, long buried under a lumpen wen called Telford.

If any of you wish to know more of my doings, you could always take a peek at the Action for Swifts blog at actionforswifts.blogspot.com. The coming year promises to be even busier with more nextbox projects and lots of swift monitoring.

Happy New Year to Chris and all, may your best day in 2014 be your worst day in 2015.