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Every cloud has a silver lining.
I don't think that is invariably true, but this year, for at least one of our parishioners, what was a very depressing experience was lightened and brightened.
I'm referring to Mavis Ryan's enforced long stay in Brownhill House following her knee replacement surgery.
While visiting her I asked if she would like to occupy her hands, at least, preparing used postage stamps for the stamp auction.
I can't say she leapt at the chance, immobile as she was, but she certainly was pleased to have something useful to do, and has continued enthusiastically ever since.
As you know, the parish relies on people to save their stamps – people all over the region regularly send in packages.
The stamps are cut from their envelopes, leaving a margin of 1/ 4 to 1/8 inch all around. We wait till we have 10 lbs in weight before taking them to the auction (that's an awful lot of stamps!).
One day when I was visiting Edna Payne I mentioned that I weighed myself on the bathroom scales, and then weighed myself plus bag of stamps to find out their weight.
You will remember that John, Edna's husband, had for many years looked after the preparation of the stamps.
Sadly, he died towards the end of last year.
Edna remembered he had used a luggage scale and she found it for me.
It is a much more efficient method, needless to say.
At last came the great day when we achieved 10 lbs.
I rang Mr Betts, who runs Southampton Philatelic Auctions, and we arranged a time to meet.
I must mention at this point that stamps are not the only items accepted for auction – postcards are welcome, too.
By this time we had amassed 900 postcards, sorted into groups of 100.
Mr Betts had told me during an earlier conversation to put older cards at the front; Southampton scenes are particularly sought after.
Do you remember cigarette cards?
If you have any in the attic, they can be sold too.
John and I drove to Mr Betts' office.
We were nonplussed to see a police car and ambulance outside, but fortunately they were not there on his account.
There was not much space for two extra people but we squeezed in, amongst boxes and albums of stamps.
Mr Betts had got to know John and Brian Payne and he was very sorry to hear that they had both died.
He did all the talking while making a note of what we had brought.
Space was cleared for a new computer which was delivered while we were there, so we took the opportunity to leave.
The auction will take place at Peartree Church Hall on Saturday 3rd September.
Hopefully I will report a good result in next month's magazine.
Meanwhile, keep the stamps etc coming.