tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31389354085674221952024-02-07T09:35:26.828+00:00Somewhere West of CentreSuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-72974326705820405522018-02-28T18:21:00.001+00:002018-03-01T10:49:19.811+00:00Me...Art School and beyond.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After failing to graduate in Law in the 1980s, as touched upon in my last blog. I always thought I would one day return to Higher Education and complete a degree as a mature student.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Art, I wanted to do Art. As a child, I was known as the family 'artist'. Not just by my immediate family, but extended family too. In fact, each generation had it's artist, usually a child from the next generation, nurturing... I was my parents', my girls, are my generation's...whether they like it or not! I did pretty pictures in those childhood 'artist' days. Portraits and animals...for family to take away. Art school don't do 'Pretty' pictures...can't handle them, you won't get an art degree 'doing' pretty pictures!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I was in my thirties, 1998 to be precise, my eldest daughter established and happy in the local infant school, I had a bit more time to myself.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I started a
local course called Women - job or career? Just twice a week, in a side
room at the playgroup where I already volunteered and my youngest daughter attended. These kind of community courses, in my case, during my daughter's playgoup hours anyway, are so good for Mums. Long may they continue. The course was aimed at giving women the confidence to go back in the work force.</span> Instead of it pointing me personally, towards employment, I felt it had given me drive to go back into higher or further education. I had a small, but reliable network of friends as 'fall-back' childcare if Mum couldn't look after the girls. They would be at school all day anyway. My youngest daughter was due to start reception class in the September. I enrolled at a local Access to Communicating Arts course, the college has since amalgamated or closed, not sure which. Access courses were to give people the tools to return to education after a long break from the system. There were two women on my course, unfortunately it soon came about, that I was the only woman - always a minority. I befriended a particularly outspoken lesbian feminist, one of my lecturers. During my course, I applied to study Fine Art, via UCCA, and other local art degrees. I could only apply to local universities because I had a family - no Slade School for me! Graphics among the courses. I wasn't really interested in design, but it is nice to earn something. Both UWE and Bath Spa have good reputations for Art, and were quite near my home. I could drop the girls off at school and still make 9 o'clocks at either establishment without having to put my foot down, too much. Actually, I hadn't passed my driving test yet, so was having to rely on the local bus service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had an interview at UWE for Graphics. Off I go to the Arty Bower Ashton Campus, with my portfolio and some photos from my Access Course. The interview starts really well. A one to one with a softly spoken lady who seemed genuinely interested. Then in walks Black T-shirt Man. He asked, would I have a </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">problem selling certain things, acting for the client? With the Lecturer Lesbian Feminist whisp</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ering in my ear 'Be true to yourself', I admitted that yes, some advertising disturbed me. It had nothing to do with being a feminist and everything to do with being the Mother of Daughters. The objectifying of women, the use of the female body and unobtainable sexual gratification to sell products, well, mainly, to men, the body-shaming of girls. I hoped to change attitudes from the inside. I had been Women's Officer at the college for my Access Course. No one else wanted to do it. My Lesbian Feminist friend persuaded me to fill the post. Black T-Shirt Man didn't like me, softly spoken lady had physically and spiritually, taken a back seat in the interview. 'Let me look at your photos...' He said. He found a particular image of my daughter playing with a toy gun and a doll...we had been looking at gender in lectures and yes, it was obvious. But not posed, I had literally given my daughter a toy gun and a doll and snapped away. I had the image with me, because I had developed the photo myself in the dark room. It was a good finished product, showing my ability to develop an image from negative to final print. He went to town. 'What is this supposed to represent?' He said pointing at the gun. I gave him the facts as above, unposed, developing, etc. He would not back down. 'What is it?' I had no idea what he was getting at. He kept tapping the image, tapping the toy gun. Anyone who knows me, knows that if you back me into a corner, I start to get smart and sassy. Sometimes I lash out. Here goes...'What do you think it represents?' Oh NO! I'd blown it! I thought that was a good critical art response. He was puce. 'It's obvious, isn't it?' He glanced at softly-spoken for moral support. I thought, is it? I said nothing. 'It's quite obviously a penis!' He finally said. Ha! I could hear Lesbian Feminist falling off her chair in laughter...the old 'penis envy'!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'I hadn't thought about it like that.' I said. I genuinely hadn't. It was a toy gun, the model was my daughter, penises had never entered the conversation before. My daughter told me she was pretending to be James Bond...the plot thickens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'Ok, I think we've seen enough...' said Black T-shirt man. I started to pack my work away. Eighteen years to get here, dismissed by a toy gun. If he had come to that interview ready to belittle me and put me in my place, he had succeeded. Bravo!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I relayed the conversation to my Feminist lecturer. she was sad. 'I thought Freud had largely been discredited.' She said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obviously, I would not be studying Graphics at UWE anytime soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now this goes back to the last blog, this is the truth. I can't remember that man's name, and I don't care. I never want to see him again.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ok, looking at
this now, I can see what he is saying, but I hadn't thought of it
before, honestly. I guess daughter is the one to ask, not me, she said
she was being James Bond, she was 6. I don't think she was mimicking
having a penis! But there were ways of addressing this without sounding so misogynistic. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn't get on a course at the first stage of university applications. I had to go through clearing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bath Spa had vacancies on its Creative Arts Degree. You had to do two different areas from the Arts. The options were Art, Dance, Music, Drama, Textiles and Creative writing. I had English Literature A Level, and had dabbled a bit in creative writing, stories, poems, just privately, so I applied to study Art and Creative Writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had an interview. Two black t-shirt Men this time. An art lecturer, the then head of department, in fact, and the photography lecturer. Is this black t-shirt thing an unspoken uniform? They were very pleasant. 'Did they want to see my poetry?' 'Nah, not their department and the Creative writing people hadn't sent anyone to interview me.' As far as they were concerned, I fitted the criteria and was I sure I was good to go in September? Good to go? 'Yes, you have young children, don't you?' 'Will childcare be an issue?' ' Um, no that was all sorted. Were they offering me a place?' 'Well that is the general idea of this interview, do you want it?' The head of department had a good sense of humour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was ecstatic, beside myself. I was going to study Art. I was going to be an Artist. My husband and family were really pleased for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The course on the art side was mainly made up of women in a similar position to me. Missed out on art straight from school, had families, not all but most, and now doing something for themselves. I felt safe. The course wasn't perfect but I liked it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The creative writing element had young people too. Excellent, some fresh blood. As well as two Arts subjects, I had to take an additional module for the first two years...Cultural studies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started in September 2000, and passed my driving test in November. This gave me more time after the school drop. I could drive comfortably to campus, from school gate to art studio in twenty minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will talk about my Art experience in more detail in another blog. </span><br />
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Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-54129139687207149992018-02-25T14:59:00.000+00:002018-02-26T18:39:22.706+00:00The Funny Thing About Truth!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THis morning's 'Midnight-Oil Meal' - natural greek yoghurt, black pepper, simple, cheap, delicious!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Funny thing, truth...I was brought up believing that as long as you told the truth, you had nothing to worry about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No, no, no, truth is far more complicated than that...you also need PERMISSION!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Names, facts, you can't just use them willy-nilly! You need to ask. So you can't just use a person's real name, or maybe you can...any armchair lawyers out there who can tell me??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me stress here, no-one yet is threatening a lawsuit (an Americanism we Brits now embrace!), but just recently this blog and my Instagram account have taken on a bit of a life of their own, and I always use real names except for my nearest and dearest where I use euphemisms (love that word!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">COPYRIGHT ...another beauty. I own the copyright on this stuff, that I know. I borrow from time to time, I try to always say where I've borrowed from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ALLEGEDLY, I studied Law over a period of several years...that is true. Never really known why, something to do with TRUTH, don't kid yourself, law and truth, they are not the same thing!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I should know all these things, but I gave up on law, and it on me, back in the 1980s, when all law was really about was the MONEY...still is.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyway, I digress... It occurred to me in the wee hours that my best friends never met Beverley, she was part of my truth before we met. And I'm not sure, if I ever talked about her to them. It seems odd that two women who are like Sisters to me, should not know someone who was so fundamental to the makeup of my character, to the true me. There will be lots of these TRUTH posts...you will be bored. That's all for now and some irrelevant images. because a good blog, (Self evaluation!) has to have images too...see you soon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfMl9f9lPIDSQ-XFCLJ-tdC1xuOryTR-mVqhUOq9BkrbI4zdy1YVBrINbvqSSY-3tOKym5MZh7tDdjoEf0-hG1rDbKE9nwmiFfk5Qwb-k_grKJhXDOnlnRZGehHivWIfNHIBpw3smMqQ/s1600/InkedIMG_20180225_042027589_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfMl9f9lPIDSQ-XFCLJ-tdC1xuOryTR-mVqhUOq9BkrbI4zdy1YVBrINbvqSSY-3tOKym5MZh7tDdjoEf0-hG1rDbKE9nwmiFfk5Qwb-k_grKJhXDOnlnRZGehHivWIfNHIBpw3smMqQ/s400/InkedIMG_20180225_042027589_LI.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bristol Bier Keller...does it still exist???German bier swilling to music, early eighties stuff. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span> </span><br />
<br />Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-24839684465964088312018-02-10T11:12:00.000+00:002018-02-10T11:12:29.195+00:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today is my Birthday. I'm 56 years old. For the past two years, fifteen weeks and four days, I have been in a passive aggressive relationship with 'incurable' Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. Next Friday, February 16th, I will undergo surgery for removal of a 3.5cm tumour in my left cerebellum, which may or may not be a metastasis from the Ovarian Cancer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Occasionally in life, people are given a 'wake-up call' - an incident, or event, so catastrophic, so shocking, that we are made to take 'stock', to slow down and say 'Hey, wait a minute...' </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If we are lucky, we see it for what it is and we start to make changes...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The British Royal Family had it with the tragic death of Princess Diana, the world had it with the surreal unfolding of the Twin Towers. Some people take note, some don't...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am lucky, I have been given two chances, this is my second...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some souls never get to say those things they really wanted to say, do those things that they really wanted, had, to do...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1973, I started at a local mixed sex Comprehensive school in Bath, UK, The Ralph Allen School. I had come from a tiny C. of E. village school, with only six children in my year. We had been split 50/50 between two tutor groups at Ralph Allen, I was in Mrs. Dear's group with two 'best buddies' from my school, Debbie and Ruth, and my best friend from Primary, Andrea, had been put in the other group with Chris, and my cousin, Paul. I was out on my own, vulnerable, without my older friend to mother me. We were only in these groups for registration and assembly and then we were split into classes. Ralph Allen was a comprehensive but it did use some academic streaming. I was in the 'top' stream, which had two classes. I was in the lower class, 1P, of the stream, the top class was 1H. After a few weeks it was clear that the streaming needed some rejigging - 1P and H were to be merged into two new classes - 1PH and 1HP, naturally!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The stage was set. I didn't have to move, the seat next to me was empty. Into the classroom came maybe 15 new kids, the 'top' 'H-ers', all bright and bouncy and smiling, and out filed the exiled old 'P's.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A blonde girl, maybe two three inches taller than me, came rushing to my desk. She was warm and vibrant and happy. 'Hi, I'm Beverley, you're Sue. My Mum knows your Mum. We were born on the same ward. I'm a day older than you!'</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That was it! Friends, inseparable. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley Rowe - blonde, confident, warm - my best friend.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had never known anyone like Beverley before. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Very soon we we're having sleepovers at her house.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her Mum and Dad had their own modern house on the Wells Road.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She had her own bedroom, tiny, but it had it's own fitted white furniture, with lots of drawers and mirrors and secret compartments and make-up. I shared my bedroom with my two sisters.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Mum and Dad were proud, strict, Working Class, who wouldn't accept charity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her Mum and Dad were middle class, aspirational, office types - with a drinks cabinet!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I spent so much time with her. Just growing up. I loved her mum, so laid back and warm and stylish. Her Dad, on the other hand, always seemed uptight, in a hurry, out to prove something and really skinny! (Perhaps, I'm being unfair with hindsight.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley knew everything about life. She was a rebel, a free spirit.We would go shopping on Saturdays together. We had a Saturday job, together. We went roller skating, together, wearing our 'wonderbras' and 'airforceblue' jeans, and tartan Bay City Roller Scarves (pretending they were for Rod Stewart, of course, more street cred!) We shared clothes and stories, and dreams and the occasional casual boyfriend, Dave!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to the Odd Down Youth Club and snuck out to get chips! My Dad would have been so angry!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She told me about periods, about tampons, about french kissing, pop music - we were a soul or 50s rock music home. She told me about smoking, drugs, sex...boys. How she knew all these things? I will never know, but she did, and she had less than 24 hours on me!