Mary Contini

WHEN my elder daughter was a toddler, her aunty Betty retrieved a pip from an apple she was eating and made a game of planting it in a jam-jar.

I LOVE searching through our old photograph albums – faces of loved ones, proud and smiling, a record of past lives, evoking insights into family history and heritage.

WHEN we were kids, although we lived in Cockenzie, we always went on holiday to North Berwick.

THERE is an exciting new exhibition opening in Cockenzie House and Gardens this weekend.

NEWS this week that all NHS building projects in Scotland have been put on hold is another worrying blow to our struggling health services.

FOLLOWING the proceedings of the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry and the responses from politicians, scientists and Government officials left a feeling of uncertainty, mistrust and suspicion.

AS A frequent road user, like so many of you I am sure, I am alarmed by the number of potholes and poor repairs on our roads around the county.

IT TURNS out, completely unexpectedly, I have spent the best part of the festive holidays in and out of the NHS – from treatment for minor illness to an emergency dash to A&E with a family member three days before Christmas, and an emergency ambulance call-out with another two days later.

The older I get, the more I enjoy Christmas – streets and shops brightly decorated in the dark evenings, the tree sparkling with decorations and the wood fire making our home feel snug, safe and inviting.

AN ELDERLY friend of mine, over 90 years old and as bright as a button, commented: “It’s a shame about all this immigration. Surely these people should go back to their own countries?”