So, we are heading for the first of C’s chemo slots, which is on Thursday. It’’s non-systemic, so we shouldn’t have any sickness or hair loss, but it might be uncomfortable. And there are six of these, one a week, which takes us into May before she’s done. Hopefully that’s it, other than some regular check ups.

It’s not been an easy time. C bled for a long time and only recently has that stopped. And there’s residual pain and tiredness. But that’s also getting better. As a result we have tried our very best to get back into a routine. She did try a jog, but that seemed to exacerbate the pain. So now we’re walking everyday – 5 miles the other day, which is good. I’m still running every second day, but I fit that in where I can.

We had hoped to pop off in Doris for ten days (between operation and first chemo) but Doris was having none of it. The first two times we got to our first stop and then she failed to start again. In the end I got her started and I am pretty confident I have sorted her, with a new earthing strap, and a loose wire onto the starter motor actuator. Having got that done, we made it halfway through the Welsh hills when her voltage dropped and she overheated. Thankfully we were only a mile from a really decent garage, which would take commercial vehicles. We limped her there.

The outcome was that the water pump had seized and thrown the auxiliary belt. We got a taxi home (£160!) and pick her up on Tuesday. You might think our confidence has been knocked with the old (15 year old) girl, but no. Assuming that’s all done we will certainly head off to Spain and Morocco this autumn. And, assuming C’s up for it, go to a local campsite in the next couple of weeks with the red car and do the chemo visits from there. Hopefully.

In between times we have tidied up the garden, really enjoyed the fab weather, and got through a ton of admin. I finished edit 2 of book 9 (The Machines Came Too) and C has started to read it. Four beta readers are ready to get their hands on the script and then it’s off to Julia, my proofreader. We should hopefully be on for a July publication, which would be back on track. 

And we’ve seen a lot of people. Al and Annie, three times. We see a lot of Peter and Karen, our landlords (with Al and Annie last night). Daren and Karen. Simon and Rosemary. One of C’s old girls from Wells. I’ve been to Bristol to see my old boss’s husband, who’s not well. Nick and Chris. And we’re off to Devon tomorrow to see James and Sheron, old army friends of ours. Oh, and lots of Jen and James. We have never been so social, which surprises me because normally we are as miserable as sin.

Finally, you might remember my short foray into ghostwriting for an ex-Army pal of mine a couple of years ago? He has Parkinson’s and drove his VW camper to Cape Town? Well, I was sacked from that job, but his book came out (more coffee table than thriller, which was why I failed) and there’s a documentary on C4 this Thursday at 11pm. If you get the chance, watch it?

Anyhow, stay safe.