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley was my constant, always there, always dependable, like the core of my left cerebellum, my left arm. We never fought, ever! She never criticised me, even </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">when I </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">didn't return her make-up, or was late, or didn't turn up at all, or didn't stand up for her when I should have. She only ever supported and encouraged me. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley had a lisp. When she was younger, she used to worry about it. By the time she was in her mid-teens, she just didn't care anymore. I never really thought about it much.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And for five blissful years, that was my life. In the mid 1970s, Ralph Allen School 'lost' funding for it's sixth form - the politics of this, I never knew, but it meant that anyone showing aspirations to study 'A' levels, had to move on. It was the age of 'equal rights', single sex schools would be a thing of the past. Beverley and I had a plan, we would go to Culverhay Boys School - near my old village so my Mum could take us. You could only go to the school of the opposite sex, if they offered subjects not offered by the equivalent girls' state school. I was going to do Law and Sociology - a 'lefty' in the making. Literally a couple of weeks before we were due to start the sixth form, after the induction, Beverley got cold feet and pulled out. I never really knew why, she was having second thoughts and thinking that maybe, nursing might be more her thing, she was dating a boy from the other school, Beechen Cliff, I think, it all got a bit muddy there - 'But Bev...All those boys!' No, she wasn't going to be convinced, but she supported me anyway and said 'You're going!'</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We drifted slightly, stayed in touch, met for the occasional drink...then I went off to University. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the early 1980s we had a couple of polite fun meet-ups, including a school reunion in The Crystal Palace, where the sleazy boys from Batheaston were still trying to get into our pants! No, they never did! She told me she had a special guy in her life. Tony, she loved him, I could tell. I told her about my boyfriend, and she seemed impressed - I may not have landed a degree but I did have a Junior Doctor!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had crashed and burned at Uni, taken a golden opportunity and blown it! In the early eighties, I struggled to find a 'decent' job and started working part-time for Tie-Rack in Bath. One evening in my bedroom at home, I had moved into my Brother's old room at the front of the house, a tiny box room, but mine, that fronted onto the only lane in and out of my village, I couldn't sleep. There was a motorbike outside making a hell of a racket, going round and round and revving up. Only there wasn't, several times I looked, the lane was empty. I was dreaming. I spoke to my family the next day, no-one else had heard a thing. I told my boyfriend...I must have been dreaming.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> A few mornings later, cold November, I was sat in the car at the bus stop with my Mum, outside the Crossways Inn, waiting for the bus to take me to Tie-Rack. In my mid twenties and still relying on my Mum and Dad to chauffeur me everywhere. We put the radio on, unusually, the local station, we would normally listen to Radio 1. There had been a serious accident on that Road, with fatalities, the bus would be late. I knew, at that moment, like a bolt, that it was Beverley. I turned to my Mum and said 'Oh my God, I think it's Beverley...'</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley had visited her Mum and Dad that evening with Tony to announce their engagement. They had left on his motorbike, and had been involved in an accident with a car. There were no other witnesses. Beverley's body was found thrown some distance from the road in a field belonging to my Dad's employer. I hope she was already dead. I hope she never suffered.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we were in English, at school, Beverley had written a story where she was being cremated. She had been in a motorbike accident and they were cremating her. But she wasn't dead. She was trying to scream out to them, but the music got louder, nobody could hear her, the casket shut and...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They cremated Beverley and scattered her ashes on Tony's grave.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverley's favourite record was 'Stairway to Heaven'. When we piled into my friend's car after the funeral, the first song on the radio, was Stairway to Heaven...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went to Beverley's Mum and Dad's house. Her Mum showed us photos of when we had slept in a tent in her garden and the 'boys' from our class had gate-crashed! It felt surreal, so un-Beverley.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I never saw Beverley's Mum again after that. It hurt too much. I am deeply ashamed. I loved her Mum.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you knew Beverly Rowe, of Ralph Allen, then you know me! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wonder what she would make of the past thirty or so years...still supporting me probably.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR YESTERDAY, BEV!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I loved you.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I always will xxx </span></span><br />
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<br />Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-21342335118832460992016-01-31T20:01:00.000+00:002016-01-31T20:01:28.123+00:00Sick of January's Cancer? Part 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So cold January carries on relentlessly. The seemingly <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">un</span>ending <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">month after the excitement of December. Never compromising, making us pay for the excesses of the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">festive season</span> and our journey so far...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Goodbye<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Terry. I wasn't expecting to add you here. Honorary Brit, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sir Tel from Limerick...</span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR35bz48fN3wUA2pIw2AwTFxBtdJ9ckSry5Cigqd71aHyCaPMdlu6ywIp2_t6TZDObqZ7HaEUjNJ4Yici1e37Sogq5TixneJBSonfrt2vQH8xsQ6Ba1tZ7NmhOp_lqSXH2ekqPDtSjxI/s1600/SirTel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR35bz48fN3wUA2pIw2AwTFxBtdJ9ckSry5Cigqd71aHyCaPMdlu6ywIp2_t6TZDObqZ7HaEUjNJ4Yici1e37Sogq5TixneJBSonfrt2vQH8xsQ6Ba1tZ7NmhOp_lqSXH2ekqPDtSjxI/s1600/SirTel.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/31/terry-wogan-dies-aged-77">Terry Wogan</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35453541">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35453541</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I
think I mentioned before, in my November post, that Hubby is in the 'trade', so after my dearest friends<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> left us on January 14th, </span>he explained <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the recent</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">progression of my cancer</span> to his Brother, who has also suffered from
cancer. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I haven't told you, Blog reader, either about the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">December news</span></span>.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>After my operation, but before my chemotherapy started, I had
a routine CT scan of my chest. There were a few problems before th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e</span> scan, because, in my usual 'nothing is ever straight forward for me<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">' s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tyle,
I had a minor reaction to the contrast dye used for my first CT scan in
October. This had gone unreported from one NHS Trust to the one that
was now treating <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">me, because the former Trust had not considered <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">it to be a serious reaction</span>. So when I told <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the</span></span></span></span> radiographer what had happened, he was naturally reluctant to gi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ve me the contrast in case I had a<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">stronger reaction on my second exposure</span>. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then followed</span> lots of telephone discussions <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">between<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>the radio<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">grapher, (the technician who t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">akes the actual scan), the radiologists, </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(the specialist doct<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ors who 'read' the scan<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">) both at m<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y</span> current NHS Trust a<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nd the referring one</span>, my<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> consultant oncologist, and my husband, (man in the 'trade')<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, I was sat on the edge of the scan couch, swinging my legs, and contemplating my fail<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ure
thus far to engage in any Christmas shopping. The radiographer asked me
if I would be more comfortable waiting in the area outside the room
whilst they decided my fate<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> So I escaped outside to the corridor to ponder whet<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he</span>r I could have just <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">delayed</span> joining the Cancer train until after Christmas<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's all about the timing...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I</span>t was eventually decided to proceed with the scan without <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the</span> contrast. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A</span>pparently</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> t</span>he finer blood vessels would not be as clear in the images but they<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> all considered it to be sufficiently clear to see what was need<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ed
to be seen. The general consensus was that it wouldn't make any
difference to my initial course of treatment if the scan revealed</span></span></span></span></span></span> anything, and they weren't really expecting it to show anything sinister anyway. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I lay back on the couch and let the machine do it's stuff. This was mid-November.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3JieSIbRmAdrtz7eWe2-hC7QLK4MaEEdantmTfp88Hop13QAYiTAtFfoLQkybQQL22uRJRIkv6AoVMuUnALrHo3supVUsIYm4C8vdxZ3ScWKznqlGyyDj5Zd9XbHYXXPF9crcJf4vp0/s1600/ChemoCycle1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3JieSIbRmAdrtz7eWe2-hC7QLK4MaEEdantmTfp88Hop13QAYiTAtFfoLQkybQQL22uRJRIkv6AoVMuUnALrHo3supVUsIYm4C8vdxZ3ScWKznqlGyyDj5Zd9XbHYXXPF9crcJf4vp0/s320/ChemoCycle1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Following the scan, I</span> attended my Introductory Clinic a few days later and had my f<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">irst
course of Chemotherapy on 25th November. I was very nervous and
convinced that I would have some kind of reaction to the drugs<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> if </span>my <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">previous
experiences had been anything to go by. Hubby was equally nervous and
watched me like a hawk for the first hour or so. The whole course of
treatment lasted <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">seven and a half hours<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I hadn't taken into account the pre-meds and the saline flushes between each drug and after the final drug. </span></span>But it all pas<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">sed</span> very smooth<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ly<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span>I even managed a snooze and to finish<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> reading a book that<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">had become a millstone...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">C</span>hemotherapy session is day one of the three week treat<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ment cycle. So this was day one of my ther<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">apy
and armed with a mountain of drugs supplied by the clinic for every
conceivable home-treatable side effect, I went home expecting all sorts
of awful medi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">cal problems in the days ahead. But </span></span></span></span>I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">was</span> relatively free of side effects <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">during the first chemo cycle, apart from feeling as high as a kite on the steroids for <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a</span> couple of days and then coming down to earth with the shock of my hair beginning to thin. Of course, there w<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as
still the ongoing battle with trapped wind which had continued to
plague me since the operation, but nothing this cycle threw at me seemed
to<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">o <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">unmanageable<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">w</span>ith the exception of my thinning hair</span></span></span></span> ~ I wasn't ready for that yet. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">F</span>eeling <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">lucky to have come through round one <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fairly unscathed, </span></span>I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">had put all thoughts of five year survival rates out of my mind and believed I was going to be fine. </span>I had felt fit and well, and confident that I would come out the otherside with a few scars but otherwise cured. </span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I didn't get the results of November's chest scan until just before the
second cycle of chemo in December. At the second pre-assessment clinic,
the consultant told me the news. I wasn't expecting it at all. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The chest
scan showed enlarged lymph nodes beyond my abdominal cavity, one node
in particular, near my left clavicle was huge. I had first become aware
of that lymph node in my first chemo session. I could feel it, about the
size of a golf ball just sticking out above my collar bone. The scan
also revealed I had fluid between my lungs and chest wall and several
nodules on my chest wall. I also had a small amount of fluid around my
heart. All things considered, it was bad news. My consultant wanted to
introduce another drug, Avastin, to my therapy. I would have this drug
for sixteen sessions, every three weeks, starting with the second
session of my existing drugs. Avastin is the brand name, the drug name
is Bevacizumab, which I have no idea how to pronounce, so I call it
Avastin. This drug targets the new blood vessels that form around cancer cells and starves them of oxygen
thus shrinking existing tumours and preventing cells from forming
secondary tumours. He said that it meant they were no longer looking to
cure me, but to contain the cancer. I would have adjuvant therapy rather
than curative. If I had seven to ten years without a secondary tumour
forming, he would take that and be very happy. I'm pleased that he would
be happy, but I'm not sure if I have the skill to put into words how I
feel to know that I am no longer being treated to be cured of cancer,
but being treated to delay the inevitable. My consultant assured me that
this wasn't palliative treatment - but what's in a name? The cancer
will get me eventually, unless of course, something else does.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My
parents were with me at the clinic. I could feel my lovely Mum's tears
roll down her cheeks as though they were my own. I could see my dear
Dad's heartache and anguish in his face as he struggled to take this in.
