Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, the often outrageous comic duo, once sang: "Now is the time to say goodbye...." and sadly, as you will already know, this is so true.  Merc Mansion is closing its doors for the last time.

My own personal connection with MM goes back to the days when it was owned by the Stoddart family… indeed, after including a few of my tales in the paper, it was Mike and Viv who gave me the confidence, and belief, to bring out my very first book "Giggles on the Gunkle."

Then, a few years later, after the Newsquest Group had taken over the Mercury, it was at the unveiling of the Torch Theatre's new recording studio, when Richard, the Merc's news editor, approached me and asked if I would consider replacing their popular "Kitty Piper's" column with one of my own.

I agreed to give it a go, called it "That Reminds Me," and started writing it under the nom de plume of "Mrs Morris," who was supposedly my sharp tongued, rather scatty godmother.

Gradually, when I realised that it was going down well with so many like-minded readers, I eased Mrs M into "retirement," and took pride of place at the forefront.  

I have so many special memories, including the paper's 10th anniversary, at a celebratory "brunch" in the Lord Nelson, when guest speaker, the highly respected Lord Gordon Parry, during his "speech," as well as congratulating the Mercury on their success, also heaped praise on me, adding: "I'm not surprised really... he's married to a Neyland girl!"

It was also my pleasure and privilege to organise the early Mercury Talent Contests, held in Pill Social Centre… events which, with the help of my wonderfully gifted friend and compere, the late Roger Arnold, unearthed fabulous performers including, among others, Connie Fisher, Ann-Marie Riley, Sita & Sam, Mary-Jayne Rees, Aaron Pryce-Lewis, and managed to raise many thousands of pounds for the Paul Sartori Hospice at Home Service.

The whole concept of That Reminds Me was to create a "family-like" column, where, over a cup of coffee and biscuits, we could shut out the troubles of the day, and wallow in the warm glow of memories of happier days gone by.

With some super old snaps adding an extra dimension to proceedings, and from the great comments I've had from so many people, I think, overall, the TRM dream has worked well.

For a large selection of the photos, I will be forever grateful to the late John "Stevo" Stevenson, who went out of his way to help create the column's pictorial platform.

But it is to all ardent readers of the column, my "TRM family," that I give my heartfelt thanks… for their feedback to the content, for the personal pics and stories they have sent, for all the comments (mostly good), for the regular teaser respondents, and for the mutually shared enjoyment.

I've relished every minute of being known as the "That Reminds Me man who writes in the Milford Merc"... and I'm signing off with a few of the snaps that proved to be your favourites.

In the words of the great Kenneth Wolstenhome: "They think it's all over... it is now."

And as Bob Hope' signature tune always said: "Thanks for the memory."

But, my friends, although it's the end of the M Mercury TRM, it's not the end of "That Reminds Me" altogether, because I've been asked to carry on with it in the Western Telegraph.

The format will remain exactly the same, but it will still be TRM… but now the WT TRM.

If you're able to, I would be chuffed if you could join me.

If not, I'll see you in my dreams.