Hi Phil, thanks for your good wishes. We certainly will enjoy the break. With regard to the arm, it's improving slowly. They said it would take about 2 years to really be back to normal. Perhaps you would like to see pics of it . Top is a print of my first x-ray after the op., showing the pins and support rods through the bones and the other was taken almost 3 months later. The tendon & nerve damage are still bothersome but I can cope. So glad it wasn't my painting arm though. Hope you don't find this too gruesome.