I wanted to stand up and hug them both and take away their pain, and
laugh: 'Don't be silly, I'm going to be fine!" But right then I
couldn't. I was trying to think of the right questions to ask, and
thinking why hadn't I insisted Mum and Dad stay outside and that Hubby
had come instead. At least this way, I was saved one awful job - of
breaking the news to them myself. When I left the consultant's room, I
turned the corner to leave the Day Unit, and for the first time since my
initial diagnosis, I broke down in public. Just momentarily, I lost
control. And not for the first time in my life, my wonderfully strong
parents rescued me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFsseCz371CNgOy7Tl8yMEktdAG0Es_R7NttThNTO3BpCoIFhuuGW2DR55S3OT61FlHKmBIRL6gJVJ_3ay28w5hyw8hDNF0fWnanHgSJhjo1o3kxsAgddvcJ6RIOQr6-k2y47telb-Zk/s1600/MeMumDadpostOp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFsseCz371CNgOy7Tl8yMEktdAG0Es_R7NttThNTO3BpCoIFhuuGW2DR55S3OT61FlHKmBIRL6gJVJ_3ay28w5hyw8hDNF0fWnanHgSJhjo1o3kxsAgddvcJ6RIOQr6-k2y47telb-Zk/s320/MeMumDadpostOp.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I
called Hubby from the car and relayed as much as I had taken in from
the meeting with my consultant. He decided to call the consultant to get
a clearer picture. I went home, and whilst my Mum and Dad had a quiet
moment to themselves, I told my daughters. I tried to stick to what the
consultant had told me. First Born Darling Daughter was her usual quiet
contemplative self. Youngest Darling Daughter was very tearful, just as I
knew she would be. My parents tried to comfort the girls but it's hard
when you need comforting too. Then about an hour later, Hubby came home
and gave the girls the medical talk about the diagnosis. First Born was
quiet verging on angry and Youngest was distraught. When I came into the
room, I could tell they thought I was dying. 'I'm not dying now, but we
do all have to die one day, I just know now what will probably kill me...' Did
that comfort them, I don't think so, but it was the truth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The most painful part of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cancer <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">for me is having to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">share the bad news with the ones you lo<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ve...</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmo36bhKY78pYfsQSd5u_mHVlUDYBkQNbiu4jKB5LPoOeZFA0XoxZbZx7tcDBHzF0MEFqsd7DOrvL7O2Sb_1yjWTwc5bJny9SumagYZeZ8QqnB140YIogRh0fc9kOXoa5oa1n0wcNrew/s1600/PennyBrohn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmo36bhKY78pYfsQSd5u_mHVlUDYBkQNbiu4jKB5LPoOeZFA0XoxZbZx7tcDBHzF0MEFqsd7DOrvL7O2Sb_1yjWTwc5bJny9SumagYZeZ8QqnB140YIogRh0fc9kOXoa5oa1n0wcNrew/s320/PennyBrohn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pennybrohn.org.uk/">The Penny Brohn UK</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Earlier in the mo<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nth, Hubby had decided to book us into an Introductory Session at the <a href="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/what-we-offer/">Penny </a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/what-we-offer/">B</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/what-we-offer/">rohn</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/what-we-offer/"> UK</a>, a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cancer charity based near<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> to home, which offer<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s practical, physical and spiritual support to sufferers and their carers. Unfortunately we <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">were booked in the day after this latest news. Hubby and I went along, both full of fear and confusion about the future, and indeed, questioning how much future we had together. Emotions were raw. We shared our day with other sufferers and carers and as the day went by <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I certainly</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">managed to release some of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my</span> deepest anxieties and move toward some kind of spiritual <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">acceptance, and I think Hubby did too. But<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> on reflection, maybe we were still <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">finding <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e journey very hard.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I came home feeling drained, sad and accepting my possible fate, although full of plans of activities I would take up at Penny Brohn, one day in the 'future<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">', when<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> the effects of my operation had worn off</span></span>. I had to pick myself up and 'get positive'<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I had <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my second <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">cycle of chemo the next day, with my first session of Avastin.</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The second chemo session went well. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had decided that after receiving my news, I was actually no worse off tha<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">n</span> I had been before. In fact, I was better off<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> because I now had more information about my condition. And physically, I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">was</span> fairly fit and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">could</span></span></span> feel that the 'huge' lymph node in my neck had gone down a lot since the first chemo cycle. My<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> lovely Mum sat through the whole seven and half hours with me, only <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nodding off<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> once, and keeping my <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">drinks of water topped up, and my spirits high.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2kVhNC6eDi87Bkw0WQwja8a-UCCBRGPq-UerfRHp5c9pkF8fJSDEDvHmz35_5IUNK2iBqbynn3gXM8Qkcz3YvK86XMLLYUnQu4DKju6K09oz31t8vkvxC-w4sMjdLogHmSIAJrXzOWY/s1600/Chemo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2kVhNC6eDi87Bkw0WQwja8a-UCCBRGPq-UerfRHp5c9pkF8fJSDEDvHmz35_5IUNK2iBqbynn3gXM8Qkcz3YvK86XMLLYUnQu4DKju6K09oz31t8vkvxC-w4sMjdLogHmSIAJrXzOWY/s320/Chemo2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chemo Cycle 2</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We were now into mi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">d-December and my Christmas shopping still hadn't taken off. I wanted to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">make th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is Christmas 'normal' for my family<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I decided to unleash my purchasing power on the internet big time, because I did't know if I would be well enough to do any <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">instore shopping. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The second <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">c</span>ycle hit me heavier than the first<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. For the first few days, my feet were sore and my legs were shaky. I had a constant sickly sweet taste in my mouth. I fluctuated from bouts of extremely painful blocked wind and constipation to having to go to the loo several times a day. My gums became sore and I found it difficult to eat. And my hair came out in handfuls, but su<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ddenly <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">losing my hair seemed a small price to pay for maybe buying a bit more time with my <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">family and friends. Perspective was looming large<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. Luckily, the internet purchases started t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">o arrive and my <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">darling daughters bought what they could for me in the shops. I was ready for Christmas.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had never really prepared traditional Christmas lunch for<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Christmas Day. We had always <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">gone to my parents, or occassionally<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hubby's parents, for the day itself<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, and just because I was ill, I didn't want to impose myself on everyone's day <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">b</span>y suggesting a change now.</span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my girls were tiny, I had started our own tradition of having 'Christmas Lunch' at home on Christmas Eve. I wanted to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">carry on this year.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSPinqbVV7_tSsu4GQm3jVc4efmW7gMJO_vzEbRoqCSLVH1kPrfcqeiD3Oxg4UBSkiQVSgSrATPqBEVmsw0kboat4ArfMa9wAEzj6xT7diGToeDEE9jWfV-XINOEEGiXQHVG7mghpZ78/s1600/ChristmasGoose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSPinqbVV7_tSsu4GQm3jVc4efmW7gMJO_vzEbRoqCSLVH1kPrfcqeiD3Oxg4UBSkiQVSgSrATPqBEVmsw0kboat4ArfMa9wAEzj6xT7diGToeDEE9jWfV-XINOEEGiXQHVG7mghpZ78/s200/ChristmasGoose.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I ordered a goose from <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/?gclid=CNTY0cW-1MoCFarpwgodhsEGDg">Abel & Cole</a>. It was a beauty. I was so proud of myself and I think Hubby and the girls enjoyed our feast. We ate lots, we laughed lots and we were able to forget the other big <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'C' of the season.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhXnx2ixisnuE5jJju_8n5AHkTQpJ2QZ1tbUZORaL9_S6jeHSvoJ-PolXYXItIxRN_VpRENwBkhW2bcf3zrLlFhhkootyqoI9G0kUcGz6ceD5KrxwyUFKv7ab-Qwh5PDgaLoIbagS7Iw/s1600/ChristmasFeast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhXnx2ixisnuE5jJju_8n5AHkTQpJ2QZ1tbUZORaL9_S6jeHSvoJ-PolXYXItIxRN_VpRENwBkhW2bcf3zrLlFhhkootyqoI9G0kUcGz6ceD5KrxwyUFKv7ab-Qwh5PDgaLoIbagS7Iw/s320/ChristmasFeast.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Christmas Day was spent at my Big Sister's house, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(accommodating four genera<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tions of family had made the move <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">from my </span></span></span></span>Mum and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dad's home essential). Mum <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">still cooked the turkey, but <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Big <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sis did the veg with<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> help f<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ro</span>m her Hubby and my Brother and his Wife. And I cooked a Gammon <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">for the day, a fairly recent tradition<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> that I wasn't about to abandon so e<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">asily.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrZEyJe4T1g7KkeZ_MkCovuGS8cE4txYv1X41Z2xHwMHpUwWUlqssBKA5_kbC7NWWh5D1Wd-p-bFS0hHa-yGOwXpcYHeR_duP9ttAMi1wVnBGmHJ2-jEHLNZSF5g-g8qPkLe3JpNojlY/s1600/MeWigKatEm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrZEyJe4T1g7KkeZ_MkCovuGS8cE4txYv1X41Z2xHwMHpUwWUlqssBKA5_kbC7NWWh5D1Wd-p-bFS0hHa-yGOwXpcYHeR_duP9ttAMi1wVnBGmHJ2-jEHLNZSF5g-g8qPkLe3JpNojlY/s320/MeWigKatEm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With my gorgeous girls on Christmas Day, wearing my wig.