New health bulletin

I have had a good week healthwise. I have been able to work quite hard on an international review panel for a clinical trial of a CLL drug, which necessitated 4 hours on the telephone to America and another 10 hours studying documents. As well as that, yesterday I attended a small group meeting from our church, which lasted two and a half hours. I was quite ‘buzzy’ by bed time and woke up at 3 am. I shall have to reduce the steroid dose.

Also this week we managed to spend a couple of hours in the New Forest. Tuesday was a balmy Spring day and we walked for 45 minutes among the tall trees at Rhinefelt near where Richard Branson owns a restaurant. Giant redwoods and Douglas Firs are among the tallest trees in the UK. The plantation has been run by the Forestry Commission since 1829 and it is a splendid facility. We met four other old couples walking round in the opposite direction, so we had the place almost to ourselves. It was certainly superior to the facility we visited just outside San Francisco.

The very hot weather has passed and the climate has returned to normal for mid Spring in England. Bright days with occasional showers. The flowers are about two weeks ahead of normal, but the garden is looking well. We have a new young gardener, our old one having had to give up with a bad back. It’s good to see young men picking up the old skills.