A high point of the week for me was the broadcast of my music interview with Phil Riley on Boom Radio.
He had clearly done his homework and kindly allowed me to speak at some length about what people can do to reduce the chances of developing vascular dementia and, if, like me, you have already been diagnosed, what can be done to slow its progression.
The music ranged from the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd to Judi Dench and Stephen Sondheim. Boom Radio told me the programme was well received, which is encouraging.
There’s another excellent radio station I’ve mentioned before, M4D, which specialises in serving people with dementia. And I was pleased to see that Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir is returning to BBC One with a new two-part series.
Alastair Stewart laments IT problems and mourns the tragic death of F1 legend Eddie Jordan in this week's Living With Dementia diary
| GB NEWSMusic stimulates memories and lifts spirits, and, like the choir, the social aspect really matters.
Another high point this week was what has now become an annual event for us: we give over a couple of our fields to the charity Home-Start, of which I am a national ambassador and Sally is co-patron of our local Winchester and District group.
Home-Start is a terrific organisation, offering trained volunteer helpers to families with young children who have run into difficulties. Do look it up, you may well have a local group near you.
You can donate here.
Our costs are modest, hiring a portaloo, and we are also generously supported by our local estate agents, Halliards.
It is an early start, with vendors renting space and tables, and buyers ranging from curious locals to semi-professional dealers, some looking like contestants on Bargain Hunt hoping to make a quick profit, or dreaming of appearing on Antiques Roadshow with a masterpiece.
Last weekend, one of the national newspapers ran an interview with a woman who said she had made more money from car boot sales than from any regular job!
Anyway, we were delighted that this year’s event raised about £20,500 for the charity. Here’s to next year.
It also amused us that several locals who saw our posters and billboards decided to contact Clem in Saudi Arabia for more details. Busy as she always is, she was still happy to help.
Flags on public buildings and roundabouts have become an issue recently. It reminded me of our time living in the USA. On our street in Washington DC, most neighbours flew the Union Flag above their front doors.
When my parents lived in Alabama, I was once banned from the air base swimming pool for failing to leave the water when the national anthem was played and the flag lowered.
I always thought Americans seemed almost insecure about their symbols of nationhood, though perhaps understandable in such a young country.
Here in the UK, we are less demonstrative, but perhaps more confident in who we are.
On the political front, Keir Starmer has sacked his Principal Private Secretary, Nin Pandit, who joined No.10 only ten months ago.
She is the third senior staff member to leave under his leadership, after Chief of Staff Sue Gray departed in October and Director of Communications Matthew Doyle resigned in March.
It reminded me of something Lord John Wakeham once observed: that many of Boris Johnson’s problems stemmed from surrounding himself with the wrong people, a mistake Margaret Thatcher always avoided.
It is not only senior staffers that Starmer has lost; several junior ministers have also departed.
A senior politician can often be judged by those he or she chooses to appoint or promote.
Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves, who appears to be struggling, has appointed Torsten Bell MP to work on the Autumn Budget.
Fresh reports suggesting the Treasury may make landlords pay National Insurance on rental income bear his fingerprints.
As the former chief executive of the left-leaning Resolution Foundation, Bell’s grasp of economic theory is clear, but so too is his political direction.