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1692651351"></span><span id="goog_1692651352"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a lovely day. We all had fun. I wore my wig for only its second outing so far. I had to take a little snooze around about 5 ish, (two hours actually), before continuing with the festivities, but was really pleased to be well enough to enjoy the day. And I managed to only make my Mum and Dad cry briefly when they unwrapped their present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On Boxing Day, we headed down the motorway to my Hubby's parents. His youngest Brother and his family were visiting from France and we really wanted to catch up with them. I<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> had another enjoyable couple of days, although had a spell of feeling poorly on the second evening<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then it was back home to wait for the end<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> of the ye<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ar. Hubby was working New Year's Eve, so my family invited themselves over to my house <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and brought</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">New Year's Fe<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ast</span></span></span></span></span> with them. All I had to do was be here...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> it was January, and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cancer started to claim its notable victims. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cancer is a great leveller. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">W</span>hether your a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">p</span>op <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s</span>uperstar, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">an <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a</span>ward-winning <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a</span>ctor, a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fabulous entertainer, a high flying CEO or a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">normal housewife, it treats you all the same<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. Unforgiving, unrelenting. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">felt <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">helpless. I was <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">thinking about <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">finances and bucket lists and all the things you should sort in those closing years...if I had years.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncMwqDyfEYUX1_gZQqobEx3HuUCVp2FcMOkG-ep9B-lrjj1w5jkXwxKSLORazMauuiBYcUYIk2czV7EVjTcQtkJ8hHeppKm-Z2aPZTOQspAVvtWb75bsOKdpilntxYRgSBsiinqZZHGU/s1600/Cemo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncMwqDyfEYUX1_gZQqobEx3HuUCVp2FcMOkG-ep9B-lrjj1w5jkXwxKSLORazMauuiBYcUYIk2czV7EVjTcQtkJ8hHeppKm-Z2aPZTOQspAVvtWb75bsOKdpilntxYRgSBsiinqZZHGU/s400/Cemo3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I attended my third chemo cycle. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dad came along this time too. Everything went smoothly. I felt a little worse in the days that followed, but subsequent days were easier ~ no sore gums, no pain<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ful <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">wind, just a little dry skin, a mild nose bleed and a brief spe<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ll of diarrhoea. Only three rounds of the big drugs to go...</span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But do you know what...January isn't all doom and gloom<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Less than a week after <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chemo</span> 3, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my dearest friends were here.</span> They dragged me back to the now, to life and living. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Remember that third scan I said I had to go to following the cinema...you remember, way back in <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Part 1 of my saga!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, I had to have a b<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a</span>rium drink as a contrast for the scan and I would get the results on my Dad's Birthd<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ay.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next day, my friends left and Hubby's Brother arrived. We talked <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cancer a lot, but not in a depressing way. Factually and honestly, as only t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">wo sufferers can. Shared our experiences and helped<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> lift the spirits of Hubby and the girls by being honest. Hubby's parents visited the next day too and Hubby's Brother and Hubby's Mum prepared a lovely evening meal.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the Saturday, they all went <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">back to their homes and we were left to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">count down the days to the next chemo session.</span></span></span> </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pre<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">-assessment clinic date <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">arrived. Hubby came with me. I think we were both frightened to ask about the scan. Gloom had been the order of the month so far this January.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The doctor asked me about my side effects and talked about the failed port-a-cath and then broke the news of the scan...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'Well, it's good news'...was I hearing things. No<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, it really was good news. My lungs were clear, no nodules were still <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">visible</span>. M<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ost of the lymph nodes were no longer visible, except the large one near my clavicle which had shrunk considerably and may now be just chemo scar tissue. There <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">was negligible fluid <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">around <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">by heart, and that may be unrelated anyway and there <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">was a small mass in the abdomen near the site of the operation which the radiologist believed to be scar t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">issue. I could<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">n't believe it</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hubby was amazed. Did that mean I had gone down a grade or stage. Unfortunately not apparently but<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, hey, who cares ~ what's in a name. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The treatment was / is working!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I phoned m<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y parents from the car park - wished my Dad a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'Happy Birthday', then broke the news to him and Mum. Ecstat<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ic. What a Birthday gift for him. It's all about the timing.</span></span></span> We then went to visit them in the afternoon to re<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">peat the news in person.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDy9t62QYC1O-aw4rGuEUVRVPZjvkPjFpWQDrgnCh0gBmMQwvQSKKkucEHuqQBfwJDKzLqRPLgf7PkeIMXPmJzzgz9pT-4GEoiMT2vyoHKmJPfxI1DeNww2Pfkcn19fBXtM1p1IhmFhw/s1600/Chemo44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDy9t62QYC1O-aw4rGuEUVRVPZjvkPjFpWQDrgnCh0gBmMQwvQSKKkucEHuqQBfwJDKzLqRPLgf7PkeIMXPmJzzgz9pT-4GEoiMT2vyoHKmJPfxI1DeNww2Pfkcn19fBXtM1p1IhmFhw/s320/Chemo44.jpg" width="180" /></a> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then followed a much happier, upbeat Chemo Session 4...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">o</span>day is my<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Lovel<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y Mum and Dear Dad's Wedding Anniversary. They've been<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> together for a very long time and I am so glad I have them both<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> so near to me, both physically and spititually. </span></span></span></span>So <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'Goodbye<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">' January <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and your Cancer blues and bring on February <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">~ I'm ready for it!</span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span> </span><br />
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Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-2306659983990189092016-01-28T06:50:00.000+00:002016-01-28T23:26:08.343+00:00Sick of January's Cancer? Part 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lately, Cancer has featured a lot in the news and press here in the UK.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52U85Jht7Uo8OgZExRDJKT4WptIwWXRIKf7-dcq-EaKnWsFspNfDEFsp6HekUCpdXb4xMY3pfmu9_HgEKQXjiepIHpjn1iy1owBDDznhYDzZqtidyUBOEQxtWn4SLkkQaKpOpPjeNsyg/s1600/Lemmy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52U85Jht7Uo8OgZExRDJKT4WptIwWXRIKf7-dcq-EaKnWsFspNfDEFsp6HekUCpdXb4xMY3pfmu9_HgEKQXjiepIHpjn1iy1owBDDznhYDzZqtidyUBOEQxtWn4SLkkQaKpOpPjeNsyg/s320/Lemmy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fuse.tv/2015/12/lemmy-kilmister-twitter-reactions-ozzy-osbourne-gene-simmons-tributes">The Ace of Spades</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the end of December, the sudden death of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rocker Legend Lemmy was announced.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">H<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is crowning glory 'The Ace of Spades'<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, in the early <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">80s is still a classic anthem. But he <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">also sang lead on Hawkwind's <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Silver Machine, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">prio<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">r to forming Motorhead<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemmy">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemmy </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He was such a character, a rocking icon<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, taken swif<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tly <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">by Cancer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In one week this month, co<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ld hard January, </span>we lost two more great Britons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Genius popstar, style icon, artist, actor, writer, designer David Bowie died on January 10th, aged 69.