We are finally re-booked for take-3 to the U.S. …… clearly not learning from our rotten luck last year we have booked flights leaving here on April fool’s day. We thought this was OK as the flight currently leaves just after 12noon but by April it leaves around 11 – so it is bound to be a disaster!

Mike is doing much better so thanks to those of you who have been dropping in. To the work guys that he had lunch with today – thanks – he loved it! He finally appears to be over whatever bug he has had and the wonderful Harri, Pat and Penina have all been working hard to get a bit of mobility in to his back after 2 weeks of lying still so that pain seems to under control too …… this is a thankyou from me b/c I don’t have to put up with him being a grumpy bear!!

Anyway, Mike is definitely on the mend – he has managed to get in 3 hydro sessions and a couple of phsyio sessions this week – along with plenty of rest – so we are very confident that by the beginning of April he will have plenty of strength and stamina to get the most out of project walk. Now that his back has been loosened off a bit it is amazing how much better his legs are moving! And he can sit in the chair for more than 2 hours at a time. We have been on a few outings which is always good for a change of scenery.

I think he is also pleased that the big boxes of cycle kit in the front room are dwindling rapidly! Don’t forget to drop in to CBD or Spoke(n) or flick me a mail if you want a kit so that I can reclaim a corner of my study! I know that everyone wearing them loves them and it was great when I got in a stealth ride the other morning to see 3 or 4 sets of kit in a 45 min ride!

Also, he has another new party-trick of which we are very proud. His left wrist has decided to half remember how to work. It is still very, very weak and does not function normally at all but it is amazing how much such a tiny improvement can give you. He was able to hold a fork without a splint and extract some chicken from a wrap —- food seems to be a fairly large motivator still!

Thanks to his wonderful carer Lois for cooking his favourite meal (and just generally being wonderful) – Mike appears to have his appetite back after 2-3 weeks of barely eating.

Mike is planning on getting out for a few rides over the next couple of weekends so we will work on a time and if you are free drop by. No doubt there will be a park play (for the kids) and a cafe stop involved.

In other exciting news there has been lots of work going on by some amazing people and the invites for the dinner will be out by next Wednesday at the latest – very exciting! Lots of great prizes and raffle and auction items already in.

Finally (last but not least and all that) …. some of you would have received e-mails about the Entertainment Book fundraiser that the wonderful Jo has organised. For those of you unaware – The Entertainment Book provides you with 100′s of opportunities to try restaurants, attractions (adult & children), activities, theatres, cinemas, retail services, travel & accommodation – all with introductory offers.  Entertainment books are distributed through fund raising groups, organisations and charities to help raise much needed funds.  The featured restaurants do not pay to be included, they are selected based on awards, reveiws and personal recommendatrions. For every book sold, $13.00 goes to Mike’s program. To order one (or if you need any further info), please contact Jo direct at:  jomortimore@optusnet.com.au or on 0411 722 772.

To all of you who don’t know yet – we were just tricking! We haven’t left for the U.S. and given the current date and the benefit dinner on the 28th March we now won’t leave until April. Mike is still pretty sick but the week in hospital seems to have killed the bug … hopefully when he finishes this course of anti-biotics he will start feeling a bit better.

In short, this means that we are still around and will be taking it pretty easy (on doctors advise — see, sometimes we do listen!!) for the next couple of weeks. I am finally giving in today and am going to unpack! We’ll put it down to a practice run and we’re sure to do better next time – I certainly won’t be getting medical supplies to day before we are due to fly and packing until 1am! The blue house is open to visitors so feel free to drop in whenever – for the next few days Mike is enjoying a nanna-nap sometime in the middle of the day but I think he is very keen to catchup with people and even go for a ride or two over the coming weeks and weekends.  We need to get his spirits back up again and get him back enjoying life.

Anyway, the benefit dinner is coming along really well so make sure you put the 28th March in your calendar. Ticket details will be out soon but it promises to be a great night. Thanks to Anthony for all his great work on this and to Robbo for offering to be a guest speaker – what an awesome gesture- thankyou! Hopefully we will be leaving fairly soon after this event to start up at Project Walk so come along and make sure we leave this time!

Not much else to report at present as Mike is being lazy and I am taking the opportunity to organise the house and try to get it a bit clean. We are also trying to get the house modifications going along so that Mike doesn’t fall the laundry/bathroom floor once it starts rotting away from our hasty mods! I am also very keen for him to be able to get his chair in to Ash’s room so that he can read her bedtime stories again so that I get a rest!

Don’t forget to pick up your cycle kit at CBD or Spoke(n) stores or e-mail me at monica@michaelforbes.org if you want a set.

A very quick post to thank everyone for wishing us well ….. except we haven’t gone yet.

Mike has been unwell for the past week but has deteroriated in the last few days to the point that we did not leave as planned yesterday morning. We delayed by 2 days and were planning to leave tomorrow – however, Mike is now on his way to hospital for tests and observation to find out what the problem is.

I will keep you posted and will advise of our revised leaving date asap – hopefully it is just a simple infection that we can get under control relatively quickly. Hopefully, when we re-book our flights it will be case of third time lucky!