YOUR indulgence – and patience – is begged this week as Tunners takes a nostalgic look back over four years of column writing in the Gazette.

In these pages I’ve shared many personal memories, both joyful and painful, and I’ve demonstrated my annoyance about a range of issues.

I’ve introduced readers to several family members – such as my mysterious 17th century ancestor Francis Tunningley, my late jolly dad Adino, my dear old mum Lillian and my wonderfully remembered comic Uncle Ron.

I’ve also shared a naughty side to my character by championing pipe smoking and Shiraz-drinking.

It is fair to say that Tunners has revealed far more of himself and his views in this column than he would perhaps do down the local pub. Why is that?

Maybe it’s because as I sit at my computer screen I can’t see the faces of those I’m embarrassing, offending or boring.

In that respect I’m probably no better than the internet trolls we hear so much about these days – those who believe that hiding behind a so-called ‘handle’ gives them the right to say whatever they like about anyone and everyone, no matter how horrid that is.

Of course, I’d like to think I’ve never been as bad as that, but I accept that I’ve sometimes been rather unthinking or at least undiplomatic in some of my comments and observations.

Two particular instances spring to mind –- one when I criticised cycle riders for not making a fair contribution to the upkeep of roads and again when I suggested women should look pretty and smile sweetly to get round their male bosses.

Ouch!

I can still feel the pain from the rebukes delivered in torrents by both cyclists and feminists.

But I have few regrets. Over the four years of this column I estimate I’ve written around 70,000 self-indulgent words – enough for a novel.

It is my regret that some of those words will not have been as carefully selected and crafted, or, indeed, as correctly spelled as they ought to have been.

But that’s all now in the past.

It’s time to hand over to a new, younger and more in-tune-with-today voice – Anna Clarke, who takes over this column next week.

I wish her well – and hope you all do, too.