There I was, nearly 70, semi-retired, with a smallholding of about 18 acres, with 80 odd sheep, 35 laying hens, three cats and two dogs.
I also had built up a clientelle of audiences for my mainly London Talks from my days in the City of London.
I also had a nice social life, delivering our eggs to local friends and customers, going to our local community pub on a Friday evening and running the monthly fun, supper quiz at our beloved New Inn at Shipton Gorge.
I was a lapsed 18 handicap golfer , playing the odd 9 holes, at Bridport and West Bay Golf Club when I had the time.
More of those later.
Then suddenly September 2021, I had the Covid Booster. Nothing to write home about, one would think, but I don't think I have been well since.
I was regarded as a very fit, healthy and busy person, who shopped for neighbours during COVID , generally joined with local activities and fully engaged with heaving hay bales, feed sacks, handling stroppy sheep and doing tree work and heavy weight gardening
I started to get breathless and felt dreadful after the booster jab.
Our garden and one of our fields are on a steep incline and I started getting out of breath. Our 7th hole at the golf club became a real problem, especially as my weekly golf pal is 12 years older than me.
I got cold after cold throughout the 2021/2 winter and one day, on one of our monthly Burton Bradstock, circular pub walks, I was strggliing to get up the hill in nearby Askerswell and remarked to the organiser that I just couldn't carry on
Next day I reported to the GP surgery at Portesham. To my total horror, I was given an ECG and advised that I had Atrial Fibrillation, potentially a stroke case.
By way of an Introduction to my new status as the Unwilling Invalid. I have now decided after my Annus horribilis (2022) to chronicle my experiences as a full time ill person!
My medical appointments, various mean that my diary has never been so full.