Summer running.

[El Gordo]

MLCM speaks for us all. Our collective thoughts are with you, BB.

I'm particularly sad to hear about the circumstances. I was obviously very upset when my mother died back in January, but she had been in poor health for a couple of years, and had declined into a semi-comatose state for the last month. It meant we were all prepared for it. You didn't have the luxury of saying goodbye.

The thought I have when tempted to lapse into self-pity is that many people I know either never knew one of their parents, or they died when they were too young. At least we are lucky enough to have known our folks well into adulthood. That said, 66 isn't old these days.

I'm sure we'll all take on board the warning. I'm complacent as there is no history of heart disease in my family, yet I'm at that age when it could happen to me, especially given my careless lifestyle.

You will get over it, but there might be a bit more pain to struggle through first. I hope that in our own small way, we might be able to help you do that.

I found that running was a great way to grab a bit of time to ponder. Having had your dad as a running mate, I'm sure this will be an even more poignant experience.

All the best, from all of us.