Vic Balshaw
Major General
I'm back folks, maybe not in the active model building capacity, for a while anyway, but I'll certainly be keeping a worthy eye on all these magnificent builds being produced, probably coupled with the odd constructive comment or encouragement when needed. It is nice to see a number of new faces joining the GBs and I must say there has been some bl**dy good modelling coming through. It's also nice to see a lot more of you guys up there taking on the likes of Glenn (T Bolt) in the advanced class, some tough competition there Glenn. But whichever class you have chosen, you should all be proud of yourselves for what you have achieved, it has been inspirational to watch.
As for me, it has not been an easy few months. It all started the day before Christmas Eve when I momentarily lost sight in my left eye. This was just at the start of our main summer holiday season, so the inevitable delays happened with specialist and tests. The upshot was me being diagnosed with a 95% blocked carotid artery on the left side of my neck. By this time it was almost the end of February but the diagnosis quickly saw me in hospital again having that lifesaving operation. All went well and I count my lucky stars that between Christmas and late February, I did not have that possible stroke. Emotionally, life has since been a hard kick leaving me very flat, very tired, somewhat irritable and in shock.
Unfortunately this is not the end of the saga as I am now besieged by intermittent headaches in and around my left eye area and forehead that come and go as they please, not conducive for the modelling of little parts. Despite visiting a number of specialists, vascular, neurology, ophthalmologist and ENT, no one specialists can lay a finger on the reasons why and are sort of muttering the word 'Migraine' and fiddling with my medication.
In the middle of all this, my partner Hil and I have moved house. We had a two story duplex house and have moved into a reasonably new (3 years old) single story town house within a complex of 11 houses. It's nice and quiet with a much smaller garden for us to care for in our senior years. My hobby room (the third bedroom) is a tad smaller than before, but I have still managed to get all my junk in there with my spray booth out in our huge garage. So now I'll quit boring you all and leave you with a couple or so pics of my new 'Hanger'.
As for me, it has not been an easy few months. It all started the day before Christmas Eve when I momentarily lost sight in my left eye. This was just at the start of our main summer holiday season, so the inevitable delays happened with specialist and tests. The upshot was me being diagnosed with a 95% blocked carotid artery on the left side of my neck. By this time it was almost the end of February but the diagnosis quickly saw me in hospital again having that lifesaving operation. All went well and I count my lucky stars that between Christmas and late February, I did not have that possible stroke. Emotionally, life has since been a hard kick leaving me very flat, very tired, somewhat irritable and in shock.
Unfortunately this is not the end of the saga as I am now besieged by intermittent headaches in and around my left eye area and forehead that come and go as they please, not conducive for the modelling of little parts. Despite visiting a number of specialists, vascular, neurology, ophthalmologist and ENT, no one specialists can lay a finger on the reasons why and are sort of muttering the word 'Migraine' and fiddling with my medication.
In the middle of all this, my partner Hil and I have moved house. We had a two story duplex house and have moved into a reasonably new (3 years old) single story town house within a complex of 11 houses. It's nice and quiet with a much smaller garden for us to care for in our senior years. My hobby room (the third bedroom) is a tad smaller than before, but I have still managed to get all my junk in there with my spray booth out in our huge garage. So now I'll quit boring you all and leave you with a couple or so pics of my new 'Hanger'.
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