“Goodnight Mrs Puffin” was the name of the production at the local theatre which a group of us attended earlier this week. The randomness of the title was obviously the main attraction but it turned out to be quite entertaining even though no actual puffins were mentioned or acted in the play.

Also this week, I put aside three hours one afternoon to “power shop” and attack the Christmas present list. It was a thoroughly successful mission as almost 90% of my presents are now safely wrapped with Christmas cards attached. Given the size of the shopping centre, my arms are still recovering from all the pushing but good to combine another distraction with exercise.

I have been able to achieve two major goals this week. Firstly, a culmination of over a year’s work saw me finally walk unassisted in my forearm support frame with four wheels rather than with its more stable predecessor which had two wheels and two skis. I found this highly challenging given the increased reliance on arms and torso for support which also meant my exercise time was significantly reduced by fatigue. Secondly, after many attempts, I can now transfer myself into bed without too much trouble and can even flip off my shoes. This obviously opens up a whole new world of potential siesta time which is exciting.

Speaking of siestas, my recent house guests spoilt the family with a traditional paella made from scratch which was quite the treat. In their wake, they have left the paella dish that has expectations written all over it. We’ll see which family member has the confidence to take it on.