Dave Hunt

How do you know? Dave

There was a chap I knew as a fellow member of the LMS Society who had a large garden layout that involved several sheds and much track. He sold his house on the understanding that he could live in a caravan in the garden and continue to run his railway and work in the sheds, which he did. Dave

I joined the RAF at the same time as a chap whose rise through the ranks was verging on the meteoric. He was regarded by his contemporaries as a pillock and no-one could understand why he was getting on so well until someone suggested that maybe he had mucky photographs of the Chief of the Air Staff. Dave

I once asked an MP at a large public meeting why he wasn’t representing what from the tone of 100% of the inputs from the floor were obviously the views of his constituents. His reply was that he wasn’t elected to represent the views of his constituents but rather their best interests. Dave

I have suffered a partial land grab in my shed. It was probably my fault as I did offer some space for an artwork bench, which was eagerly taken up, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the introduction of an ironing board, clothes horses and other paraphernalia to do with washing. The main snag with that is that when the weather dictates that the washing is put out to dry in the shed instead of outdoors the atmosphere gets very humid to the detriment of some workshop equipment and modelling materials. I have therefore invested in a decent sized dehumidifier that is deployed when wet washing is put in the shed and it is amazing how much water it sucks out of the air. Dave

Today I feel as though a mule has kicked me in the back, I have inadvertently wandered on to the up fast in front of an express, or someone has been digging holes in my spine. Ah, it'll be the latter then now that the poppy juice has dried up since leaving hospital but at least it is scheduled to get better and the awful sciatica and other leg pain that I have been living with for years has gone completely. I'm under strict orders to take things really easily for six weeks but as long as I'm careful, once the current pain and discomfort has faded, I should be able to get on with life properly. I've started doing some gentle walking as advised by the physios but only managed about 300 yards today; still, it's a start and my reward is a plate of egg and home made chips in about an hour. Dave

A bit of an uncomfortable day today as since the happy poppy juice the hospital pumped into me has worn off it has become apparent that either a mule has kicked me in the back or someone has been digging big holes there. The exhortations from the medics not to try anything strenuous or twist and turn are proving superfluous as to do any such thing would be too painful anyway but, and here's the big thing, this morning was the second time I can remember (yesterday being the first) in years that getting out of bed did not kick start agonising sciatic pain - hallelujah and thank God for a fine hospital and a top rate spinal surgeon. I even managed a short walk without any problem except some backache and even that should diminish over the next few weeks. In a few days' time I may even manage to put in some workshop time. Dave (AKA happy bunny)

I think that the name sort of gives it away. Dave

I don’t know about the medic speak terms Flávio but in layman’ s language three of the discs had spread out into the spinal canal and four associated vertebrae had developed bony growths on the inside faces, the net result being that there was no clearance around the spinal cord and some associated nerves. The procedure was to remove all the excess tissue to relieve the pressure and stop the pain as well as improving the nerve transmission to my legs and in due course restore the strength and mobility. Because of the relatively large extent of the blockage (apparently one or maybe two discs is the usual treatment) the surgeon expected to have more trouble sorting it out than actually turned out to be the case and so I was not taken to the HDU and was able to satisfy the physios requirements much sooner than expected. Hence the escape committee have approved my tunnel after only one night of incarceration. Dave

This missive comes from a very happy bunny residing for a short time in a hospital bed. I arrived at 0700 yesterday expecting to be here for three or four days and spending last night in the HDU due to the more extensive than usual decompression of my spine but that was not the case. I went to the theatre at about 0900 and instead of the HDU the surgeon was so pleased with the way the op went that I was brought straight up to a regular ward. By 1530 the physioterrorists had me out of bed and climbing stairs and by 1600 had signed me off. The consultant has seen me this morning and is so pleased with my progress that he is allowing me to go home this afternoon once the necessary medication has been delivered from the pharmacy and all the tubes emanating from various parts of my body have been removed. NEWS FLASH - since that last sentence, said tubes have been removed. The phrase dead chuffed of North Hipposhire is applicable. Dave

