But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with
- Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce
This is written for my dearest daughter and grandchildren, so they know exactly where they come from.
My life has been fairly eventful, in a small scale, everyday sort of way. More's the pity really, a normal life would have been interesting to try.
It seems that sometimes life just keeps on bending you to see you break. Normally, you don't. You just slip, then get up, dust yourself off, and carry on trying. If you are lucky, you have someone to help you to your feet again. If not, well, you can struggle up again anyway.
I remember once, at school, each class member had to summarise themselves in a single sentence. My summary was just one word: "Here." It still applies, though "A good man with his hands," describes me just as well. Not, I hasten to add, in the Mafia sense.
I have laid this out part chronology, and part on various issues, so there may be the odd repeat here and there - 'tis not the old man going senile, just wandering through a few bits of the past that few people know.
