Quick update

Following up on yesterday's blog post, some good and some not-so-good news. First of all, I heard from my knee surgeon's secretary yesterday. I had been told at my first pre-med last year that the op had to be done within 8 weeks but yesterday I was told it's now 14 weeks after the pre-med - and sometimes they can even do it after that.

After last year's disappointment when they withdrew the funding for sending people down to Clydebank because the Grampian waiting lists were too long, this is a bit of a double-whammy. I really believed that the op was going to happen this month but now it looks like it could be late June. I feel my life is in limbo just now - I can't arrange to go anywhere - either locally or internationally - until at least 3 months after the op, which would take me through till September/October.

In better news, Ross is making progress with his application to be a driver on Stagecoach buses. His HGV training will start in June once they have seen his full medical records, had a medical and eye test. He now has the medical records and the tests are arranged for the first week in May.

Talking of Ross, he's becoming a master baker - we have fresh rolls for lunch every day:

Still on the job front, Luca has finally secured one - with the Co-op in Meldrum.

Locally, Aberdeenshire Council (Marr Area) are proposing to put 20 mph speed limits on most of Banchory - but have stopped short at Corsee Road. We would like them to extend this to Glassel Road, particularly given the number of cars now turning off the main road in to the Unit gym next door. I've written to Banchory Community Council and our local Councillors about this but I may have been too late. While the proposals are still up for consultation they have now been sent to the Scottish Government so any change would mean withdrawing them completely and re-submitting - it would take a major issue to get Aberdeenshire Council to do this. Maybe our Community Council can come up with some other arguments for change to add to mine.

To clarify, here's Aberdeenshire Council's proposals:

 Green is 20 mph, orange 30 mph and purple 40 mph.

Over a month later .....

My last blog post was 5 weeks ago, just after we'd returned from our holiday. I guess a lot has happened since then but one thing I'm still not any wiser about is when my knee operation is going to be. My pre-med was 5 weeks ago and I'm led to believe that this only lasts for 8 weeks, and given that they need to give me some notice, you would think it would only be a matter of days now. I rush to open the post every day but no luck so far.

Good news however about one other outstanding matter - the complaint made to Aberdeenshire Council by our neighbour. I got a phone call from the planning officer dealing with the case a couple of weeks ago and he was very reassuring that nothing was wrong and today we received confirmation of that in writing.

Jo gave me and Ross a little scare on Saturday morning - she said the bottom of her leg felt like wood and she was initially alarmed that there may be a possibility of a blood clot. Jo phoned 111 and described the symptoms - they advised her to go to ARI's Emergency Dept, so off we went. Nice quiet morning there so Jo was seen pretty quickly and thankfully soon got the all-clear, with the proviso that she should make an appointment with her GP - now done. Jo was due to go there anyway following the recent routine cardiac and COPD review.

As well as our usual annual cardiac reviews we've both caught up with the dentist and I've also had my annual eye check. I received a text advising of my next COVID vaccination - in Scotland, us oldies are still scheduled to get spring and autumn top-ups - but I'm not sure whether I'll take it this time. I've had pretty bad reactions to the last 7 - whether Moderna, Astra Zeneca or Pfizer.

It was Asher's 9th birthday on Sunday - apparently his party was attended by 18 friends!

Gary and Luca are coming over on Easter Sunday. They were here a couple of weeks ago and brought "Skippy" with them. He's a rescue dog that they're temporarily fostering until a full-time home is found for him - and it looks like that's going to be happening very soon. Anyway, here's the handsome lad:

To finish, Gary put one of our holiday photos through an AI process and came out with this:

Jo wondered who I was with!