It's a small world

My elderly neighbour, almost 100 years old, and a long retired farmer’s daughter and farmer’s wife, has quite a collection of books on farming themes. 

I spotted the autobiography of a vet whose name was familiar to me from many years ago.  When my younger sister was training to be a vet, she had work experience at his veterinary practice (quite a prestigious placement since he was famous in the UK as 'the television vet').  My sister was not impressed with him as he told her that she was wasting a university place that should have been given to a boy.  It had the effect of making her determined to prove him wrong.

He was also the vet for my neighbour’s farm animals and she said what an excellent vet he was, working very hard whenever he was called to their farm – he became a friend as well.

Having read his autobiography I have to admire him for the way he battled through the adversity of childhood poverty, and worked hard to achieve his qualifications.

I don’t think this would impress my sister though!