News from home. And the first understandings of water polo

How I still miss everyone. The distance seems to stretch further as the months progress and I manage myself here from one day to the next, striking off the days and weeks until the next highlight. I`m sure this is not the right way manage...but its the only way that is working !

I am really looking forward to my next return trip in Mid October...if I was equalling out my visits it should have been a December return,but Finn`s 21st Birthday is on 18th October and Jessie's graduation ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall on the 21st....give me plenty of reasons to make an early return. I cant wait!

Nor indeed can I wait to return to South Africa with Taz and David. They plan to spend a couple of weeks with us at the farm and then de camp to Cape Town. I`m going with them,and as they both have similar passions to my own, am looking forward to seeing another side of Cape Town to the one we usually take in!

Little returns to the farm for a two week holiday tomorrow. Ma'am reports that he is getting around at frightening speed on his crutches [So would I be, if I had her chasing me!].

He is working hard on his exercises from the physio girls at the hospital,who he sees once a week. All looks promising for another months rehab with the leg brace coming off [fingers crossed ] when he sees his consultant mid October.

He sent me an email last week.His form teacher had told him that when he had the full use of his leg back that he was going to play WATER POLO. The email was in bold red capitals..it read

"I AM NOT PLAYING WATER POLO...REPEAT I AM NOT PLAYING WATER POLO"

This has nothing to do with the speedo`s or the swimming caps with ear muffs stuck to them. But everything to do with the aggression of the game...like rugby but with the added element of being drowned by your opposition at worst..and at best,having your testicles surreptitiously twisted by an underwater opponent.

For some reason he has decided its not going to be his cup of tea!

(Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts) Boris Zlokovic of Montenegro grabs hold of Nikola Radjen of Serbia during the water polo event between held at the Yingdong Natatorium of National Olympic Sports Center during Day 16 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China

Poor Tommy is now in a finger brace..he has his follow up at the hospital today...so good luck Tommy. He was being "watched" by Henley for his first few games, to see how he had recovered from the knee injury,with view to their offering him a contract. Sadly the finger has now become an issue, because of the 8 weeks he will need to repair the tendon damage.

Jessie is very much in the land of the workers now and sounds happy and settled.She seems to be part of a great bunch of fellow F1`s in Chichester, and I know keeps in regular contact with all of her fellow uni friends who are now spread across the country doing their first year in real work!

Finn will have made his way back to Newcastle now for his final year of uni.

Good luck Finn,make it a good one! And Finn hurry up and get your wine web site up an running.