May 2010: Greetings to all my friends. Due to family and health reasons I am not often able to get on the Hill.

My user-name gives me something to aspire to. I am not graceful, gracious or amazing, but by the grace of God I am what I am - mother of 3, all married, grandmother to 7. My husband is caring and appreciates what I do for him, and life is full of blessings, specially appreciated because of the challenges it brings.

My husband J and I are both Christians (Anglican/Ecumenical). After 10 wonderful years in Africa (Malawi), where J was a missionary teacher, I worked in hospitals and various outlying medical units and all our children were born, we returned to UK (which is a far tougher mission field, particularly in Milton Keynes).

Illness forced me to retire from medical work at 49. J cared for me as my health very slowly improved, until he developed Parkinsons disease. We now face the challenge of helping and caring for each other as our situation changes.

In 2006 we moved from Milton Keynes to Ely (Cambs) into sheltered accommodation near one of our children and her family. With the extra support and easy access to shops, cathedral etc., life here is good.

Having only begun to get out during the past year(after 15 years mostly housebound) I am enjoying more freedom. However, it is still very necessary that I should pace myself. So my visits to the Hill are not very frequent.

Our little garden, packed with many lovely flowers inherited from a previous tenant, and this year had runner beans, rhubarb, wineberry and strawberries too, scattered anomg the flowers..

Malling Abbey, a benedictine convent in Kent, with which I have close links, is a very special place. It is so peaceful - full of love and joy.

And I love Ely with its beautiful cathedral, quaint shops and much going on. Our daughter and family live nearby - what joy our grandchildren bring us! Our other children and their families are able to visit us much more easily than where we were before, so we are very much part of the family again.

Computer when it is misbehaving (bit of a love/hate situation here!). Can't think of anything else.

Card-making and going out on my electric scooter, and occasionally playing the organ (one given me for my 60th birthday).