Hi Folks and thanks for taking the time to read this latest update.

Health first and thankfully, the heavy cold finally decided to move on (almost). Towards the end of last week, every 24-hours seen big strides forward, which meant I could start this week fairly normally, albeit, still a little tired. The remnants of that cold, are still there, but diminishing daily.

The back pain increased, but that was as a result of a couple of physical situations that have exacerbated the overall situation. One of those was work related, as we continue to close down sections of the site, bit by bit. We enter this week with a sizeable task to cover off, so will have to see how that unfolds and may be a case of obtaining some additional help, as we move towards our unmovable deadline.

Last week also seen me having my first blood test and medication collection, not at the main Canterbury specialist cancer unit for the first time, since my treatment plan began. It is a relatively small change, but one that saves me up to 2-3 hours each time, maybe more. I have to visit two different locations, but they are closer and therefore quicker to get to. The other, key, aspect is that, having moved to bi-monthly blood checks, each new check provides concern and worry. That centres around whether anything has changed since the previous blood test and medication renewal. It is a balance - great to decrease to bi-monthly checks, but concerns around whether anything has declined in that timeframe. Thankfully, this time, everything was straight forward and I do not have to worry about that for another two months.

The imminent job ending and subsequent retirement plans mean some key tasks are on the horizon. The main one is ensuring I am ready with my chosen new pension schemes, for next month, as they are a necessary part of tapping into the pension schemes. Another connected element is possibly changing the current car I am using. The cars I have had / am using, are not conducive to my declining health, especially the back pain. I have begun the process of assessing potential vehicles, and am approaching this with a completely opened mind / no real particular vehicle in mind. Some shortlisted potentials already, but a number of others to try, before I have a clear preference, which may lead onto the decision to acquire a new vehicle.  

The recent cold and its debilitating impact, also resulted in not being very energetic / up for socialising much; however, we managed to rectify that, this weekend. Saturday was the main focus and began with test drives on 3 vehicles. We followed that with a visit from Alanna and her family. One of my long-term friends, Graeme, was in the area and he popped in for a while. Great to see him and it has been around 6-months since our last meet (he lives hours away). Minutes after he arrived, Karl and Rachel arrived too. Great to see everyone and Karl and Rachel remained with us into the late-evening. Due to my illness and Karl’s too, we have not seen them for a few weeks now. They stayed for some food and we had an enjoyable evening with them.

Sunday was an easier day, deliberately, with us catching up on chores, taking a short walk on the promenade where we live, a quick stop off at a local car dealership for a visual check of their stock, rounded off with a spot of gardening. The week also seen some key advances with one of my book projects - small, but important additions that help buoy up the passion and excitement with the various, remaining, planned book projects.

Hopefully, getting back to a sense of ‘normality’, alongside some key tasks ahead. Things to keep me focused.

Thanks for the ongoing support - always welcomed, and the interest shown in my personal story.

Best regards

Peter