Bay Watch 5

Bulletin 5: Wednesday 27th January 2010

Fred and Edna are no more. No, they're not dead – but I'm unaware of their personal outcomes now that I'm back ensconced in the Council Houses. 'Council House Watch' doesn't quite have the same resonance as 'Bay Watch', so I hope you won't mind the continuation of the slightly fraudulent title. It will soon be valid again – I'm expecting to be carted into Papworth in about a fortnight's time for a re-wiring job.

By the way, I've had no successful claimants yet for the mega-Mars Bar literary challenge issued in Bulletin 3.

I came back from Papworth last Thursday, with a polythene bag so full of various pills that I could easily re-stock Sainsbury's pharmacy. If you've heard of it, I'm taking it. Since then I've been getting twelve hours sleep each night, which I could easily get used to.

I made a bad strategic move by not scoffing all the chocolate goodies I got for Christmas between Christmas and mid-January. These have now been confiscated by Management and secreted somewhere within the premises. My diet is strictly controlled, also by Management, but if I comply with requirements my daily evening reward is... no, not 20-minutes' worth of exertion, but a single square of Cadbury's milk chocolate Turkish delight. Yes, just a solitary square. The longevity of this particular block of Turkish delight is, at the current rate, likely to break all Council House records.

I'm required to get some mild exertion rather than just blobbing out all day, which is probably a good idea, though I get tired out rather easily. On Saturday I was walked around the assault course, on Sunday around the astroturf, and on Monday around the astroturf and past the Headmaster's house. Today's highlight was a trip to the barber's, and yesterday I was taken to see Avatar (brilliant: visually stunning with lots of symbolism and allegory – see it if you can). It was my first 3D film experience. This evening's attraction is the Man U v. Man City fixture on the box, and a square of chocolate washed down with a glass of medicinal red wine.

I'm off to Papworth on Monday for pre-op testing, which means that the op itself is only 10-14 days away. The sooner the better. On reflection my trek through icy Nacton did me a favour in bringing my plumbing problems to light and enabling a long-term solution to be found.

Many thanks again for your cards, e-mails and best wishes. I'm now allowed to climb the stairs and to reply to e-mails – I think I managed to get up to date with these this afternoon. Do feel free to pop in for a visit if you have a spare slot – but afternoons only, please! Best wishes to all, and have a great long weekend!