I had my operation on my shoulder six weeks ago after getting a call from the hospital saying they had a cancellation and could I make it that day. Yes I can was my very fast reply but I had eaten breakfast. Normally they insist you don’t eat anything after midnight. No problem you will be last on the list for the day.

That’s good I thought at least the surgeon would have warmed up by then, either that or he will be knackered from working all day. It was worth the risk. I needed to get this operation done.

So Nikki dropped me off at the hospital and said see you later. Normally the operation for a rotator cuff injury is keyhole surgery which takes about 30-45 minutes and you go home the same day. Theres normal, and then there’s me. I’m not one for doing things in halves.

This was the first time I have actually been in hospital for something serious. I was wheeled down to the theatre and surrounded by a jolly team, one lady even threatened to plait my beard while I was asleep.

Two and half hours later I was wheeled back onto a ward where I would spend the night drifting in and out of sleep because of the anaesthetic and being checked up on every hour by the nurse. Why do they do that, they wake you up to see if you are ok. Yes I am ok, well I was until you woke me.

A morning of being sick every time they gave me some pain killers followed and ended up with just paracetamol which would not touch the pain. The pain was, well I can not tell you how painful my shoulder was. Later that day they rang Nikki and said come and get him.

The first week back home was the worst week ever for the pain and I could have easily given up on life. To show how bad the pain was I was not interested in food or beer, now that’s bad. I have since made up for it though. Now it’s still painful but getting less every day. I do exercises every day to keep the arm moving and go to physio. The sling comes off in a couple of days and then limited movement for three months. It’s never going to be the same but I am still alive and will be out on my bike again sometime for sure.

That’s you up to date on my fall and op. I won’t show you the scar in case you feel ill but it’s a good scar.

So with no bike riding and no driving and having to do everything with my left hand life has been interesting. Nikki has carried on working but the season has now finished so we are now in chill mode until next March when our season starts in Scotland.

I have been out walking locally around the village looking for photo opportunity’s and got some nice shots of the local church.

I love old churches and graveyards. The old headstones and the old church doors where so many people have walked through over the years.

We also went to Shrewsbury on the train for a day out. And of course that ended up with a pub lunch, well it was more of a feast really so we didn’t have any tea when we got back home. The river in Shrewsbury was very high and a lot of the fields we passed on the train were flooded due to all the rain we had in the last few days.

I love this time of year with all the autumn colours in the trees and with a new camera ( phone) to try out it was a great opportunity. luckily I got some photos before the big storm winds yesterday which blew so many leaves down the trees are looking quite bare now.

Walking through all the dry leaves, the sound of crunching and the sun shining through the half naked trees onto the ground lighting up the leaves on the ground. Nature is wonderful.

So it’s the end of the season as I said and in two weeks we will be heading down to Devon to get the camper and car all serviced and the mot done. And our annual checks at the dentist and doctors. After Devon we will go to Cirencester for nearly three weeks. While there we will travel out to visit friends and family.

At the start of the new year we will stay around that area before coming back to North wales for a five day training course and then start our journey north to Scotland to work from March. Hopefully by then my arm will be a lot more functional than it is now and I can lift a pint of beer with my right arm as I am sure it tastes better using the arm you have used for many years. Cheers for now.