My partner and I had been looking for a fun form of exersize for ages, because we both need to lose weight and get fitter - Drs orders. I suddenly thought about Pickleball and so we went along to a session with our local club, as a sort of trial.

It was great! Fun, funny, challenging but low impact. Great! Unfortunately just before we finished I was stepping forward to stretch for the ball and my leg hyper extended and broke, and down I went.

So I've been in hospital since the 27th Jan working my way through a sea of pain, faintness and sickness. Initially the foot was in danger because the artery was damaged in the accident, so I had a major operation involving the orthopaedic and vascular teams. I have four pins into my leg bones. I'm screwed into an external frame which is holding those four pins steady and safe.

Soon I'm hoping to transfer to a rehab unit and from there, home. I will be off my legs for another six weeks then will begin the process of getting upright and walking. At some point I will need an operation to reattach my cruciates, but not now.

I simply can't wait to get home to my dogs, I have never been away from them like this, it's awful really.

As regards work, I'll have to find new dates for my February and March workshops, however I have plenty of spare weekends so this shouldn't be an issue. I'll get in touch with everyone over the next week to confirm changes.

I'll have to adapt my painting practice dramatically while I am immobilised.

Mark and I have decided to hold a very big sale of my existing art originals to raise funds to support me while I cannot work. This is going to involve very big discounts, so might be an ideal opportunity to acquire an original piece. At the same time helping me get over this set back, so I can continue to do the work that I love.

I'll release the special sale to my email list first, so please join it if you are interested 😊