which grow happily despite everything.
I shouldn't feel sorry for myself, because he was eight years younger than me and is no longer around, and I'm still quite well, as far as I know. But I always feel so sad when Daughter 2 goes away. (Yes, I know, she could be in Australia.) I'm worried about her and for them all. But one just has to buck up and be grateful for what one has.
I've been doing Duolingo for French and German for a couple of years now. My French was always reasonable, though my German was pretty feeble, and I suppose they've both been polished up a bit. On a whim, the other day, I started learning Duolingo Scottish Gaelic. When I was at teacher training college - which I found somewhat boring compared to university - my dad and I went to Gaelic classes for a couple of terms, and bits are coming back to me. I haven't got very far yet, as you can imagine, but am enjoying the spelling. For example, I could ask for "ti" and "cofaidh" (tea and coffee, pronounced "tea" and "coffee") and say that "tha tidsear" (I'm a teacher - pronounced "ha teacher"). I haven't got to the past tense yet... I also like "tioraidh" (pronounced "cheery" and meaning "goodbye"), as in "cheerio". Is that a British thing, or do Americans/Canadians/Australians/New Zealanders say "cheerio" for goodbye?
It's not all as easy as that (mind you, the spelling isn't easy at all), but one takes one's pleasures where one can.