A Lick of Paint and stuff

 SURVEY and PAINT

Insurance renewal came up and Lady Cate needed a condition survey, so she had to come out of the water.

She is also showing signs of paint slippage above water and her anti-fouling is nearly two years old so time for a re-paint.

Here she is out in the yard, rubbed down, taped up and ready for a respray. The weather has been very capricious so it's all taking a long time as we need a window of good weather to allow the paint to harden.

Steve has completed the condition survey, which was very satisfactory. She is in fine nick. Must look after her.

I found this picture of her from her 2002 survey. Very smart so I've asked Simon to replicate this as much as possible.






STUFF

Such a useful word, stuff.

It's good to be back blogging. Not sure why I let it drop during the cancer scare except the whole affair was quite knackering.

I had radiotherapy and have a three year course of hormone injections. This treatment has been successful in bringing down my PSA level to near zero. Hooray and huge thanks to Ipswich General Hospital which has been very efficient throughout. Feeling much more stable these days.

More soon.

Autumn, Cancer, Rabble Chorus and Christmas

Home making.

Settling in takes forever. I've been here over a year and am nowhere near organised. Getting rid of stuff is hard work. I always thought house clearers were on to a good thing and very cheeky asking to be paid to take away all the stuff, but I never knew a rich one. Now I reckon it's good value to get someone else to do it all. Try getting rid of big brown furniture, paintings, etc. etc..

Cancer.

The doc has told me I've got prostate cancer. Bit of a blow. Apparently one in eight chaps get it. With modern technology I have a fair chance of survival, c. 85%, so KBO! (Churchill's wartime phrase - Keep Buggering On.)

Ipswich General Hospital has been very impressive. I was whisked in for a biopsy, which involved a very pleasant chap sticking a thing that looked like a neat Uzi machine pistol up my bum. It took pictures and bites out of my prostate. Not too painful but infinitely undignified!

Nasty looking beast!

Next was a nuclear scan whereby I was injected with a radioactive isotope of Technetium and after a suitable pause scanned by a giant machine that checked out my pelvis to see if the cancer had spread to the bone. Thank goodness it hasn't so my chances of keeping going are better. Then I had an MRI scan. Another fantastic giant machine that clunks away very loudly. The sound conveys the idea of some very early piece of heavy engineering - Stephenson's Rocket or the like. Quite incongruous with the brand new super-high technology kit that it is. The MRI inter alia locates my prostate and then they can target the radiotherapy which begins in February. That's when the unpleasantness begins.  Meanwhile I've had a hormone injection. I have to have one every three months for the next three years.

Rabble Chorus

I've joined a local singing group, The Rabble Chorus (http://therabblechorus.co.uk/  )We sing all sorts. A very friendly gang. Our concerts have included Framlingham Church and the Seckford Almshouses.

Christmas.


Four days to go and still not ready. Two parties tonight. The later one is Alex and Jane who are celebrating the New Year at the proper date, the winter solstice!

Pictures and more anon probably after Christmas.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND A STONKINGLY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

CHRIS