It is a little while since I made a contribution to The Mitre and, I must say, I thought I must have upset Martin and the whole of the OMA Committee when the Spring edition of the Newsletter failed to dump itself on my doormat this year.

What have I been up to during 2005?

Well, no exotic holiday's for us this year. We decided to stay in the UK and in April made our way north back to Dumfries and Galloway and to a beautiful Hotel we found two years previously at Balcary Bay. I suppose we did take a tiny bit of a chance with the weather and it did not disappoint us one bit. One minute we enjoyed brilliant sunshine and the next we were shrouded in thick mist and driving rain. At least when the weather allowed us to see further than our noses we delighted in the stunning countryside and views.

In June we decided to go back to the Isle of Wight. Well, when I say go back I mean go back, since I had not stepped foot on the Island since boyhood and I have the photographs to prove it.

We stayed in Bembridge and I have to say what a simply delightful place the IOW proved to be. We tried to visit as many places as possible around the island during our week long stay and one of the highlights of our visit was a drive across the island to The Needles.

The other big highlight of our visit to the IOW was that, after some 40 years, I managed to play around with Felicity. No, you misunderstand me.......................I mean I managed to play A ROUND OF GOLF with Felicity.

Felicity and I have kept in touch with each other for many years and when Angela and I decided to holiday on the IOW this year I made sure that the golf clubs went into the car before the luggage! We had a great day on the golf course at Ryde and, although I am sure that Flip will recall a different story, we actually tied the game. Well, a man has to do what a man has to do!!

We are just about to depart for a few days at Rye and Hastings, neither of which I have ever visited before, so maybe the Editor will allow me to tell you all about that part of holiday in the next Newsletter.

My commitment to golf remains absolute and I try to master the game whenever time allows. Although I still remain a member at a local Golf Club here in Leicestershire, I do also play a lot of golf with a very dear friend of mine in Bakewell, Derbyshire. Not only is it necessary for a fair degree of fitness, but Bakewell demands that you resemble the agility of a mountain goat. It is therefore surprising to me that since I do not qualify on either of these terms, why I keep on playing the course!!

Due to other commitments here at home, it was impossible for me to attend the OMA Reunion weekend last year, but I am hoping to try and keep the said weekend free this year and join you all again.

Sorry this is so short this time around. I will try and do better next time.

Best Regards