After all the general positivity in the wake of my steroid injections last week, I got a call from my GP's surgery this week saying I needed to come in for a repeat blood test.
The latter showed signs of an increase in Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT). This could be due to an infection, some of my medication, a host of reasons. So, my GP - who never passes up the opportunity for a blood test - wants to double-check it next month.
Rachel stressed that it could be something as simple as the vast quantity of prescription medication I am taking and told me not to catastrophise.
Of course, I did. Although, to be honest, not as much as I have done in the past. I think I'm just resigned to the fact that this is my future now.
To be honest, I might as well rely on healing crystals, reiki, or leeches, I (half) joked with Rachel.
Anyway, while I'm still waiting for the steroid injections to kick in and take the edge off my discomfort, I have another appointment with the phlebotomist to look forward to in a few weeks.
On a more positive note, ahead of the impending heat wave this week, Rachel, Alice and I made it to yesterday's Home Front event at Hever Castle, full of living history displays, period music and dancing, and 1940's re-enactors.
Bigger and better than the last time we attended the event, there were more tents, more people dressed up, generally more of everything. As usual Alice attracted a lot of interest with people wanting to know her breed and if it was okay for them (or their children) to pet her. She, of course, relished the attention.
The heat got to me a bit at first, but I downed a lot of water, took things slowly, stayed in the shade as much as I could, had some great ice cream, and we enjoyed a fantastic afternoon.
The dancers, as ever at such events, were phenomenal
Ever since I was a little nipper watching M.A.S.H. with my dad (one of those shows we bonded over) I was obsessed with the idea of driving a Willy's Jeep.
M.A.S.H.
Then in 2017, when Rachel, Alice, and I visited the Home Front event at Hever Castle, I was pictured behind the wheel of a static one.
And I happened to mention online that it was a lifelong dream to actually drive one.
One thing led to another and an old friend of ours, and former work colleague, Stu, popped up to say he owned a Willy's Jeep and would I like to come and drive it?
So that Sunday evening, once the temperature had cooled down a bit, Rachel, Alice, and I rolled up to their house...
... And I got to drive the jeep.
Stu talked me through the controls - and remember, since my stroke et al I haven't driven for over a decade - then coached me for a few circuits of their old tennis court, before he and his son jumped out and let me fly solo.
And you know what? My initial anxiety faded away, the controls weren't as stiff as I'd feared (okay, I never got it out of first gear), and once I found my groove I had the time of my life.
I loved the sound of the engine, the smell of the petrol, the handling of the vehicle. I really was on Cloud Nine.
There aren't many things on my bucket list, but this was one of them. And Stu's gave me an open invitation to come and drive the jeep again. Guess I'll need to get myself a M.A.S.H. t-shirt now.
There's a film at the top of this piece that Rachel shot, and spliced together (complete with a few comedy sound effects!), that hopefully shows you just how excited I was.
Not only to be driving again after so long, but to be driving a Willy's Jeep. Like in M.A.S.H.
I think my dad would have been proud.
Tearing it up in first gear...
Alice, as ever, bemused by her humans' shenanigans...
I love Newfies - I just wish they didn't drool quite so much! 🤣
A cold wind blew us to Hever Castle yesterday for the return of Castle Canines (formerly Paws At The Castle).
This was the first time the venue had hosted its dog show in over five years (apparently there's a new management team in charge of the site) and it was clearly much in demand as, it appeared, probably more than 50 percent of attendees had brought their own dogs along with them.
In fact, Rachel and I were quite taken aback (in a good way) by the sheer number of dogs wandering the grounds. Neither of us had ever seen so many pooches in one place... and yet Alice still managed to garner plenty of attention.
Our first stop was the 'meet and greet' with the giant Newfoundlands, who we would later see demonstrating their life-saving skills in the freezing cold lake.
Newfy water rescue demonstration
Then it was a general meander through the castle grounds, oohing and aahing at cuteness on display.
During our stay we spotted a former (human) participant in Channel Four's amazing series, The Dog House, as well as - no, honestly - an elderly duck that had appeared in the Disney live-action version of Beauty and The Beast. It was that kind of wonderful, very British, very random event.
The huskies were very chilled
The weather wasn't a friend to the poor people serving puppy ice creams and desserts
However, mid-afternoon, the heavens opened signalling a mass exodus from Castle Canines. We'd managed three hours though, with a lot of walking around and standing, and I'm pretty sure we'd seen everything we wanted to.
Hopefully next year the weather will be better for the dog show and it, once again, becomes a regular fixture of the castle's calendar of events.
It was also great to have simply gotten back to Hever Castle, having missed all of last year's events because of my stupid back problems.
The late August Bank Holiday weekend is traditionally the time when we visit "living history" shows, however our options were rather limited this year.
However, fortuitously, a new company had stepped up to offer mobility scooter rental at Military Odyssey - so that's where we headed.
We hadn't been for a couple of years because of the lack of scooter hire (even when I could walk with my stick it was still too large an area for me to get round), so this was perfect timing.
Much calmer when she was indoors and away from the sounds of simulated warfare
There was plenty of wargame stuff at the show for me to coo over, as well as the usual displays of 'living history'.
Everyone we interacted with was really kind and considerate to us, given my disability, and also to Alice who did NOT like all the loud noises. She made herself very comfortable in several stalls where the traders showered her with attention, cuddles, and offers of water.
The further we got away from the cannons and muskets the more relaxed she became, but I blame myself - in my enthusiasm to visit the show - for forgetting how noisy it can be with just the kind of sounds that Alice doesn't respond well to.
Rachel and I agreed that if we go next year we'll probably leave Alice with Rachel's parents for the day.
It was terribly frustrating, though, for me that I was unable to get off the scooter this year and poke around the stalls - but that did mean we didn't return home with the usual selection of random books and minor militaria.
Leaning into my penchant for hats, I did weigh up the possibility of an American Civil War Union officer's kepi, a pith helmet, and a selection of baseball caps, but ultimately came to the conclusion that I could live without them.
In fact, the only thing we actually brought back was a bag of fudge, which didn't last long once it got through the front door.
Rachel was nominated photographer this year and here's a small selection of the many great pictures she took:
My pop culture Odyssey: a slice of super-powered geek life with heavy emphasis on pulp adventure, superheroes, comic books, westerns, horror, sci-fi, giant monsters, zombies etc
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