Friday 27th February

Son number three has already been gone a whole week, we had a text sent from someone else’s mobile to say he had arrived safely, and would try and contact us at later date. At the beginning of the week Tom and Jack both had Facebook messages, saying he had been ‘gorge jumping’, white water rafting and flown in a micro light over Victoria Falls, and even taken control from the ‘pilot’; apparently flying over some hippos “like a boss”.

Crocodile Dundee about to head off to the airport.....

Its fair to say that he seems to be having the time of his life, although he did send a photo of the vehicle that was to be his transport from South to North Zambia, and his brothers said it looks like those vans they transport prisoners in, a square box with small windows at the top!

On the day that Dan left (a touch emotional for me) hubby and I had a DDuites at a local restaurant, with an early start of 6:45pm. Not having heard from Jack, I text to see if he was going to be around for supper, to which he replied, “No” and “Sorry”. Unbeknown to me he sent this text while his cousin was driving him to hospital. Forgive me if the tale gets a little sketchy from here on in, but I didn’t and still don’t really grasp what happened.

The pair of them were in the Young Farmers Club, hard at work (!) getting the stage ready for the forthcoming concert. Matt was sawing some wood, as one does, and Jack was holding it steady (clamp? Vice?), the saw became pinched in the wood, and sprang back slashing a three-inch gash on Jacks left forearm. There being no first aid kit, bandage or any clean towels around, Jack held his hand to his arm, and held it up, instructing Matt who was more than a little traumatised that the best course of action was a trip to hospital.

Earlier on when he sent me the text he thought he’d just take a little photo of the wound…. he also was Mr Cool at the hospital, and discussed the injury very calmly with the doctors, (both very pretty females). The senior doctor upon examining the slash told him it had just started to shred the muscle, and it was “just short of being spectacular”…. Five stitches later…

I didn’t find any of this out until we arrived back home at 11:30 pm, and after being told the news by Tom, went straight upstairs to find out how Jack was, and to tell him he was a “stupid boy” (which ironically Tom said that’s exactly what I would say with a slight inflection of a Suffolk accent).

Matt came home the next day to check on the ‘patient’, and bring him some AI (artificial insemination) gloves. To enlighten you all, these are extremely long, fairly thick plastic gloves, that are worn by the vet or farmer to assist them whilst examining the cow. I’ll not explain further, if you’re that interested, look it up!These were to keep his arm dry whilst bathing, and not for any other purpose!!

One week later and Jack was supposed to have the stitches out, but it hasn’t fully healed, so he has to wait until next Tuesday before their removal. At least he can go back to work next week, but will probably be on ‘light duties’.

One other person in our family who is a little morose, and that is Jessie, her playground of fields have been swathed in silvery plastic, this has seriously narrowed down her freedom…. but it is excellent news for the farmers who at last are planting potatoes at lightening speed.