Relatives are delicate things

Well mine seem to be anyway. I've come to the conclusion that regular contact - weekly, at the absolute minimum - is the only way to guarantee their health.

I'm pretty good at keeping in touch with rellies, but I've noticed that every time I hit a busy (or just plain lazy) patch and a week turns into a month (or two), the next thing I know is that they're poorly, in hospital or generally not doing well.

My grandad was taken into hospital last night with fluid on the lungs. I haven't called him since my wedding in July. It's not like I meant not to call, you just get caught up in your own busy life sometimes. And yes, some of it is laziness. Either way, I feel worried, guilty and a bit ashamed. My grandad is the last of the grandparents, and although it seems he'll be OK this time, I'm adamant I'm going to call him at least twice a week. And see him at least once a month. Not just because of my strange theory, but because when he does finally potter off to the big comfy sofa in the sky to join my grandma, I want to have spent as much time as I possibly can with him.  He's a lovely man and I know it's difficult for him without my grandma being around, they were proper soul mates.