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoykG1OhugCjhAxayRUMxqi0EL4Z8AoVC6aVKPi1Kn50-_CxfASkwLRa6OSj-4-z0qG0jzVLn9diwR7ypsI_W9Ev2r4rl19kKePybMeGhOxaGkL-WEAXiaAzpA96zTfyj_WkVg6a_-yqA/s1600/LowPostage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoykG1OhugCjhAxayRUMxqi0EL4Z8AoVC6aVKPi1Kn50-_CxfASkwLRa6OSj-4-z0qG0jzVLn9diwR7ypsI_W9Ev2r4rl19kKePybMeGhOxaGkL-WEAXiaAzpA96zTfyj_WkVg6a_-yqA/s200/LowPostage2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can't pretend to be his greatest fan, but from the glam-rock mid 1970s, through the Punk of the late seventies and the New Romantics of the early eighties until the power dressing mid-nineties, he had a huge impact on my life. Then in 2013, David Bowie was back at the V&A in London, and I was in awe of him again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For most of my life, listening to his music, watching him on TV, taught me so many things ~ </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">about life as art, about diversity, how to be cool, how to dress, how to dance, how to be a rebel and finally in 2016, how to die with grace and dignity.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nesWGHl5RCP_87JhYQKmbO2888TXromG-1TMaNuAJQ_BiVCQfW-vxSH1FdpJG2ZBH2qKMTsg1G1oIRYtBNEHn4IJvhFq7E2QEuJw7S9XbE7d1uh6IiwbcuJl6tsoyak7GDUGODQaLKo/s1600/AshestoAshes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nesWGHl5RCP_87JhYQKmbO2888TXromG-1TMaNuAJQ_BiVCQfW-vxSH1FdpJG2ZBH2qKMTsg1G1oIRYtBNEHn4IJvhFq7E2QEuJw7S9XbE7d1uh6IiwbcuJl6tsoyak7GDUGODQaLKo/s400/AshestoAshes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I guess because of the time difference between New York and England, news arrived here of his death on January 11th. It was soon all over the internet, every radio channel played his songs, every TV station broadcast tributes. I woke that Monday morning to this mass grieving, and I too was devastated...not only had the world lost a magnificent artist, but I was reminded of my own predicament. If someone who seemed as eternal as David Bowie could be taken by Cancer, what chance did I, a failed lawyer, an unappreciated artist, an unestablished author, a weak 53 year-old housewife, have to survive it?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oKK0x1i8C2rlhjlIjiBckVacAHZ-H5m9SZjMuGfDhyVbozNSlQ7jT6r2MJmWgGzZruj4nPI6v3iNIsnwEKoMV7S3ARzSQ5J_gLvhirfvvFHZNVTET9_6boWOKT5ENI7YN6KVsIT-ZXA/s1600/david-bowie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oKK0x1i8C2rlhjlIjiBckVacAHZ-H5m9SZjMuGfDhyVbozNSlQ7jT6r2MJmWgGzZruj4nPI6v3iNIsnwEKoMV7S3ARzSQ5J_gLvhirfvvFHZNVTET9_6boWOKT5ENI7YN6KVsIT-ZXA/s320/david-bowie2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/01/david-bowies-final-photographs/">Beautiful Bowie</a> (<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">his final photo session)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He died when I was going through the first week of my third cycle of chemotherapy. I was already low. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next morning, I was booked to have a port-a-cath fitted to my arm at the Oncology Centre. A port-a-cath is a plastic bubble attached to a catheter and line which is inserted into a vein. It's </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">designed to permit repeated access for the chemotherapy. The line is fed along the vein from the arm to the chest area, and the plastic bubble sits just below the skin on your arm, so the oncology nurses can access your venous system from there to take bloods or give chemo drugs, without having to damage veins any further. Unfortunately nothing is ever straight forward for me. The line wouldn't pass beyond <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">m</span>y clavicle, so after five attempts in one vein and two attempts in the other, it was decided that it would be a good idea to scan the other arm to see if that side would be better. Of course, it wasn't, so the procedure was abandoned. I had two holes, three huge bruises, a very sore arm and nothing to show for it. There was a suggestion that I could have one in my chest. My initial thought at that was to get the hell out of there, but I very graciously said that I would think about it ~ how very British. My intention was to never let them near me again unless it was my only option!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thankfully, I was looking forward to a visit later that day, from my two dearest friends. Their second visit since I had been diagnosed. They arrived in a flurry of fun and love, all the way from Kent, somewhere east of centre. Then whilst preparing our evening meal, we all sang along and laughed along to Bowie blaring out in the background, and those lovely girls reminded me why I had to survive ~ because I was a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend who worked bloody hard at succeeding in those roles. In fact, even at the risk of sounding arrogant, I am pretty good. And do you know, they also reminded me that it's never too late to succeed at the other things ~ well, with the exception of law, which I never should have attempted in the first place!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBPKN_K-hwyGyyCCdFXIgNkZ77zREkE3v7b2m-l_gbUr8zHYLfR7qUNtKhGTxqm222FyxrEM-Mp9wpFD-ESaJFUHPAFeEokstOEnGGCC7zHeq-W5s8b1IKVgJRC81M4tl5K7yJkAZi_Q/s1600/nickynigella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBPKN_K-hwyGyyCCdFXIgNkZ77zREkE3v7b2m-l_gbUr8zHYLfR7qUNtKhGTxqm222FyxrEM-Mp9wpFD-ESaJFUHPAFeEokstOEnGGCC7zHeq-W5s8b1IKVgJRC81M4tl5K7yJkAZi_Q/s200/nickynigella.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsky-33UCEVsN_MwVGDfQdLrMZa3HPszbPBpd8HO9jDbo9LRROTGqq8x9hxslH9HF8cCtDvyqT45EUw-5t4QeFiqgyzyftBgjdwlsHj65NJ-0O5z2FJOyaY9MpiaraEnD996rSDM88gtg/s1600/MacSally1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsky-33UCEVsN_MwVGDfQdLrMZa3HPszbPBpd8HO9jDbo9LRROTGqq8x9hxslH9HF8cCtDvyqT45EUw-5t4QeFiqgyzyftBgjdwlsHj65NJ-0O5z2FJOyaY9MpiaraEnD996rSDM88gtg/s200/MacSally1.jpg" width="200" /></a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had such a lovely time whilst the girls were here. We went to the cinema to see 'The Danish Girl' ~ loved it and had a good cry too. We had to go to a midday showing, because I was having a CT scan in the afternoon. Going to the cinema at that time gave the whole experience a slightly surreal and decadent feel. We were cocooned in the darkness of the cinema, in the middle of the day, totally immersed in the fantasy of the film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cra4kQX-lYPfvjVR1zg3A7BIfPa9D2huW4cPfd-z3Tt2fychVTsRT5g4KF16-ksXBBQYbdWzCU4bSTdI-A59cNNKKY_YgqjLp_r2h9Rff8_lmflf7oQ3SkOnzwMgnDd7cV7lS0nTwIY/s1600/danish+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cra4kQX-lYPfvjVR1zg3A7BIfPa9D2huW4cPfd-z3Tt2fychVTsRT5g4KF16-ksXBBQYbdWzCU4bSTdI-A59cNNKKY_YgqjLp_r2h9Rff8_lmflf7oQ3SkOnzwMgnDd7cV7lS0nTwIY/s200/danish+girl.jpg" width="134" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvRboJvrTTqnjKwecKTArzUHJy2N8wmE8lS0jL1ItTUngCEWkXxKVYERxFquUmIiPo77Ml9JjPTCTrdwJQQWMJ92OypE7sf83_GPhMwu3yZgCCOUAQqztTS8BtuJPvvpa-lWwsmEdDY0/s1600/danish+girl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvRboJvrTTqnjKwecKTArzUHJy2N8wmE8lS0jL1ItTUngCEWkXxKVYERxFquUmIiPo77Ml9JjPTCTrdwJQQWMJ92OypE7sf83_GPhMwu3yZgCCOUAQqztTS8BtuJPvvpa-lWwsmEdDY0/s200/danish+girl2.jpg" width="134" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> We then came home for a quick hat trying session to cover my balding head before we dashed off to the hospital for my appointment with reality. That evening, we went out for a fab Thai meal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then the next day, whilst we were still buzzing from the day before, Cancer struck again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578"> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alan Rickman, a wonderful actor and director, had died, aged 69. I loved him in 'Truly, Madly, Deeply', loved him in 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' and just adored him, even more than I did Harry, Ron or even Hermione, in the Potter films. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35313578</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was so sad but I couldn't allow the sadness to take hold of me because we were expecting my brother-in-law to arrive from Australia at lunchtime. We had a long leisurely lunch, talking about old times and future times. Then my dearest friends had to leave me to return to their own busy lives. As they drove off, I closed the door and had a spontaneous little cry, missing them already. Luckily, I had Hubby, First Born Darling Daughter and Hubby's Brother to keep me company so I couldn't get too sad...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Part 2 to follow shortly</span></div>
Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-4216640672268083882015-11-05T10:22:00.000+00:002015-11-07T18:05:10.693+00:00Remember, Remember the Fifth of November, 2020<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make a note of Thursday 5th November, 2020...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm planning a huge celebration on that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another date to remember is yesterday, Wednesday 4th November...that was the day I was diagnosed with Fallopian Tube Cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A strange one, I hear you say, actually it is ovarian cancer, they are just able to pinpoint where it started nowadays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last Tuesday, I had my ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, appendix and left para-aortic lymph nodes removed in what can only be described as a brutal operation. Then began the week long wait to find out if the mass discovered on a CT scan the previous Saturday was malignant or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In dreams and Hollywood, the mass on my left ovary would be benign but hey, this isn't a fairytale. It was malignant, grade 3, which means that the aggressive cancerous cells are easily differentiated from normal cells and grow quickly. Which is a good thing, apparently, because they can be treated effectively with chemotheraphy - no promises though, not in this game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And that leads me on to the next waiting game. My chemotherapy should start in three weeks time, providing my blood results are okay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The day before treatment, I may be given steroids - no-one has told me whether I will or not yet. On the day I will be given anti-sickness and anti-allergy drugs. For four hours I will be tethered to a drip administering two drugs, paclitaxel and carboplatin, to combat any residual cancerous cells and to prevent any new cells forming. And so begins my battle against Cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Such a funny phrase, 'battle against...' or 'fight against...' because at this moment in time, I don't feel very much like fighting or that I am in a battle. I feel like I have been on a rollercoaster since the initial GP visit. I have been swept along by a tide of treatment with the ultimate aim of 'kicking Cancer'! Another slogan to lift the spirit. And that is the key, isn't it? It is all about spirit and hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The spirit to get up and face another uncertain day of aches, pains and emotions; the spirit to wear your wig or brandish your bald head with pride; the spirit to stay strong and focussed. And hope - hope the cancer doesn't return; hope the chemo doesn't make me lose all my hair; hope I survive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All these things to take in, whilst trying to recover from the surgery that has meant normal bodily functions such as passing wind become tortuous milestones. And of course, the tiredness. I am so tired.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thankfully, it isn't all doom and womb. I have lots of love and support. My husband is in the business, (an anaesthetist), so fills me in on the bits that go over my head in consultations. My family are incredibly strong and loving and have all rallied round. My friends have been unanimous in their support. Now I just have to make sure I don't let them down, that I believe all the propaganda - the fight; the battle; the pride and the cancer kicking. Am I scared? What do you think?</span></div>
