Yes, I’m alive and well. No, I haven’t won the lottery or retired to Monaco, although neither can be attributed to the lack of trying. Ironically during the only break of more than 3 consecutive days off work I have had in the past year, my partner fell ill and was off work for a week and a half. I contend that the 24/7 care angle demanded of me during this bout of illness was well and truly milked to death, although others who know me might consider that my bedside manner is somewhat lacking and that my sensitive and caring side in such situations has yet to be discovered. Back at work I’ve been busier than ever - while during the evenings when I’ve not been at meetings and at weekends, I’ve been frantically putting together a book on the history of social housing, formatting a book on anti-social behaviour and trying to get a literary agent who will take on someone who has never written before. I’ve also had some help in developing a website so that I can publish e-books.I should be back on an even keel sometime during May. Until then I’ll be busily pawing my way through the correspondence of past government ministers and pulling the facts from the fiction of housing green papers.
Gareth Evans ● 7302d