Nikki has had a good week. (Our cousin Genevieve arrived from Australia this week to visit for 6 weeks - that always does wonders for the spirit!) Nikki had her regular 3-weekly dose of chemo last Thursday. She has been struggling with an irritating infection in her toenail for the last little while. Her oncologist recommended she had the GP cut it out so, on Friday, she went hobbling off to the GP to have a little "op" on her toenail which went well other than the awful experience of having a long needle jabbed directly into the infected nail bed (not dissimilar to torture I imagine).

On Tuesday, my dad's brother, Robin, came to visit from Worcester and we spent the most wonderful afternoon walking on the land where my dad and Uncle Robin grew up as little boys. Most of the old 15 hectare farm is now public open space. They were like 2 little boys walking around and finding the old well, the river, orchards and foundations of the many buildings that stood there in their time. They even managed to find their old tree house. Because the trees have grown a bit in 50 years, the tree house was much higher up than it used to be. Daniel still managed to get to it though but nobody else was quite as brave!

Nix has spent some good time with Gen this week and today, we spent the day with the extended family (on my mom's side) at Afton Grove, where all the 2nd cousins got to play together and the 1st cousins, aunts and uncles got to catch up. Lots of food, lots of chatting and (as always) LOTS of laughing!

Tomorrow is fisherman Dan's 6th birthday and the ONLY thing he wants to do for his birthday is go fishing (no party or fuss), so that is what he is doing. They will be heading out to the trout farm in Du Toit's Kloof for the day. Then coming home for pressies and cake at Afton in the afternoon. Yay!

This Tuesday, I will be going in for an operation myself (YIPPEE!!! ...Not). I have a benign tumour in my parotid (salivary) gland on the side of my face which I need to have removed. I found the tumour more than a year ago (the same week that Nix was diagnosed with cancer) and decided to follow a period of natural detox before going for surgery. I have been through the whole detox process and am now at the point where I feel it would be best to remove it (if God doesn't first! I'm still believing for that - first prize!). The op is a fairly intricate procedure as they will have to "peel" the tumour off the very delicate facial nerve. Soooo - I would really be thankful for your prayers in this regard. I will be in hospital for 1 or 2 nights and home to recover afterwards. Because I am not sick and the cut is on my face, I will be able to be quite mobile and return to "normal" life fairly soon and I should recover fairly quickly. I thank God that He is my peace and that I have Him and therefore have peace in all these things. He promises to be present in my life, to strengthen me, help me, hold and protect me. What more do I need than Him?

Psalm 145: 18 "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."