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Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-33509456180841193682015-10-01T22:51:00.000+01:002015-10-01T22:51:10.075+01:00<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I know I have been away for quite sometime but today is National Black Dog Day in the UK...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr78nQjQvQlcvm6qDL0suhOy_mMLx4vmxAQPScPCOGbQB8a9OIeHthKbiG99ioIY322D_IhtIw4PtfdxXNj311cR36_owtc4SlqRVoJ5AA5j70lzPrJ8GfVTs34cXgEOgqGBiJAk2O-A/s1600/P1030658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr78nQjQvQlcvm6qDL0suhOy_mMLx4vmxAQPScPCOGbQB8a9OIeHthKbiG99ioIY322D_IhtIw4PtfdxXNj311cR36_owtc4SlqRVoJ5AA5j70lzPrJ8GfVTs34cXgEOgqGBiJAk2O-A/s320/P1030658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This blog has and always will be in tribute to my beautiful, kind Misha. She passed away five and half years ago. So in honour of Misha, I have come back to blogging today, because she opened my eyes to the warm and love-filled life that is only possible when you have a four-legged soulmate.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I am now able to share my time with two gorgeous dogs. They keep me busy - hence the lack of posts, but I wouldn't be without them.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My gorgeous Rosie... </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And introducing Archie...</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHgvZ7hda-DoHBxViacUH1k6L46C5fhUaYSsSLeqePRovbrXRjv71UpeOcsAPmCBiygJQjK1UcyxK_jgMO8sGTTS5iTf8x00XxlKv5oX_RZqLwiDqksuoP8285Z6E4hUu5D7XLhHZ3Lc/s1600/Archie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHgvZ7hda-DoHBxViacUH1k6L46C5fhUaYSsSLeqePRovbrXRjv71UpeOcsAPmCBiygJQjK1UcyxK_jgMO8sGTTS5iTf8x00XxlKv5oX_RZqLwiDqksuoP8285Z6E4hUu5D7XLhHZ3Lc/s320/Archie.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My dogs keep me sane.</b></span><br />
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Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-55945712288846284832014-10-27T15:41:00.000+00:002014-10-27T15:41:25.858+00:00For the Love of Cats - Goodbye Pippin<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It has been a long time since I have published anything on this blog.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The world has changed, moved on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztoGnrxo0XRfyICLrNPpO1kHgKyXtHeghWhnlqeCcFVZRfehOBFPlmj5fKo1SZTwWHpeWH-wkCUVl_AQQhUdk6xSZWbDrFjMcFQV6bITsx0j_v0LE-21IUZL-nHJjY7TQYFBup9yKPoI/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztoGnrxo0XRfyICLrNPpO1kHgKyXtHeghWhnlqeCcFVZRfehOBFPlmj5fKo1SZTwWHpeWH-wkCUVl_AQQhUdk6xSZWbDrFjMcFQV6bITsx0j_v0LE-21IUZL-nHJjY7TQYFBup9yKPoI/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In
November, last year, the 4th to be exact, beautiful, graceful Casper
disappeared. It was an awful cold, wet night and there had been local
early firework celebrations for Guy Fawkes night. I think he had been
startled and shot off into the night. He never stayed out overnight and
had never been missing before. I stayed up until the early hours,
walking around outside, calling his name, listening for a response. It
was two years earlier, around this time of year, that Mowgli, our
stunning, black bengal cat had been killed by a motorist, just outside
our house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFGrSvkBMF55AttSSTuTHv3dvdZ2m367PaJjyICntLr_tuj9FuW5EBCLQm0Z4vgTERFccZlzsePGzIdbflO56gA3SxWSt6CLub87P83uhhGaMSmK4Zen0AH4aIaVVv9xi2T_Yk5nfjtY/s1600/1014436_468970849861059_1083589279_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFGrSvkBMF55AttSSTuTHv3dvdZ2m367PaJjyICntLr_tuj9FuW5EBCLQm0Z4vgTERFccZlzsePGzIdbflO56gA3SxWSt6CLub87P83uhhGaMSmK4Zen0AH4aIaVVv9xi2T_Yk5nfjtY/s1600/1014436_468970849861059_1083589279_n.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The next morning, I
quickly made posters and leaflets and walked around the local area,
spreading the word that my boy was missing. It was so out of character, I
was convinced he was dead. Pippin, Casper's brother, seemed
aware of his absence but didn't seem too perplexed, but Rosie, our dog,
pined for him. She stayed outside for long periods, seemingly searching
for Casper. She didn't give up hope. She sensed that I was worried and
she wanted to help me. Again, on November 5th, Bonfire Night, I stayed
awake until almost dawn, calling for Casper, praying for his return. It
was so cold, and there had been many loud fireworks shooting into the
night sky for most of the evening. I reasoned with myself that if Casper
had just been scared, he would hide somewhere and return when all was
quiet. I told myself that if he was injured, he would not survive the
almost freezing temperatures. I made a deal with my God. I pleaded for
Casper's return and in exchange I would be a good person, a better
person...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtpafhkOcNNnARmNoBmLYMV5l-TNWPsxdKAdnY_X-5ESZ1ARYZ6hCQr52kHf9hNw74lFh5v7Y6KTcnNnb7ZKbgWXnizXWPil5EssHuKW5YZbsVVVM69LEhcFpZsDmkjkWjySdY3N6WjA/s1600/DSCF4395.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtpafhkOcNNnARmNoBmLYMV5l-TNWPsxdKAdnY_X-5ESZ1ARYZ6hCQr52kHf9hNw74lFh5v7Y6KTcnNnb7ZKbgWXnizXWPil5EssHuKW5YZbsVVVM69LEhcFpZsDmkjkWjySdY3N6WjA/s1600/DSCF4395.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I
had only one response from the many leaflets I posted through letter
boxes - a lovely man telephoned and said:'Don't give up hope. Check
everywhere in the garden and house.' His cat had been shut in a wardrobe
in his house for 36 hours before they realised. It was a quiet,
graceful cat, just like Casper, and so hadn't made a fuss. Thankfully
they found it by retracing their actions of just before it disappeared.
On the evening of November 6th, I was desperately tired and had given up
hope. Just before midnight, I sat on the sofa and broke down. I cried
so hard - he was dead, I was sure. I called Rosie in from outside. She
was camping out again listening for Casper. She wouldn't come in. I went
outside and gently told her that he was gone, he wasn't coming back and
I tried to coax her into the warm house. She came to the door, then
went back out again. I sat down for a while, sobbing to myself. Then
Rosie came to the door and barked, as she always did, for me to open the
door. So even Rosie had given up, lost hope. I opened the door. She
just stood there, barking at me and looking over to the hedge. I told
her to come in, it was late. She barked more excitedly and again kept
looking to the hedge. She was trying to tell me something. I went
outside and there under the hedge was Casper. He was in a pitiful state,
and his leg seemed broken. He tried to lift himself up to walk but he
couldn't. I scooped him up, I was ecstatic, he was home. He was clearly
poorly but he was home. I thanked God, and thanked Rosie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJH6pzrgGWXkgG8I-l7xbghc8YCcV_MQ7sIJX5exUzOiikD5aGrmxZlz3Y9I972H3ca_4STCqbinfTwzhwGMqllJwr8rx4owdWFnb7J0ECPCJ5Oq9aKdJ8j1W4rR4XXxqRDo8U-uYqRk/s1600/photo.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJH6pzrgGWXkgG8I-l7xbghc8YCcV_MQ7sIJX5exUzOiikD5aGrmxZlz3Y9I972H3ca_4STCqbinfTwzhwGMqllJwr8rx4owdWFnb7J0ECPCJ5Oq9aKdJ8j1W4rR4XXxqRDo8U-uYqRk/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After
a long operation and several days in the veterinary hospital, Casper
came home, complete with metal pins in his leg, and a metal bar bracing
the break on the outside. The vets said that he had almost definitely
been hit by a car, and that he was lucky to survive. He had to stay in a
crate for four months, but he made a full recovery. My beautiful Casper
came home.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In March of this year, Casper was able to wander freely around the house for the first time since he had broken his leg.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UDc-Wc_EoReMFKPX9JUivoIzNs53R95dJcz6-ZYHPxhxUeqWNWpj74ZltOPPHzGV67ZC4Bgy3PK61Kgnt5a8dvHyXcq0Yr_cDp68vNOvHt61vHUDuiUCHiqLIyQsFOvng4Nw5cQXruE/s1600/DSCF4734.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UDc-Wc_EoReMFKPX9JUivoIzNs53R95dJcz6-ZYHPxhxUeqWNWpj74ZltOPPHzGV67ZC4Bgy3PK61Kgnt5a8dvHyXcq0Yr_cDp68vNOvHt61vHUDuiUCHiqLIyQsFOvng4Nw5cQXruE/s1600/DSCF4734.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Later
that month, gorgeous, playful Pippin disappeared. He went out one sunny
Spring Saturday morning and never returned. That evening, we had a
house full of guests, so I thought that perhaps he had been spooked by
all the voices. After my guests had left for their own homes, I wandered
around outside until the early hours of the morning, calling for Pip. I
thought I heard a cat cry, so I went to investigate, but there was
nothing where the sound had come from. During the following days, despite
lots of leaflets distributed in the local area, posters and posts in
national and local lost pets registers, we never found him. I just could not believe that this was happening again, so soon after Casper's near miss. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rosie
stayed out every evening, waiting for Pip to return. Pippin was really
Rosie's favourite. She still likes to sit out on the lawn until late at
night, waiting, listening, just in case... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLfh7BwdulIV3HD-HzeG6fMISbDNmGJQeP7ycMeya5f6HsnqWdSyIyhIHl3NcsefXsffgRqAcNDIeZN3aAVX2ixLbm_LQ4n70QFeySaocZuFYH7Qs8BPxlQh4LHDDkLO8ombxQy2KVpU/s1600/DSCF8183.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLfh7BwdulIV3HD-HzeG6fMISbDNmGJQeP7ycMeya5f6HsnqWdSyIyhIHl3NcsefXsffgRqAcNDIeZN3aAVX2ixLbm_LQ4n70QFeySaocZuFYH7Qs8BPxlQh4LHDDkLO8ombxQy2KVpU/s1600/DSCF8183.JPG" height="320" width="257" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A
couple of weeks after Pippin went missing, a lady knocked on my door
and bravely admitted that she had ran over a cat fitting Pippin's
description on that same Saturday morning, just a few yards up the road
from our home. She said he ran off in our direction, that she stopped
with her daughter to try to find him, knocked on several doors, but all
to no avail - he had vanished. She said she thought he may have limped
home. How I wish that were true. It seemed the deal I had made to get
back one cat, was to lose another equally precious boy.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMmmAAvc1AKHHiyoUIOlwcc6zWD9bh5WxPq1EkG8K48rdDNCLGEM-dNQ5fcUNRqMUccWsFxTvaqDflHL5W58pEcpOiDNCW4l8aaJg9FNgIk6vPWQ9F0ynsVE3E2WtyDcox8jZoVr3BS0/s1600/DSCF8405.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMmmAAvc1AKHHiyoUIOlwcc6zWD9bh5WxPq1EkG8K48rdDNCLGEM-dNQ5fcUNRqMUccWsFxTvaqDflHL5W58pEcpOiDNCW4l8aaJg9FNgIk6vPWQ9F0ynsVE3E2WtyDcox8jZoVr3BS0/s1600/DSCF8405.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pippin was just a
few weeks away from his second birthday, we never found him. We checked
local gardens, outhouses, sheds, parks. We had several calls about
possible sightings. It all came to nothing. He has been missing for over
six months now. It is that time of year again. Dark nights, cold
evenings. Halloween and Bonfire night, spooks and loud noises. Almost a
year since Casper disappeared.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYMqbVxcjt4VbYqyUhBl379PTsUYhDYIxmyHDDHLorLtqlwezIaQ0vAdp1xegehYAhFpd9-VWVfUduirD54Hg9go10gPdkhzke92Pk62gkx7GHzfozOc3VvhwjD01Wd5lf5QzIN9uODY/s1600/DSCF6053.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYMqbVxcjt4VbYqyUhBl379PTsUYhDYIxmyHDDHLorLtqlwezIaQ0vAdp1xegehYAhFpd9-VWVfUduirD54Hg9go10gPdkhzke92Pk62gkx7GHzfozOc3VvhwjD01Wd5lf5QzIN9uODY/s1600/DSCF6053.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If
Pippin is still alive, he is still out there somewhere. Hopefully, not
homeless, hopefully someone took him in, cared for him and loves him as I
did. If he died, I hope that he died quickly without pain. I pray he
didn't suffer. Goodbye Pippin.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Please be aware
of cats, at this time of year. Cats do not honour residential
boundaries, they roam where they please. Cats don't know that suddenly
the day will end an hour earlier and we will expect them to come home
before it gets dark. Cats have no concept of Halloween or Bonfire Night.
