Ahoy there mates! An update is waaaaay overdue, so please accept my apologies for such a long stretch of radio silence.
It’s now more than five months since I reported the sad news that my daughter was rediagnosed with cancer, and she remains ‘under the doctor’. Indeed, I am writing this from the hospital room that has been our place of residence this weekend.
While there is light at the end of the tunnel for the poor girl, there are some certain bumps ahead as she undergoes the final stage of treatment, which features high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell replacement treatment. She’s likely to be in hospital continually for another month at least until her little body has fully recovered. As of right now, though, she’s in good spirits, so we can’t complain too much.
She had surgery in mid-December, but complications meant she needed to spend Christmas and New Year in hospital, which meant very little seasonal cheer at Columbophile HQ. We didn’t even put the tree up, and a turkey roast was out of the question…
Hospital time, allied with work commitments and lack of heart have sorely diminished my enthusiasm for casual writing, hence the lack of new content in recent months. My first post of each year would normally be to chronicle the Columbo stars that sadly left us over the previous 12 months, but I simply haven’t been following events closely enough to have done the subject justice.
My sincere thanks for the many hundreds of thoughtful messages and well wishes on this site since August. I’m aware that several kind folk have also emailed me, but alas I only sporadically check in nowadays, so have found time to reply to very few. Apologies once more…
I haven’t even been active on social channels these past few months but will endeavour to do better in 2024 (although I’ve pretty much ditched Twitter due to the ruinous impact that IDIOT Elon Musk has had on the platform since his ill-fated takeover).
That’s about all I have to report, folks. Rest assured the love for the Lieutenant remains strong, even if I’ve been unable to clearly demonstrate that in recent times.
I wish you all a very belated Happy New Year. Here’s hope 2024 will be a good one for us all.
Belated best wishes. This is a few months later. Hope things are going better. We’re rooting for you and your loved ones. [hugs]
Ouch, just caught up since I discovered your blog late. Good to hear the kid’s on the mend, though, and I hope everything goes for the best for you and yours. 🙂
All the best wishes to you and your family and hope your daughter is better soon
Much love to you and your daughter. And big thank you for all the work you’ve done on this site!
PS…The first years I did write about enjoying when first on air the initial years of Columbo, but as watching reruns of the later years, I realized many kind of immature episodes – touchy, noisy, overacting, party pre-filming evident influence – so I have views contrary fans – but would urge (myself too) people to refrain from politics on sites like Columbo – one is no better than another of either main party – but should not denigrate one for being of certain views, then if they were part of their party – that same person might be on a pedestal. I do appreciate views that many like the series – somehow though as I became older I felt that Peter Falk maybe had to much influence – and The Last Salute was the ultimate poor show along with a few others.
Wishing your whole family the very best.
Started watching Columbo on 5USA here in Uk every Sunday since 2020 lockdowns. And love your blogs and comments that follow.
Today 5USA have changed Sunday schedule and only one Columbo today. Gonna have to get a box set.
Getting the box set was the best thing I’ve done! Columbo right at your finger tips! Worth every penny…enjoy!
You and your girl are very much in our hearts, CP.
Dear friend across the pond,
My daughter is also battling, and I can’t express enough understanding and empathy for everything you are going through. I want to thank you for this immense blog, for all your hard work, and for finding the strength to even share words of optimism in such challenging times.
No one knows what the future holds, but we have the present, and I have only one wish: that our daughters are healthy.
Sending a big hug from Valencia, Spain.
All the best to you and your family too, Miguel. Take care!
CP, I am touched that you think of us when you have so much preying on your mind. Please do what is important for your family and we will be here whenever you come back.
Very best wishes to your beloved daughter.
Happy New Year, CP! It’s good to hear from you again. Deeply hope that your daughter is her old self soon.
Write again when you feel you have something.
In episode “Troubled Waters”, what is the title of the book Melissa is reading in the sick bay?
A few years ago, in this blog, I read that it was entitled The Consciousness of Creation.
Sounds like quite a profound book!
I used to know! It’s something recognizable. I’ll find out.
Very best wishes and prayers from our family to yours. Your girl is an impressive young thing!
Really appreciate your sharing an update even though things have been so tough. Don’t worry at all about not posting, we continue to enjoy all the existing content here but were just thinking of you today and wondering how things were going. Hope this is going to be a good year for you all.
Sending you and your daughter all of the strength, love and support that’s needed. She sounds like a very strong girl! And you’re even stronger for staying positive through it all. I think I speak for all of us when I say that family emergencies take precedence over anything else. Take care of yourself. We’ll still be here when you return.
best wishes and prayers for your family. your blog has provided me with much entertainment and lots to think and laugh about over the years. and you’re the king of captions!
B
Which episode is that where he’s looking over the fence? Thanks for update.
It’s Butterfly in Shades of Grey (feat. William Shatner)
Best wishes again for your daughter and your family during these difficult times. Hoping for a complete second remission and no absorbable sutures used in the wrong place.
The very best of luck and blessings to you and especially your daughter!
I’ve been reading your blog as I rewatch the series thanks to the Kino Lorber Blu-Ray set, and I’m really enjoying it. Looking forward to reading more when you’re able to get to it. Best wishes to you and your family.