Dear Blog,
                 I thought I was dead .... what a surprise to find I am alive and kicking although I was nearly a gonner yesterday when I managed to stab / slash myself rather badly. Boy you should have seen the blood, copious gallons of the stuff  .. in the kitchen sink, all over the kitchen floor ... good job I knew what to do in such a situation as I was by myself. All those years in the British Red Cross paid off!!!! BUT. Even I couldn't staunch the flow so it was an accident and emergency job at the local hospital in Coventry. I tried the local nurse at the village surgery first, but she took one look and said that she couldn't handle the would as it was too serious and it wouldn't heal without stitching. And so it came to pass that I was well and truly stitched up!!! .

                Yes Blog, very funny, I am not quite armless , that is not bloody funny and no one will be in stitches laughing .......................
                                       Colin

P.S. Needless to say Blog, my pen is a bit rusty but if you bear with me I'll get the quill sharpened, dust off the sepia pictures and we will be cooking on twigs and leaves before you can say hairy hound.