APRIL & MAY 2022

Hello darling girl,

You had your tap dancing exam in April and got excellent marks.

Em, its like a miracle to see you stand and walk, let alone dance - and run!  These are things we never imagined that you'd be able to do when you were diagnosed with OI.

We are always very grateful for modern treatment that has allowed you to lead a fairly normal life.  

Dr Roos has been wonderful, even allowing you to have your treatment at home, rather than going to a hospital for it.

 

It was Gumpie's birthday on 8th April and our anniversary (53 years 😵) on 12 April.   
We had the family for afternoon tea at our house.

On the 8th May I flew to Spain with my friend Jenny to walk another Camino route for 3 weeks.  

While I was away you entertained Gumpie, taking him out for morning tea.

Once again I attached Ellie to my backpack.  

For his birthday in May, Tammy gave Mark a voucher to visit a shooting range.  He has always been interested in guns but we would never allow him to have one!

 I bought you a dress and a shorts and top set in Spain.

And these are the chocolates I brought back for you from Spain. 

The walk I did this time is called the Camino Primitivo, meaning the 'original' route to Santiago.  It is called that because when the tomb of Saint James (Sant Iago in Spanish) was discovered in 800 AD, the bishop from Oviedo sent an emisary to check it out. This is why they say the route from Oviedo to Santiago was the first pilgrimage.   

This was my 13th Camino since 2002. Some I have done more than once but I don't think I'll do this one again - it was just too challenging, mountainous, rocky steep trails.  I fell twice - once after 4 days when I slipped on a river boulder and tumbled down the path, crashing onto the rocks with my knee and my chest.  I think I broke a rib on that fall.  10 days later I fell when my foot hit a rock sticking out of the path and I fell flat, grazing the same knee and cracking a couple more ribs!  In future I'll stick to the less demanding Camino trails and leave the higher graded paths to younger people!