Away for a few weeks

[wheelspinner]

Hi folks

On Saturday we are heading off to the frozen North for our holidays. Most of my Aussie and Indian friends think I am certifiably mad, and I'm starting to suspect they're right.

We'll be spending most of our time in Norway, going as far North as Tromso, taking a cruise up the fjords on the way. On the way back we'll make whistlestops in Stockholm and Copenhagen. It'll certainly be different to the usual Aussie summer holiday.

Catch up with you in a few weeks, hopefully with some pics.

[MacBeth]

I cannot wait to see those pictures - no out of town vacaton for us this past summer (outside of the short trip to Boston) - a casualty of Richard's promotion...work, work, work. But that has been a real help with me being home now. More time for family needs, our needs and better fostering of our rescues.
It seemed the right time. At least for now.

Have fun !!!

[wheelspinner]

Well we are back at last. It was a dramatic holiday, to say the least.

One night, about half-way through, we went dog-sledding. While we were out on the mountain, the sled tipped over and was rammed into my arm. I broke my shoulder, and spent the rest of the time in a sling and in a fog of painkillers.

It was almost funny. I'd bought a lot of winter weight clothes before leaving because I have lost so much weight. After the accident, I couldn't get most of them on, and I ended up wearing Beth's jumpers and coats. With the limited range of clothes I could fit into, I went about two weeks without a shower or clean clothes. I was pretty ripe by yesterday, I'm sure.

The painkillers mostly worked, but I had one bad hitch. I am an epileptic, and I often jerk as I nod off to sleep. Whenever I did this, the arm would move and I'd wake up roaring in pain. I wondered at times what the rest of the hotel thought was going on:-)

Once it happened, I had to abandon the photography, sadly. I did manage to put some photos up on Flickr before that; the link is below. We never did get to see the Aurora. It was like those fishing stories - you shoul ave been her last week, when they were really biting. Just yesterday, these was an article in the paper about a spectacular skyshow from Tromso - the week after we were there.

I'm off to the doc this afternoon to get the damage asessed. Wish me luck.

[wheelspinner]

Photos are here:
www.flickr.com/photos/7425321@N07/collections/72157629075011765/

[dee]

WOW, so sorry to read of your accident. I do hope you are getting the rest you probably need and I pray for a total and quick recovery, if there is such a thing. Seems like no matter what it is, rest and time is the answer.

[wheelspinner]

Thanks Dee. I saw a surgeon yesterday and, as I suspected, the jerking has made it worse. I'm a slow healer as well, so we have decided to operate. I'm going into hospital today to have the shoulder pinned, and I guess I am going to be offline again for another few days.

The surgeon thinks 8-10 weeks for full recovery; hopefully I can get back to work well before then.

[MacBeth]

I will keep you in my thoughts for a safe procedure and a speedy recovery. So sorry for all you are going through.