1803.17 THE GREATEST MIND

This week we lost one of the greatest minds of our generation and perhaps ever. Professor Stephen Hawking passed away.

1605.16 WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

I was sad to learn that the last surviving cast member from Casablanca,  my favourite movie of all time, Madeleine LeBeau, passed away this month in Spain. She played Yvonne, the one night stand that Rick casts off and is later seen emotionally singing La Marseillaise in defiance of the Nazis in Rick's Cafe.

Madeleine LeBeau 1923-2016

I've loved Casablanca since I first saw it when I was 17, it's an emotionally charged story that still resonates today. I'll be re-watching soon in tribute to Madeleine.

Here's looking at you kid!

1604.20 REST IN PEACE SIR

As I get older I'm aware that people in my past are dying, it's sadly a fact of life. I assume that some in my past are gone, others (that I'm not in contact with) maybe still with us. It always comes as a shock when you read that someone from your past has sadly died. This happened to me this week when I came across this article. It was about my old biology teacher who passed away earlier this month. I remember Mr Houghton as being a strict but fair teacher. I remember we called him 'Mini Hitler' and noticed his jacket pockets were always stuffed with chocolate (he obviously had a sweet tooth). The other quirk was the fact that that he had his signature on a rubber stamp that he used for school reports and when marking work.

Picture: tabletennisengland.co.uk/

I didn't know about his table tennis coaching, but it's not my thing.

Rest in peace Sir.