Mid-May update

Well, it's May but it doesn't feel like it. Normally one of the best months of the year in Scotland, but, although, it's remained pretty dry, the temperature, with a couple of brief exceptions, has been lower than expected. We're told that it's going to change later on this week - I do hope that's right.

The good news from Oregon is that we have a new great-grand-daughter. Kennedy Ann arrived at the weekend. Lucy was there to help Audrey and Cade but we haven't managed to video call yet - just the following photo so far:

Kendall and Cade both look very happy to greet her.

Medical matters - my new knee is still not fully healed but it has improved a little - I've even taken my first (very) tentative steps back on the golf course. I've also stopped going to my twice weekly physiotherapy exercise sessions - I feel I've gone far enough there now. I'm still doing my daily exercise routines at home and I may now consider re-joining the gym.

One of my pals passed me an interesting article from Private Eye magazine about some potential scam about knee replacement parts in the NHS:

The issue is with one particular knee replacement part that was used in the NHS from 2012. My first knee replacement took place in November, 2013 when I was still working so had private health insurance, with the operation done at Albyn Hospital. Hopefully they weren't using the same prothesis as the NHS - and I've not had any issues with that knee anyway in over 12 years.

My second knee replacement last year was done by NHS at Woodend Hospital, but, as the article says, "Many patients haven't got a clue what prothesis they are carrying".

On the dental side, the stitches in my gum have now been removed but it appears my gum-line has further receded and the dental surgeon may have to cut them again. He will review matters next week and, if he feels it necessary, it'll be another month after that before the next procedure. On the plus side, he has put a temporary bridge/tooth in and I now have a full smile again:

That photo was taken on one of the few warmer days we've had - it was so good I decided to cycle along the Deeside Way to and from Aberdeen for my dental appointment - 61 kms in all.

Jo and I had appointments last week for our spring Covid vaccinations. Jo took the jab but I had cancelled the day before. That's the last two appointments I've cancelled after suffering pretty adverse reactions to the previous half-dozen or so. When it comes to the winter top-up I'll have another decision to make then.

My annual eye test went well however - no change to my prescription although she did say that I now failed the distance test for driving (without glasses) - that's a first for me. I wear my spectacles virtually all the time now anyway.

Well done to Lauren for completing the London Marathon - the largest ever.

We were round at our friends Archie & Eileen Cook's for dinner on Friday - and very nice it was too. I think it's the first dinner party we've been to since Covid when socialising came to an abrupt halt - thankfully fairly short-lived.

Kelly was working over in Perth, WA and they decided to make it a short trip for all 4 of them. They were staying in "Freo" - as the Aussies call it - Fremantle to us - not far from the Little Creatures brewery, where this photo was taken:

Back in 2012, before Miller and Asher were born, we were there. One of the few photos I have of all 4 of us on that trip, was taken at the Monk, now sadly no longer in existence:

Miller seems to be having an interesting time at his new school in the Hills. They recently went to visit a robotics factory:

Miller's the only one in shorts (it's autumn there) - he doesn't like wearing "long pants"

This week we are having the (decommissioned) gas fire in our front room replaced by a wood burner. Sadly, we had to lose our nice fireplace surround and mantlepiece. This is what it now looks like mid-Monday morning:

When the workmen took the fireplace surround out they found an old postcard from Lucy, back in 1997, in the early days of moving to USA:

We've had notice from SSEN that they're going to cut our power off all day on Thursday while they do some essential cable work. We need to be well organised - everything fully charged beforehand, dig out the old primus stove for cups of tea and eat out.