Earlier this year, I read a statement by a famous American food blogger that went something along the lines of: “No way I’m going to put a post up on my blog every day!”

I know how she feels … sort of.

In the first few years of CTS, a post a week was the go.

In the past couple of years, it’s a rare thing if I don’t publish at least three or four.

There’s been no particular, ambitious gameplan about that.

It’s just become part of my routine – a bit like breathing, really.

Some of it comes down to  chemistry.

No matter how tired, depressed, anxious or otherwise uptight I am, once I start editing, cropping and uploading photographs, set the post up and write that first paragraph, it’s like shots of adrenalin and serotonin boogie through my system.

Sets me up for the day ahead, that does!

The fact that people – no matter how few or how many – are interested in reading what I write has seemed like some sort of righteous magic, a miracle even, ever since I started banging out words in my mid-teens.

Well, that hectic CTS pace is about to change – but hopefully only for a short while!

Within a few hours, I will be having surgery that I’m told will take at least three hours and as many as six.

Remarkably, and all going well, I should be home not too many hours after that!

But things will be a bit, um, strange for a while.

There’ll be stitches to heal and I’ll have a catheter feeding into a bag strapped to one of my legs.

So driving and anything strenuous will be out for a couple of weeks.

I won’t be housebound exactly, but food adventures are likely to be thin on the ground – though wonderful pals have made it clear they’re keen to bring good stuff to me.

One thing I am looking forward to is the wrap-up of the CTS highlights for 2015.

Given the circumstances, I’m planning on making that longer, more self-indulgent, nuttier and – hopefully, maybe – even more interesting than usual.

I’ve disabled comments on this post so those who have already expressed their love, goodwill and support don’t feel obliged to do so again.

I’ll be back phishing for comments, feedback and interesting dialogue in a flash! 🙂