Cats don't understand trick or treat, or why we insist on letting off
small explosives in our gardens, not just on one night but for days and
nights on end it seems and why we rush in our cars because it will be
dark soon...it just frightens cats, sometimes it kills them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-25153089399952334532013-02-07T19:27:00.000+00:002013-02-07T19:27:39.944+00:00Turning Japanese<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One person's junk is another person's treasure...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think I have mentioned before that I am a huge eBay fan. I have bought many things over the years, ranging from knitting yarn, 1960s Sindy dolls, tatty chairs to designer bathroom fittings. Most are treasures to me, but some things when they arrive are a disappointment. But then I guess that is part of the thrill of eBay, never quite knowing whether you are buying a genuine Renoir or a painting-by-numbers.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now, because of this addiction to eBay, and believe me, it is an addiction, I have rather a lot of, well, stuff! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">'Clutter', Hubby would say, but then he is a bit of an eBay addict too. So I've decided I need to find homes for this 'stuff'. No, I am not about to give it all away here on my blog, (but I am planning a little giveaway soon). No, I need homes here, in my home, if you get my drift.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So I thought what I need are a few attractive trunks and boxes to store my chattels. And where did I look first for such trunks and boxes?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes, you guessed it. EBay, of course!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And here is my first purchase. A bargain! A Steal! A Steel Japanned Travelling Trunk complete with vintage stickers. I collected it from a lovely country house near here. It came complete with the whiff of dung and a few decades of dirt, but I just know it will be perfect. Just what 'japanned' means, I have no idea.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> The gentleman selling it said he used to play with his farm animals in it when he was a little boy, presumbably he meant his toy farm animals!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotJAzDmLGWXZ6TzGmH8_XGTVMAh2M48YYsii24hUEqyGQ8IrXmOOQHvfw-f-p0guQ0HbB6dRhdLp6e-QbNmBd9xQBaPOczvusrMqAn7NR9jDLIIu55GP3pzWl-sQvbqEX6gGph8nzg60/s1600/SteelTrunk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotJAzDmLGWXZ6TzGmH8_XGTVMAh2M48YYsii24hUEqyGQ8IrXmOOQHvfw-f-p0guQ0HbB6dRhdLp6e-QbNmBd9xQBaPOczvusrMqAn7NR9jDLIIu55GP3pzWl-sQvbqEX6gGph8nzg60/s320/SteelTrunk1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think it's sad that someone should keep something for so long, maybe forty or fifty years, because it was once precious to him </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and then decide to part with it for a song on eBay. Never mind, his change of heart is my good fortune, I guess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I actually collected this before Christmas but I am at a loss as to how to clean it without ruining the stickers; two have already peeled off because of my attempts. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thankfully, the smell seems to have faded, (or maybe I'm just used to it now). However, it is still very grubby. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So please do let me know if you have any idea as to how to clean it. </span><br />
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<br />Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-30971661188378953432013-01-01T01:21:00.000+00:002013-01-01T01:21:30.802+00:00GOODBYE 2012<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I<span style="font-size: small;">'m sad to say 'goodbye' to 2012<span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For me, personally, It has been a very memorable year<span style="font-size: small;"> for all the right reasons</span>. A year to be proud to be British.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But it has been a year of extremes: the amazing achievements of the Olympics and Paralympics; the diamond jubilee celebrations; the half-centenary celebrations of dear friends and my own...the devastation of <span style="font-size: small;">H</span>urricane Sandy in the US; the cyclone in Samoa; <span style="font-size: small;">severe drought<span style="font-size: small;"> in West Africa; earthquakes in the Middle East<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> the Philippines and China; </span></span>the floods here and other countries; too many natural disasters to list, but 2012 also brought avalanches, tornadoes<span style="font-size: small;"> and</span> <span style="font-size: small;">flash<span style="font-size: small;"> fires.</span></span> Then there is the list of man-made event<span style="font-size: small;">s. <span style="font-size: small;">Right now, the ones that come most viv<span style="font-size: small;">i</span>dly and tragically to my mind are the <span style="font-size: small;">suicide of Jacintha Sald<span style="font-size: small;">anha, </span>the nurse<span style="font-size: small;">, and </span></span>the</span></span> senseless killing of the innocent children in Connecticut. Tragic beyond words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope</span> 2013 will be a year to reflect. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wish you a</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">HAPPY NEW YEAR</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">May your 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">be </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A GOOD ONE!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sue x</span></span></div>
Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-58222610517448708952012-10-23T00:03:00.002+01:002012-10-23T00:03:46.280+01:00Mowgli<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We lost our beautiful Mowgli a year ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We still miss him so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mowgli The Mowgles</span></div>
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Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-38261248708848290742012-10-22T16:15:00.000+01:002012-10-22T16:15:08.931+01:00Once in a Lifetime Part Two<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
Where have the past couple of months gone?<br />
I intended to do this post just a week after the last one but the time came and went. I have so many excuses and reasons for my absence from Blogland; I won't bore you with any of them.<br />
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I am now back and raring to go, equipped with Youngest Darling Daughter's cast-off and slightly squiffy old Acer laptop wired up to a screen with a Mac Mini for support, a sort of PC Mac marriage. So lets get on with it...<br />
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Back to this year's catchphrase: 'Once in a lifetime...'<br />
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The month of June saw Youngest Darling Daughter having a painting selected for an exhibition at the <a href="http://www.rwa.org.uk/">Royal West of England Academy</a> sponsored by the local Police Constabulary. I am so proud of her and very flattered that she chose me as her subject.<br />
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Hubby and I spent a weekend in Whitstable to attend the 50th Birthday Bash of one of our oldest friends. I had so much fun and couldn't help but think that I don't make the trip to Whitstable often enough nowadays. I intend to remedy that in the coming months.<br />
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And the end of June was when Darling Daughter First Born celebrated her twentieth birthday. Her teenage years now just memories, she completed her first year at university with very good grades and came home for the summer, no longer a university fresher, no longer a teenage girl. Another once in a lifetime notched up for this young woman, my Daughter. She has matured into a lovely person, full of warmth and humour and I smile inside and out whenever I think of her.<br />
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July saw Youngest Darling Daughter celebrating her eighteenth birthday and leaving school. So my little girl will never be a
child again, or at least not in the eyes of the law or society at large. It makes me a bit sad to think of the end of childhood. It's silly, I know.<br />
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This month was when the judging of the exhibition took place, too. We went along to a very pleasant presentation evening at the Academy. Alas, Youngest Darling Daughter didn't win a prize for her effort but she did receive lots of critical acclaim. She is such a talented girl and so modest. I am so very proud of her. In fact, you know, I am a very lucky woman because I have two wonderful daughters, so just forgive me for a moment whilst I gloat :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off to watch Team GB!</td></tr>
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The end of July brought us the Olympics. What can I say that hasn't been said already? I was and still am proud to be British after such a fantastic Games. And August brought the Paralympics - strength, prowess, inspiration and admiration in bucketloads. Then, Youngest Darling Daughter received excellent A Level results, confirmation of a place at her first choice university and had a painting selected for another exhibition for young artists at <a href="http://www.viewartgallery.co.uk/">The View Gallery</a> in Bristol. We attended another very pleasant private viewing and presentation evening. I could get used to this...<br />
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September arrived and Youngest Darling Daughter started her Art Foundation course. Hubby and I made plans for a short break in Dubai. Hubby was taking part in a training conference there. I was a bit lonely at times during the day, but I loved Dubai. The heat was a bit much for me, so I spent most of the daytimes in the hotel - thank goodness for air conditioning and the hotel pool. I would love to go back to Dubai soon, with my girls, and share the experience with them. I hope that wasn't a once in a lifetime. It is a lovely place and the people are very friendly, polite and helpful. I highly recommend it.<br />
