Letters 2026
Letter 83
18-01-2026 (at home)
Dear D
Christmas and the New Year have come and gone. As usual there is a period of anticipation of something new and better, but we just arrive back where we were, almost shocked to find we are more than half-way through January of the New Year. I am sorry I did not write many letters to you in 2025, hopefully I will do much better in 2026. I will tell you some of the highlights from 2025 and finish with some thoughts from my letter 81 in December.
I was extremely busy last year particularly with a Charity I am sure I must have mentioned. I joined as a member soon after we parted company in 2009, to give me some extra interest in my life. I had to leave my house, due to allegations made by your mum and live by myself causing some turmoil in my life, at a time of an economic recession with my employment under threat. Through a series of chance happenings, I was promoted through various levels in the organisation to be elected in 2020 to become volunteer leader of an area of north London up as far as Cambridge for a period of five years. There was a lot to do in my final year which is due to formally end in March. But I did manage to take a few holidays which I will tell you about.
I had a very enjoyable two weeks with my sister, who has lived in Majorca for over 50 years. She came to London to stay with me for three days. We then flew to Prague with the focus a family wedding, but we also visited various parts of the Czech Republic, to show her around and introduce her to my Czech relatives. This was a lovely opportunity to share with her some of my experiences in that country.
I spent a week in Lourdes in the South of France, in a quite beautiful area surrounded by mountains, trees & green fields. There were about two hundred or so on the trip, with at least a third wheelchair bound. The group was extremely well organised with lots of volunteer helpers, while I was there as a pilgrim, staying in a lovely hotel, able to attend the many Ceremonies, prayer services and parades and explore the town and surroundings.
I first did a section of the Camino in Northern Spain, walking 120 Km into Santiago over seven days in 2022 with a friend, thinking it was likely to be my one & only attempt. But the next year my sister wanted to go, and I joined her with some of her friends, and we did another the following year. I was accompanied only by three of my grandchildren for another Camino walk last year. It was a very special occasion brought about by chance as other members of my family were not able to make it due to illness. I could not keep pace with myu grandchildren all the time, but we met up on the way each day on some sections, at breaks for a coffee, meal, or rest and of course, in the hotels for breakfast & evening meals. That may have been my last time, but I would really like to have one last go. It’s such a beautiful way to see the countryside, villages & towns and to meet & chat with random fellow walkers from around the world. It would be my dream if I could go with you.
That last letter I posted to you wondering if there was any possibility you would like to make contact with me, must have come as a shock. I had no way of contacting you and a feeling that you did not want me to be part of your life. My social media account is open to all, making it easy to trace me if you wanted. I definitely do not want it to appear that I am trying to approach you in any kind of sinister way, so when my solicitor advised me that there was no reason that I could not write to you, she obtained your address and I wrote to you, kindly asking you to let her know your feelings about me. Megan is said to have contacted her father recently is a high-profile case of an attempt to reconcile. I can only hope and pray that you did actually receive my letter, which sent recorded delivery with signature needed on receipt. That is not intended to try and put any pressure on you, just to try and provide an opening in the door, if at any time in the future you feel you would like to explore.
With much love,
Dad xxx