I type this from my hospital bed following yesterday’s spinal decompression operation that, according to the surgeons, went very well. I was first on the list and was in the theatre by 0900 having been told that due to the extent of the repairs I would be taken to the HDU for the rest of the day and last night. In the event, however, I was brought straight to a regular ward from the recovery suite and by 1500 the physioterrorists had me out of bed and climbing stairs, so satisfied was the consultant with the way things had gone. I have very little pain and once a few things such as removing catheter and the op site drain I will be able to go home this afternoon! Having been expecting to spend three or possibly even four days here I am dead chuffed as the saying goes. I now have six weeks of taking things very easy (and on no account to lift anything heavier than a half full kettle as the physio put it but the more realistic surgeon said a pint of beer) and three months gradually working back to normal. Overall a very happy bunny) Dave

Girding my loins, as the saying goes, for tomorrow when I am due at the hospital by 0730 for my spinal decompression operation. If all goes well I should be pretty much pain free and fairly mobile again after a few weeks’ recovery time. If it doesn’t ….. well, that’s not to be dwelt on. Luckily I am going to about the best orthopaedic hospital in the country and being operated on by one of the best spinal surgeons so I have high hopes. Wish me luck. Dave

Today is tidying up a lot of loose ends time as at 0730 tomorrow I am due to be at Gobowen hospital for my spinal decompression operation. I’m viewing it with a mixture of anticipation that it will get rid of the virtually constant pain and restore my mobility and anxiety in case anything goes wrong. I do have faith in both the surgeon and the hospital but there is that little nagging doubt…. Anyway, lots to do so onward and upward. Dave

Since Jill had recovered from her cold by yesterday morning (she has a much shorter recovery time than me when she has such things) we spent a very convivial evening with friends yesterday enjoying a roast lamb dinner followed by a tasting session of some rather toothsome Scots happy water. All in all a very pleasant time was had but it probably didn’t do the BMI a lot of good. Dave

As the T-shirt belonging to a friend of mine proclaims, “I’m not overweight, I’m undertall” Dave

Since we were expecting a deluge of grandchildren over Easter, many chocolate eggs were bought but with Jill having a rotten cold that she caught from me the deluge didn't happen. Therefore we now have uneaten chocolate eggs clamouring to be consumed. So far we have resisted the temptations on the grounds that said eggs have been promised to the GKs when next we see them and with the average GK having the memory of an elephant when it comes to presents (particularly edible ones) they will definitely expect them to be readily available. However, should a trip to the supermarket reveal Easter eggs at knockdown prices....?? Dave

Probably when they cut the reheat. Dve

I started flying Phantoms out of Coningsby in 1970 and last flew a Tornado out of there in 2001. In all that time there was a certain stables owner who used to complain even though we had to avoid her premises at all costs. In the late 1980s a housing development was built just across the road from the airfield, which had been an operational station since the 1930s. Within a week of the first people moving in there were noise complaints. Dave

When my Dad was a gliding instructor at RAF Halton there was a chap who lived nearby who started complaining about the noise the aircraft were making. This caused a few furrowed brows as gliders aren't usually noted for their noise but he was so persistent that eventually the station PRO went round to talk with him. His puzzlement was increased when it turned out that the chap was stone deaf but eventually he twigged that the man simply complained whenever he saw an aircraft as he didn't realise that it was a glider and therefore noiseless. From then on the complaints were ignored but the result was that the man started writing to the MoD since he was getting no satisfaction from the station. I never did find out what happened after that. Dave

I used to love bakkwa when we lived in Singapore but hadn't seen it for donkey's years until we visited a few years ago and I made its acquaintance again. Fortunately it was the real deal rather than the abomination shown above. What on earth is the point of ersatz soy sauce? Dave

Getting a "sick human" appointment with our GPs is difficult enough; I think that a "well human" one would be a near impossibility. Dave

The weather in North Hipposhire is quite reasonable and I am pretty much over the lurgy; unfortunately that means that I am out of excuses not to undertake a session of clearing blanket weed out of the pond. Apparently it was imported from Australia. I wish they'd kept it to themselves. Dave

If it's anything like the one I've just had I really don't want to be part of that elite ever again; it was 'orrible. Fortunately it is virtually gone because had I gone to the hospital for my operation next Tuesday whilst under its influence they would have refused me admission. Dave

Your honorary horticulture and meteorological BSc is in the post... Dave

I'm 24 days younger than you. Move over. Dave