Well, here I am at 06:40 sitting in the departure lounge of Sumburgh Airport.

I am traveling light, taking a couple of good books along with a lifetime supply of chicken and tomato rolls, kindly made by OH before we left home.  Like going on a school trip in the coach, I have already eaten one!

The flight south was fine. It was only an hour long. At one stage I dipped and suddenly felt exhausted so tried unsuccessfully to go to sleep.  This was a new plane and the seats were basic – hard plastic – so that was impossible. The stewardess came round with the trolley so I gave up on my idea of sleep and had a cup of coffee and another chicken and tomato roll instead!

Coming in to Aberdeen.

The plane landed and I was taken by minibus to the hospital.  This is an invaluable service for the northern island patients.

And now I am waiting in the MRI suite for my scan.  I have just noticed the blurb says please do not eat a large meal beforehand.  Now I am wondering if the chicken and tomato rolls count!

Well, that’s my image now magnetically resonated and I have followed the red line to the Outpatient Dept where I am waiting for my next appointment.  I had another 🍗&🍅 roll to give me a boost.

The MRI was fine. I had my usual thoughts of being so fat I would get stuck, not opening my eyes, and trying to sing Barbara Ann by the Beachboys to the machine’s juddering noise.

One physical examination appointment later and now I am off to X-ray. This is not Village of the Damned – there are folk about!

The X-rays were taken and back I go for another consultation.  I was told that I will be discussed along with my X-rays and MRI scan next week at a meeting with the surgical team to see if they can help me.  I am exhausted and now waiting in Out-Patients for the minibus back to the airport.

i am so tired, so very very tired. I can’t go to sleep in case I miss the minibus so I am watching Brideshead Revisited on YouTube.

The minibus came and there was a bit of a panic at the airport – long queues and only one check-in lady but we finally got on the plane.

Home James (or Daisy), and don’t spare the horses.  My bed calls me.  It was a very long day.

Tomorrow I am off, at the crack of sparrows (very, very early) to Aberdeen for my long-awaited MRI scan plus a consultation with a physiotherapist at the MSK Hub (Muskuloskeletal) afterwards.

I am not a fan of the word “hub” if I am perfectly honest.

Things seem to have changed since I last saw my Orthopaedic Consultant.  Once I have some answers to my spinal pain, I will know what I am dealing with and can hopefully move forward.

Tomorrow morning, OH is driving me to Sumburgh Airport.  We live 1 1/4 hours away and the plane leaves at 07:35 so we will have to leave the house at 05:15 to be there an hour early for check-in.

The thought of the whole day in Aberdeen is making feel sick.  Just having to get up so early is not going to bring out the best in me.

Daisy is going to hold the fort at home, ie feed sheeple, hens and hug BeAnne.

After my two appointments, I will fly home at 19:15 whereupon Daisy will collect me from the airport.

I would think I will be incapable of much, least of all staying awake.

But once home, I am home and I don’t have to move again until Christmas.

So that’s tomorrow’s plan.

If I sleep well tonight, everything will be far more bearable.

Sleep has been a bit of a stranger to me these last few weeks.

I wake up about 6 times a night for various annoying reasons.

But it really doesn’t matter if I sleep on the plane or on the bus to the hospital.  Everyone will wake me up when I get there.

So, wish me luck.

And let’s hope I come home with some answers and a way forward.

At the moment, I don’t seem to have one.

It was a beautiful Shetland nearly-Autumn day.  The Icelandic boys were mooching about in their field so I decided to try a new filming technique – using a tripod.

I hate tripods – they are the camera equivalent of wire coat-hangers.  I hate them too and can get so very tangled up.

But I must say a tripod has its uses. My film is steadier, if silly.

Of course, BeAnne came with and she had a lovely time standing in the stream looking for tiny fish.

Once on the bank, she rolled and rolled in all the Greylag goose poo.  A dear little dog.

While I went to film the boys she sat safely on the other side of the fence by the burn enjoying the wonderful sunshine.

Anywho, enjoy the film. The music is jolly.  It was played by our friends a few years back and recorded in our house.

About the film – of the noseys, it was Klængur who was the worst.  Once he had seen the camera, he followed me around the field never letting me out of his sight.   Klængur is having a holiday while Floss is away – shoes off and not being ridden.

I could get into this film making racket!

This is my world, here in Shetland.

And this is Flossie’s world in Chengdu, China where she is living and working for a while.

As you can see it is somewhat different to what she is used to.

And yes of course we told her to bring a panda-baby home.  The one in the middle upside down is my favourite.  Dammit, they are all my favourites.

Last week Flossie went to visit Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

She said it was amazing.

Jealous, moi?  Of course.

The red panda was not cooperating on that day.

Anyway, Flossie is learning to play Mahjong.  She promised to teach me when she comes home.

The internet is a marvellous thing.  Apparently, according to Google, Lerwick (our nearest town) and Chengdu are 4,889 miles away.

Flossie is having weird things to eat – pig’s brains served in a jam tart foil dish!

Or suckery legs!

Our lives seem very different at the moment.

Flossie is sending back some wonderful photos.  Pandas make a change from ponies.

I had a disastrous afternoon in Lerwick (don’t ask) so I bailed out and went for a walk instead.

Being a Sunday, there were few folk about and almost all the shops were shut but it was good to wander around while I tried to regain my composure and perspective on life, the universe and everything.

Here are my photos.

Forgive me, but I am not really in the mood to talk – still upset but hey-ho, the world spins onwards.