This week we begin with a little self-indulgence through an extension of thanks to the medical, nursing and hospital staff who provided me with wonderful care during my five weeks in the Launceston General Hospital.
Sadly during that stay Australian sport learned of the passing after a magnificent innings spanning 95 years of one of the nation's trail-blazing sports administrators - Clive Lee.
"CD" or "Whiskers" as he was most affectionately known courtesy of his prolific mutton chops and handlebar moustache was a generation ahead of his time. He was a superb networker - well before the term came into parlance.
His family migrated from Britain in the 1950s and virtually from day one in his new country Clive was active in sport. With his father and brother he grew a successful soccer club at Eastwood in Sydney's northern suburbs from scratch - an achievement of which he remained extremely proud.
But it was in athletics at local, state, national and international level where his mark was most emphatically made - throughout a long professional career in NSW before his retirement to Tasmania with wife Liz in the early 2000s.
As recently as the 1970s, Clive made his substantial contribution to sport as honorary secretary of NSW athletics. So significant that work was that the sport in that state outgrew voluntary management - for there was way too much to achieve.
He became one of Australia's first full-time employees in amateur sport when he was appointed executive officer of NSWAAA. He was always respectful of tradition but occasionally drew the line when that threatened the progress sport had to make.
When the women's association in NSW appeared to be dallying in amalgamating with the men's body, Clive began offering registration to females. Many responded positively especially to the carrot of being able to compete in events until then the sole domain of males such as hammer throw and triple jump - probably becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to do so.
For whatever reason the merger soon occurred.
Clive was for sure a traditionalist but as with that move, he was open to making the sensible decisions which athletics needed to remain relevant. In this regard he did not oppose the move, driven by the even more pragmatic Tasmanian Graeme Briggs, to end the division in the sport in Australia between amateurs and professionals in 1985.
He was one of those who saw the possibilities that mass participation running could deliver for the sport and the general community, playing a major role in the instigation and growth of Sydney's City to Surf - now the globe's biggest fun run.
Whilst his focus was largely on the participation, he was also a deep thinker about what was needed for the country's elite athletes. Growing up he witnessed first-hand the big advantage that European athletes had by virtue of continental championships, availability of inter-country matches and a world circuit totally based in Europe.
By contrast, Australians had only the Olympic and Commonwealth Games every two years. Once again he was a driving force - helping to form the Pacific Conference Games organisation designed to provide a new international opportunity for the best and emerging Australian athletes every three years.
The PCG served its purpose. By the time it was done new global events like the World Cup and World Championships had emerged and provided even better solutions to the original problem.
Clive's profile was always high - undoubtedly due to his achievements and most probably on account of those whiskers - but much of his work was under the radar.
When it came to the Sydney Olympics instead of taking on a VIP hosting role which would have been an option, Clive chose to work behind the scenes within the Oceania National Olympic Committee group to ensure that the smaller Pacific nations maximised the benefits of an Olympics they could never dream of hosting themselves.
Personally we collaborated often - trying to be as innovative as possible but always respecting historical significance. In 40 years I think we clashed only once - almost right at the beginning.
Like so many others in athletics, I shall be eternally grateful.
