All change

Benito, not Luigi as previously recorded, has e-mailed to say my offer has been accepted. This is a definite High.

The last couple of days have been recovery and back to reality days. My facebook status has changed and now I'm going back to be ploughing my own furrow for a while. Mind you I have been in Australia and I'm used to it. This is not the place for an analysis of feelings. Low

I had a call from Ade to wish me Happy Christmas, he also persuaded me to continue my blog. High. I'm not sure I'm in the right emotional place to say much today, but to note a few developments.Low.

Emily is back from NYC for a few days over Christmas. I do miss her when she's away. Apparently she's having a great time as an nanny and the family love her. How could you not? Seeing the others too, after a long break, was a great joy. I'm so proud of my children and am reluctant to go on about it publicly. I will just say I love them all enormously, they are such fun. High.

I didn't realise tomorrow is Christmas eve. Too late for present buying and need to get round to wrapping the ones I have. I'm going to go into the surgery today to pick up mail, deliver presents to staff and generally catch up. I also need to fax off a report from the hospital about the stroke. The last MRI scan showed that the infarct has shrunk a little, but I know that what is important is the functional recovery, and this seems static. Talking of which I spoke to my friend Chris, an eye specialist, who says that I cannot drive with my visual field defect. You need 180 degrees of horizontal field vision and at least 40 degrees up and down vertically. I don't have that. I'm missing the left upper quadrant, and that wont change. The DVLA will suspend my licence, but I can appeal to say that I have now adapted to it and can drive safely. This will mean going to them to undertake an assessment to see if I'm OK. I can't believe I'm going to have to go to Swansea for that. There must be somewhere closer. Low.

In order to finance my Italy thing I'm going to rent out one of my rooms. I haven't discussed with Rachel yet, so must do today. I went to the bank, and it seems surprisingly, remarkably straight forward to borrow extra money, effectively remortgaging the house. I thought I was going to have to sell and had arranged for Estate Agents to come and value it. I don't have to do that now. I really didn't want to have to. I love my house. High.

My Italy thing is a villa in Tuscany. I can rent it as a holiday home and also use it myself. I guess I'll find out who my friends are, but I think I already know that and they can come for free. It is 50 minutes from skiing one way and the beach the other, with fabulous views across the valley. The place is currently owned by a couple who have split up and it looks like a bargain. I'm going to go over in early January to have a look. Meanwhile, and all being well, we have arrived at a price of €250,000. The other outstanding issue is how to get there, but Jet2 have flights in the summer. High

The work situation is sill developing as we seek to come to a new arrangement and incorporate a new partner. I have been re-energised by my firen Winn and looking forward to taking it forward. High

So there are definitely more highs than lows, and certainly a few changes. Cup still half full. It will be interesting.