Week 29: pruning & planing
27 Oct 2011
Image from: www.tomkealy.com/
I'm very happy to report that all is still well. My next visit to the consultant isn't for another 10 days and - as far as I can tell - there's no reason to think the tumours have started to grow again. I still cough a little so I don't think they have yet disappeared altogether but I'm feeling much better than a few months ago.
I am continuing with the homeopathy www.ealinghomeopath.com/, herbalism www.christineherbert.co.uk/, and a range of other alternative therapies, all of which seem to be working well and keeping me fit and healthy against the odds.
I have now returned to working full-time. It was good to be back writing articles, recording audio for a BBC Radio 4 documentary I'm making on university fees, and chairing conferences. I also had a very enjoyable day accompanying a group of Russian teachers around the very impressive Slough & Eton CofE Business and Enterprise College slougheton.com/ I chaired a Q & A session with the pupils and the visitors which seemed to be a lot of fun for both sides. The students were really impressive: keen, interested, articulate and polite.
However, I probably overdid it a bit. So I'm having a quieter week over half-term. I have just come in from pruning the apple tree -- despite the rain that has set in here down in the south-west, it's still a calm, pleasurable activity. Yesterday we had a wonderful walk in the sunshine and rain in the woods around Orchard Portman in Somerset.
Last week I had another woodwork class at Tom Kealy's barn near Buckland St. Mary www.tomkealy.com/. What a great day it is, so different from my normal working life. It's quite tiring as you are on your feet all day and there's a lot of concentration needed or you can make an irreversible error. I'm making progress with the side-table: the top and legs are all marked out and planed flat and I've now almost finished gouging out the mortises and cutting the tenons. A few slightly wobbly cuttting lines, but nothing disastrous. It might even be finished by Christmas!
I hasten to add that the table pictured above is one of Tom's, not mine. I might put up a photo of mine when it's finished....then again, I might not, depending on how it comes out!
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sukey firth - 27 Oct 2011
hoorah!
So pleased you're feeling well enough to do more work - you must be enjoying that. I'm now on Saturday Live for a couple of months - no idea what I'm doing, but I expect I'll find out! lots of love xx
Alison Peacock - 27 Oct 2011
Progress
How lovely to hear that you are enjoying life so much. You are an inspiration to us all!
Amanda - 27 Oct 2011
Great news!
Oh Mike you are so inspiring, thanks! Great news you are doing so well. I don't think I would have made such great progress if you hadn't set such an amazing example. A week on from the operation to remove my tumour and only radio therapy to go now, can't wait to pick up life again and do all those things waiting to be done.
Keep telling how it is,
Amanda
Mike: Great stuff, Amanda...you're getting there.
Kevin - 27 Oct 2011
Nice table!
Elisabeth Abrahams - 31 Oct 2011
the latest ...
Dear Michael:
Have been thinking about you and Douglas and Joan a lot recently so decided to ask my friend Susan to ask the latest news from your blog. Was delight to hear that things are going well and you seem to be doing an amazing amount. Congratulations! You really are fantastic. Our news is that we have just come back from 4 successful weeks on the east coast. Successful in that Joe gave a lecture about work he did 50 years ago in Washington DC and achieved his 95th birthday with circumnavigation of Manhattan island. Then we spent 2 more weeks in Canada, a lovely country.
I am interested that you are talking about Buckland St Mary. My sister and her husband spent their lives in Sommerset in a small village called Broomfield. It is beautiful country. Because of my eyesight I do not actually operate the computer: it is done by my good friend Susan who shares with me in appreciating the extremely courageous way you are handling your illness. My friend Susan is an editor; it is nice to be able to hear your thoughts out loud. One final thought: I expect Christine is helping you with the homeopathy. As you may or may not know I have been a devotee of Samuel Hahnemann for the last 30 or 40 years. Time to close. Would love a reply. You can do that by writing to elisabeth.galloway@gmail.com. my love and prayerful thoughts go out to you almost daily. and I shall probably be in touch with Douglas and Joan by phone soon. Again, much love, Elisabeth (pp Susan. Joe too, if he knew I was writing.