Given that I’ve spent the past nine days doing precious little, we thought it would be a good idea for me to get out of the house. Olivia had been recommended a place quite close to us called Bushy Park – so this morning we thought “why not?”

It turns out that Bushy Park is one of the Royal Parks, and is only about a 15 minute drive from our house. It also transpires that today was a day of celebration out Bushy Park way.. Today was Chestnut Sunday. Images of chestnuts being roasted in a small obscure Italian village were quickly dashed when I read that Chestnut Sunday is an annual event which is timed so that it takes place when the chestnut trees were in full blossom – they were – and they were lovely.

There was a parade! I don’t remember the last time we stopped and watched a parade – Moomba back in the 80s perhaps? It went for about 25 minutes and featured a Jazz band, marching band, numerous vintage cars, some vintage military vehicles (turns out that Bushy Park was used as a US military base back in the Second World War) and various other “paradey” type entertainment.. It was all good fun..

Being one of the Royal Parks, it had deer roaming freely – this was very cool to see – even got a couple of nice photos in there. You could get reasonably close (20m) – they were obviously quite used to people being around.. but there’s always one idiot who wants to get too close and scare them off (and no, I was not that idiot today)

HERE are the pick of the shots we took.

After a spot of lunch, we had a wander through the outer gardens of Hampton Court Palace which is more or less across the road from Bushy Park. We found a bench in the shade and people-watched. A lovely day out.

FYI – recovery from my hernia op is going to plan. Still a bit sore – but considerably better than I was a week ago..

Hernia, Not something I’d ever really thought about…

That is until about a month ago I managed to develop an umbilical hernia after a bit of over-exertion at the gym. (Once again proving that exercise is not always a good thing). Thanks to private health insurance I managed to have it addressed pretty quickly. So on Thursday I went under the knife at London Bridge Hospital to have it repaired.

A general anaesthetic, one night in hospital and a couple of scars later the hernia appears to have been sorted out. Olivia tells me that I was quite doped out on morphine in the hours following the op – that would have been a sight to behold. I’ve been told to stay home from work for all of this coming week. I’m sure I’ll be bored out of my brains by the end of it but the doctor was pretty clear on this point so who am I to question it? Might just have to crack out the Playstation for a bit of therapeutic alien shooting..

Am definitely a bit sore when I move around, but that’s not particularly surprising. I expect it will be like this for a good three weeks.  However all things considered I’m doing fine.  I’ve always been quite fond of my belly button so I’m curious to see what kind of interesting scar patterns I’m left with.

It’s good to have a doctor in the house – Olivia has been wonderful!

All outpourings of sympathy and well wishes gratefully accepted.