SOME DOCTORS IN MY LIFE

In recent years my medical practitioners seem to have been almost entirely of South African origin, starting with Dr. Van Hoorn of St Columb Major in Cornwall.

He was succeeded by Dr. Helena Verwey of the Edlesborough Medical Centre in Bedfordshire, and then, upon her return to South Africa, by Dr Reimer at the same surgery.

Of these, I can genuinely say that Dr. Verwey became - and has remained - the yardstick by which I measure the excellence of all general medical practitioners.  And, so far, none has measured up!

By pleasant coincidence, at the time of writing this, I am planning a visit to South Africa to attend the 70th birthday celebrations of my dear friend, colleague and collaborator Lynn Carneson McGregor.  I have been in contact with Dr Verwey and have arranged a meeting during my trip.  I'm hoping to have this book completed before then - but one of the magical aspects of online book publishing is that I will be able to add a note subsequently about our meeting.

AND SO . . . SUBSEQUENTLY

On Friday January 31, 2014, accompanied by Leo Rutherford (q.v.) I drove to Paarl for a tea-time meeting at La Grande Roche Hotel with Dr Helena Verwey.  It was a most enjoyable encounter and - considering that we had met less than a dozen times in 2008 - it was a reunion of old friends.  Leo took a couple of pictures (reproduced below) and Helena kindly gave me a brace of bottles of the prize-winning Bonnievale Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz produced cooperatively with grapes grown on the (predominantly dairy and wine) farm outside Bonnievale, owned by Helena and her husband.  In 1981 I ordered by mistake (see the Hong Kong Days section of this book) the most expensive bottle of wine of my life.  It was like nectar.  I can honestly say that these Bonnievale Shiraz bottles were the greatest-tasting wines I have enjoyed since that experience.