Gents,
Sorry for the long delay here in updating this thread (and project!). I have a bit of a story to share.
In early 2020 I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This is a very serious form of cancer related to bone marrow and blood - basically, your body can't tell the difference between healthy cells and cancerous cells and the cancerous cells proliferate at a rapid rate. It's 100% fatal if left untreated. Even with good treatment it's about 60-70% fatal. I spent much of 2020 in hospital with several month-long hospital stays for treatments including chemotherapy culminating in a stem cell bone marrow transplant in early October. Needless to say it was a difficult fight with a lot of pain and discomfort, wasting of the body, sickness/nausea, despair, ICU delirium, etc. I very nearly died several times. This all happened during the onset of covid so no visitors for much of the time. It was horrible to say the least.
I'm through it now, recovering well, and cancer-free. I'm so thankful to have my health coming back and some semblance of a normal life returning. I had great doctors and treatment facilities, and a lot of luck on my side. I'm just now getting out to the garage for some small jobs and loving the experience.
This has been a life changing journey and I've acquired some life wisdom from the experience. Don't take your health for granted, and be thankful for all that you have, especially the people in your life that care about you, and whom you care about. Take some joy in being alive every day, and be a decent and thoughtful person towards your fellow human being. Be respectful and genuine in your words, and be kind - kind to those less fortunate than you, and kind to those who deserve it.
Back to the regular programming. I hope to complete my Lotus frankenstein project in 2021/2022 and be on the road with a smile on my face before too long.