Waking early this a.m., I got to thinking; of women. I've known few men well .... or should that be: I've known no men well?

I've always been shy and even insecure (I hide it as well as I can manage). As a result I feared the two men in my childhood. Being English, all my secondary education was in all-boy schools, with all male teachers. My 40 year work life was in an all-male environment.

So what know I of women? Sigh! Not a lot. The women of my acquaintance have been a weird lot. Weird? Well, let's hang the label of unusual on them shall we?

............. The above formed the beginning of a message to Mitch and it seemed to be a good basis for a blog entry.

Since then, an e-mail from Mitch told me that he checks my blog every week. Two thoughta about that:

1 If I'd known somebody was looking at the damn thing I'd have been keener to write therein and:

2 What a pity I hadn't known ... so little has been written in there.



Well maybe now I'll try harder!



So .... women I've known?

I make it seven, not much of a list. Others that haven't really got inside my armour have been left out ... they are sadly few as well!

Florence Webber was my grandmother. I was sort of "left" with her and my grandfather in 1939 (?) by my mother. I lived with them until her death in 1954. I didn't really know her well I suppose ... how well do kids "know" adults?

Freda Webber, aka Freda Hutton, aka Carol Batten was my mother. Didn't really see much of her until my grandmother's death. Then lived with her and my step-father Reg Batten from 1954 to 1957. After that, occasional meetings until her death - not an easy woman to spend time with.

Glenny Ward-Eversley, my wife of 38 years from 1959 to 1997. Mother to Mitch and Martin. Did I know her well? Not so sure now, that I did.

Rena Ward-Eversley, my mother-in-law. She was a wonderful friend and a remarkable woman. She certainly knew me - maybe understood me too.

Andrea Ward-Eversley, my sister in law. Strange woman, I think I understand her better than she does herself. No we never did it! Even though I fantasised about it!! Still good friends. If anybody should be writing reminiscences - it is she!

The Woman from Weymouth. Ah yes, now there's an odd moment, snatched from time's river. one of those people you open your heart to. A 'what might have been' sort of thing.

Vivian Joan Leslie, my current partner. Was she made for me? It sometimes seems so. Thought of as something of a Scarlet Woman by some - it's a title she doesn't deserve; I'm no doubt the bad guy.

There they are! Each deserve an entry of their own and .... each will get it in time. A very short list isn't it?