What follows here are some of the final scribblings by the late Mrs Olive May Sharman (nee Hewitt) who died in 1984 aged 75.

    'Now I live alone, far from my childhood home, I wander in memory through the lanes and woods I knew as a child.

    I wrote to Miss Allison Uttley to say thankyou for her lovely children's books and the very fine tales of the countryside years ago. So many of them are like the stories Mum used to tell us, of when she was a little girl. I received a charming letter and a copy of one of her books; this was an unexpected treasure and I shall take great care of it.

    Frances (her daughter) has a very interesting mistress at Fairlight School; we compare notes on flowers, etc, and she is very pleased to receive early buds, etc, and news of early flowers found. People do not see much of the beauty around them these days.

    Janet (her other daughter) hopes the ring of crocus will be out when she is home next, These crocus in the Valley Gardens are a real joy to see, first a solitary one, then hundreds of yellow, mauve and white, a very happy idea of some garden lovers.

    Looking back, I miss the voices of children playing the old games of my childhood: Poor Jenny sits a-weeping, Sheep Sheep come home (or Wolf) skipping, statues, etc.

    I think this is because of cars and the queer twisted-minded men we get now.    The younger parents are afraid to let the children play outside and of course the lure of the television and endless homework to prepare for school next day.

    Often as we get older we dwell more on our aches and pains than on our blessings. Oh yes, most of us have these so let's sit and think for a few minutes. We meet our friends and have a chat, no children to rush and collect from school or husband - with only one hour to spare for dinner.

    Most of us now have much easier ways of cleaning, washing and cooking, with so many gadgets in our kitchens. Clothes are lighter to clean, also curtains do not need ironing. This saves our legs getting so tired.

    I have made up my mind to forget to compare prices from years ago, how children behave when compared with how we behaved years ago and, may I remark, we also had to be corrected and reminded of our manners to older people. If sometimes we say, 'thank you', when youngsters give up bus seats for us, or move out of our way on pavements or offer to carry our shopping, we are setting them a good example.

    Many clubs are available to us for friendship, hobbies and meals. Good library with books in larger print to suit our weaker sight. Concerts arranged at low cost, after all, we don't want things free, we've always paid for what we have.

    We are grateful for help when we cannot manage our housework or walking or perhaps can no longer manage to look after our houses and see to the endless decorating, roofing, etc, and we do welcome kindly people who pop in to see if we can manage.

    We can often cheer someone up, perhaps they have lost someone dear, or have an invalid who worries them and they are glad to talk and maybe grumble a bit to someone outside their home circle. And they go on their way feeling much better, to get it out of their mind.

    Most of us enjoy our food, home, radio, etc. The beauty of nature, birds and flowers. We can give thanks to God for so much. Yes we have dark days and maybe pain, but when you read of how many people, old and young, have to live in other countries.