Monday 4 October 2021

Google have just advised me of a seeming unauthorised attempt to get into my account. This has jogged my mind yet again to let readers know what has been happening in my writing journey since my last blog post on 9 August 2020.

My prediction then that Covid like Wild Swans was only 45% through may not have been far out. I dread to think what might have been the position without vaccines. I am about to get my third jab as a booster. We know more people who have caught CV after being jabbed than we did before vaccinations started.

After I completed a draft of my book about the National Institute for Medical Research Building in Mill Hill London, which was demolished in 2018, there were a couple of outstanding issues. I needed to follow the progress on the replacement housing including a new high main block similar in form to that demolished. I understand this will be the last building constructed and a start is planned for early in 2022. I also needed to find pictures of the construction of the shell of the original building from 1938 to 1941 to find out what building methods were employed. Although I have not yet found any pictures I have found a substantial amount of detail on possible methods as used on similar buildings of the time and have received some expert views.  I have someone who can draw a picture of what the building may have looked like under construction and will include this in a later blog.

Over the last fourteen months I have collected an enormous amount of information and news and views on both changes to planet Earth and Covid for books I had in mind to prepare. At present I have not the energy to progress either of these draft books. What is clear is the future world post Covid and living with climate and environmental change is going to be different to the world of 2019.

Carrying on my aim of writing and reading for pleasure I have been writing one off short stories which may lead to some competition entries. Writing short stories to word limits is quite interesting and challenging. I continue to use my Stylewriter software.

My eyesight has worsened so I am reading far less than I used to. I always felt that sight was my most precious sense and a frightening and temporary loss of clear sight last June as a side effect of taking Digoxin for a health condition underlined this view. 

I am also detaching my writing from the family business BTMF Limited which I am closing and transferring it to the family while I am well enough to do so. I am still open to discussions with a third-party to take on some of my writing with a view to publishing.

I repeat what I said at the end of my last post - I wish you as writers, readers or publishers all the best in your efforts. Enjoy yourselves, have fun and take care in these strange times.

Douglas Burcham