Goodbye blogger

Dear all,

I am moving ! Virtually, that is. My blog has now moved to Wordpress (another blogging service) and can be accessed via the normal URL of http://www.benturner.org - if you already had this web address bookmarked, then you shouldn't have come here at all :)

People coming here via RSS will need to update their feeds to http://turnerstyle.wordpress.com/feed/

Might be a while before I move all the formatting over, but all the content should be over there right now. There will be no more updates on this site, so get over there now !!! And bookmark the http://www.benturner.org address, then if I move again, you'll magically come along with me next time !

Ben

(Note : Just noticed it may take up to 48 hours for the benturner.org address to redirect to the new site)

(Another Note : Hmmm.... website address does not seem to be updating ! I'll keep trying...)

Totally sick weight loss

Maybe I've learnt to look on the bright side of illness, but after a long running cold, during which I ate nothing but simple foods and generally tried to "starve" it off, along with a rather nasty bought of food poisoning, I noted my weight had dropped somewhat.

So I've been trying to keep up the healthier eating, keeping clear of the pints, and refusing all but the best snacks at work (my line manager's wife is darn handy with cakes and going through a baking spree at the moment, so it's been hard work let me tell you). And now the cold is gone, and equally the weather has decided to be fabulous, I can accompany that with a little exercise too.

All in all, I'm only 2-3 lbs away from being under BMI 30 again. A good milestone back toward being fit enough for 10km runs again; who knows, might get there again for this summer.

For now, it's 2-3km alternating running and brisk walking...

I scan see clearly now the pain has gone

I realised recently I had almost moved onto Facebook updates over actual blogging. Partly this was due to work restricting access to my blogging site (so much for lunchtime blogging). I was then reminded by an article (http://ping.fm/FXjts) that blogging is actually a much more enriching experience and communication medium, and so I think I'll try and blog more and facebook less. Not sure it's time to delete facebook yet, but it's certainly a secondary form of communication for me - I'll pick up an e-mailed message or invite within 24 hours usually. On facebook, it's closer to a week - which means I miss a few invites, but if they really wanted me there, they'd have e-mailed or called :)

Anyhow, recently announced first on facebook was my recent scans at Basingstoke hospital, which I am very pleased to announce came out clear and promising. This is great news obviously, although I guess I wasn't running out to tell the world ASAP. Why ? Partly because I guess I had lots of other things I was focusing my life on, so I was just "ignoring the whole cancer deal" for now. But also I guess because it is one of many scans I am due to have for the years to come, and this by no means radically changes what I had already taken onboard - I've come through chemotherapy and surgery with a reasonable percetnage chance for being totally cured in the long term. The percentage chance just went up a little, that's all :)

But it is important to celebrate the little victories along the path, so thanks to all kind commentators from facebook, and I am now very pleased to be able to share this with the far more discerning and cultured crowd that are my loyal blog reading massive !

More blood tests in 3 months, another scan in 6 months. After which, I might be investigating my options within the Australian medical care system. More on that later.

2010 planning

Made it snowboarding in the end, 4 great days on the snow ! Exhausted afterwards though, especially due to having to get coaches instead of trains to and from the airport.

Now the new year beckons, and planning - birthday party, Australia visa, moving countries and a wedding all to sort out. Put together a long list of things to do, which means I feel comforted that I've captured all the tasks, so rather than do any of them, I've been having a wonderful relaxed weekend at my cousin's for a Burn's night supper. And playing with lego.

Coming up soon - MORE snowboarding, with a week in St Anton, and then I need to sort out my next scans to check everything is still fine inside. But first I gotta figure out this birthday party thing...

Icy plans

So the plan was to board a plane tomorrow morning (~6am), jet to Geneva, and spend 3.5 days in the snow with my trusty snowboard.

The train to Luton airport is not runnning, so I have a more expensive coach / taxi operation sorted out. I had to buy an extra coach ticket just now when I read snowboards were not allowed in the hold luggage (bet they are when I get there, but for a £10 it wasn't worth pissing about with).

Main bugger is the dozen other people I am going with are flying out of Gatwick. There flight hasn't been cancelled, but every flight before it HAS. I am supposed to meet them at the airport to share taxi rides to the resort.

Think I've written of the .5 day snowboarding. And that's me being optomistic :)

Right now, it's 5 hours until the taxi comes, time to rest my head, briefly.