Next week it will be twelve months since that wasp stung my wife's toe. The damage it caused is still with us. A year ago she was an active ballroom dancer; now she is barely able to walk. Next week she is going to have an exploratory operation to see if there is anything that can be done to remove the inflammation from behind her kneecap. We've come a long way from the septicaemia and "You might lose your foot' to 'keyhole surgery on your knee' - I reckon that wasp is still around... I bet he's smiling.

We've stayed together

I had moments in my life many years ago when, overwhelmed by depression with the breakup of a marriage, I was drawn towards the insistent summons of suicide. Many suggest we should write from experience. Not this time. I kept a diary in those days. Even now I find the words too terrifying to read, let alone repeat. If I write about the experience at all, it is only to thank God for breaking through my atheism, letting me feel his presence and bringing me through that turbulent time to find new love, new hope and a new life. God lifted me out of the depths of depression and we've stayed together ever since.

God, Susan and me.

When I was alone and in despair, 
Long ago when no one seemed to care, 
When friends and family turned away, 
Susan advised, 'you could always pray', 
I laughed, then cried and said through my tears; 
'I have not believed in God for years;' 
And she, as though by heaven inspired, 
Almost immediately replied, 
'You have stopped believing what is true 
But you won't stop God believing in you.' 
Thank you, Susan. What else can I say? 
My life changed when you taught me to pray. 

How's this for a review:

This fast-paced action book is full of suspense, from the first page to the last, where the crescendo, together with final twist, leave the reader gasping for breath and wanting more. This exciting, well-written book revolves around the eponymous main character, Penelope, whose tenacity and bravery gains your sympathy from the start. The reader is dragged along in this roller-coaster of a ride, with its twists and turns, willing Penny to solve the mystery before it is too late. All the elements to keep a reader interested and involved are here in this brilliant book; politics, subterfuge, intrigue, betrayal and great believable characters. PENNY FOR THEM is an excellent book which I can recommend wholeheartedly to anyone who enjoys a fast-moving plot with strong, believable characters. It had me awake late into the night wanting to know how it would all end. Fantastic!

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