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As September came to an end, we set off on the drive to London to take Darling Daughter First Born back to university. Another year of study ahead of her, new experiences to be had and friends to meet, I know she will continue to blossom. I miss her so much when she is at university, but I am so glad she is able to have this experience. We chat regularly on Skype so it feels like she isn't so very far away.<br />
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In early October, I met my two dear university friends in London to celebrate one lovely lady's fiftieth birthday. We had a gorgeous lunch at <a href="http://rouxatparliamentsquare.co.uk/">The Roux</a> at Parliament Square and shared lots of stories and laughter. I have known these ladies for over thirty years but I never tire of their company. We have shared so much over the decades, lots of joy and some very sad times too and I love them both. Friends like that only come along once in a lifetime. I hope I never take them for granted. And now I am up to date...October is drawing to a close.<br />
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When you stop and think about it, many things, many ordinary events and
encounters are once in a lifetime. Birthdays, yes, they happen
every year, but they are never the same. To quote T S Eliot: 'All time is unredeemable.' I think I know what he means. We can't change the past or expect the same to happen in the future. We can't alter time or save it, but we can learn from it. We have to treat each moment as unique, even if we follow the same routine every day. And
those things that we do everyday, are different in some way from
the previous day. So whether we are trying for an Olympic Gold Medal, joining friends or family to celebrate a birthday or just popping to the local shop for some milk, I want to embrace every day from now on as a once in a lifetime. </div>
Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-41953776927161117412012-08-07T19:09:00.002+01:002012-08-07T19:18:40.280+01:00Once in a Lifetime Part One<br />
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A once in a lifetime experience...</div>
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That's a phrase I've heard and used a lot recently.</div>
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The first time I said it this year was way back in May, when the anticipation of waiting for the Olympic Torch was just so exciting.</div>
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Even though it was all over in a flash, I can say I was there. A once in a lifetime, unique, experience.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR2Ouwaz8WtO1krxKuRFnb6IY5ZNRlG0PJIAVw0_uTccE0dwNjittGCN8oFrrPr0h5YLeVglr6FlMTTkK8r0pjAuur4ENLdpYOVoyi_ToH3f3sIm4bTmTF8vtfaZw9a0a6qOpdLdWwYg/s1600/Torch4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR2Ouwaz8WtO1krxKuRFnb6IY5ZNRlG0PJIAVw0_uTccE0dwNjittGCN8oFrrPr0h5YLeVglr6FlMTTkK8r0pjAuur4ENLdpYOVoyi_ToH3f3sIm4bTmTF8vtfaZw9a0a6qOpdLdWwYg/s200/Torch4.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Can I claim it was unique when I shared it with thousands of people, young and old?<br />
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Yes, I think so, it will never be an event that I am likely to see again, not here in my country, in my town, on my doorstep.</div>
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History.</div>
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Then in June, we celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; another occasion that will never come around again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMF1BSgyDHup-O0lJTDOCvYDFMjr1p957inUwWk4RgmmAvUq-lXqlDzfK3PS4G7Ca5iipd-dFupAKaNJrY9FlMcJzJ3EGsfTEfNJs1iwl1v5HiSKP0ePzyav48bXz311HyJ_P2GBqep2U/s1600/JubileeLanterns1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMF1BSgyDHup-O0lJTDOCvYDFMjr1p957inUwWk4RgmmAvUq-lXqlDzfK3PS4G7Ca5iipd-dFupAKaNJrY9FlMcJzJ3EGsfTEfNJs1iwl1v5HiSKP0ePzyav48bXz311HyJ_P2GBqep2U/s200/JubileeLanterns1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The whole country seemed to be decorated with union flags and bunting. I don't remember it being so obvious during the Silver or Golden Jubilees.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinScCXoBAVYYGVwM8MvEt0JKwjIpD11NQK6bq-8oaDLMSd1ot_rhqsiAZaX6PrFob_m14iT0mOjfVzF7nrOWeMiMprNJ8Azn54522WvAg-GYxTzzOb6VbPfu8vi0ubo81xiUgDd9X_-6g/s1600/JubileeLanterns2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinScCXoBAVYYGVwM8MvEt0JKwjIpD11NQK6bq-8oaDLMSd1ot_rhqsiAZaX6PrFob_m14iT0mOjfVzF7nrOWeMiMprNJ8Azn54522WvAg-GYxTzzOb6VbPfu8vi0ubo81xiUgDd9X_-6g/s320/JubileeLanterns2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnH9UXP1BfwHHXBhFwRIjPPOw5MBxyyBZrubBxw5q9KYMatjI2OE7tKbno_fX97GCa8aD4YUI7XCOi-aXdwcj6s6Bg_v-EBw3asfWIzCUfycMuph-Pqr-mreKZBSEUuTgpnUcKsagMUw/s1600/K&EJubileeT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnH9UXP1BfwHHXBhFwRIjPPOw5MBxyyBZrubBxw5q9KYMatjI2OE7tKbno_fX97GCa8aD4YUI7XCOi-aXdwcj6s6Bg_v-EBw3asfWIzCUfycMuph-Pqr-mreKZBSEUuTgpnUcKsagMUw/s200/K&EJubileeT.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We celebrated the Jubilee weekend with a huge feast at my sister's house...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30nCns77sdx8A2Y29hFBXFnYh5xRxoctkLMtxSxMKsKF4Wsy4VXMcLrCmesZxh1smfwf9YMF6VSDR03YFlz4pibQgyp92_PvUmgWGNn2VQGXJG7CgSRp8MOPNooBNIVF_zEYOdKtb568/s1600/UnionJacksFood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30nCns77sdx8A2Y29hFBXFnYh5xRxoctkLMtxSxMKsKF4Wsy4VXMcLrCmesZxh1smfwf9YMF6VSDR03YFlz4pibQgyp92_PvUmgWGNn2VQGXJG7CgSRp8MOPNooBNIVF_zEYOdKtb568/s200/UnionJacksFood.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We ate and drank far too much.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3HynSxqbvfvkft-Cs31jKFSOt5viBL8B4ntwT7gPQd4yOFO8Yoxs0gKoDVw6cHjXN-xjZZVrf0_OOp14ykS5Mp_kBQP_btEsVA-Owm72iXrjE25WRpDVfS1ETjaRspa_3A1SO-4X7-Q/s1600/K&EJubileeLondon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3HynSxqbvfvkft-Cs31jKFSOt5viBL8B4ntwT7gPQd4yOFO8Yoxs0gKoDVw6cHjXN-xjZZVrf0_OOp14ykS5Mp_kBQP_btEsVA-Owm72iXrjE25WRpDVfS1ETjaRspa_3A1SO-4X7-Q/s200/K&EJubileeLondon.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And on Jubilee Tuesday, we caught a coach to London and joined the masses in the rain. But everyone smiled...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroJh-r_HS95Ig1FjqSoS61vSiohIM0YiMryT3pU96c2kDgvRTXFOWR86Z87c6UCOg9sMhz18rtNqUNqX3yLtGfnSSZ6eLL0qAgbqhRHsCHOstkUxBfWHlvcZO6RI5sFSBsDF_yX5SRnI/s1600/K&EJubileeLondon2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroJh-r_HS95Ig1FjqSoS61vSiohIM0YiMryT3pU96c2kDgvRTXFOWR86Z87c6UCOg9sMhz18rtNqUNqX3yLtGfnSSZ6eLL0qAgbqhRHsCHOstkUxBfWHlvcZO6RI5sFSBsDF_yX5SRnI/s200/K&EJubileeLondon2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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and waved flags and cheered... </div>
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despite having to view the Queen on a big screen in St. James Park, because we couldn't get anywhere near the Palace; the streets of London were packed!</div>
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<img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELAt_ppqleHtOacnfc0MU8j5CeoJZC_5afRTr1P4NoHLDZrfQy7t_g0bR-2RUQZ7zJShNRvQbRtCb1piOt2CkjvZBNKU4w6ZO8x5uPwC026Dl6UdWwcECVyA-D4C3m27uQGwx-nfhMk4/s320/QueenScreen.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoovL7rP0S0mlnio1cb1QiVDpMd3i4fRUE_v58Mtb-Fqh0j_RyHZR3KBpV80URt5e3iysBvuUL58FyOpvqLfkR0Zppl4eRhkeizRNRhapxC0IE7rKgLl-gwkuHbfj0xHozcs_PD8iasY/s1600/RedWhiteBlueArrows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoovL7rP0S0mlnio1cb1QiVDpMd3i4fRUE_v58Mtb-Fqh0j_RyHZR3KBpV80URt5e3iysBvuUL58FyOpvqLfkR0Zppl4eRhkeizRNRhapxC0IE7rKgLl-gwkuHbfj0xHozcs_PD8iasY/s320/RedWhiteBlueArrows.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We did have a fantastic view of the Red (White and Blue) Arrows from the park.</div>
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Yet another day that can never be recaptured... </div>
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And this fantastic image appeared on the wall opposite the Childrens' Hospital in Bristol, where once had been a <a href="http://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/banksy-graffiti-sniper-p1264003">Banksy of a boy</a> about to pop a bag behind a police marksman, and then the <a href="http://www.artlyst.com/articles/graffiti-of-david-cameron-and-boris-johnson-as-rioters-found-in-banksy-hotspot">Eton Posse</a>, David Cameron and Boris Johnson rioting! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_E3gEMGdaCrgHCd4lI2eL_ydQxxFn3MjmXXCDFl91f5oIqqIU4olvWdvv2N8JM2bdh0orbeSo3QFdbct9hDt9UnYDZCqmas0YXpD20EyssJhQPG0Csitl5CtkmWOeQ0d7XQAEGDmqqY/s1600/QueenLightening.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_E3gEMGdaCrgHCd4lI2eL_ydQxxFn3MjmXXCDFl91f5oIqqIU4olvWdvv2N8JM2bdh0orbeSo3QFdbct9hDt9UnYDZCqmas0YXpD20EyssJhQPG0Csitl5CtkmWOeQ0d7XQAEGDmqqY/s320/QueenLightening.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
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Who knows if it's a Banksy or not, who really cares? It is a once in a lifetime image of the Queen.</div>
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So that brings me to the middle of June, and the middle of the summer. Very soon 2012 will be a once in a lifetime too.<br />
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I'll fill you in on the past two and half months in my next post...</div>
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<br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-35840621014704368382012-07-25T13:47:00.000+01:002012-07-25T13:50:11.474+01:00Memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrbAnY9I71W8DkQxNgorZA1VGs5EGgKEz5jc0sG6v-odsRs7bwpCnFp8fgj7lo6BZdQ4-DSA8cYOPN6FoBuAYFfTPyjD-EdEXQqY4n3Fa2_hUdDryViZ0eniXELw8qi7xISTZviReAJc/s1600/Misha%252Cjpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrbAnY9I71W8DkQxNgorZA1VGs5EGgKEz5jc0sG6v-odsRs7bwpCnFp8fgj7lo6BZdQ4-DSA8cYOPN6FoBuAYFfTPyjD-EdEXQqY4n3Fa2_hUdDryViZ0eniXELw8qi7xISTZviReAJc/s400/Misha%252Cjpeg.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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In loving memory of my darling, dear Dog, Misha. Two years ago yesterday.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX8ucwWPVsyCoJOg-wDdnB-TltQxNj2xPooekfB-5B1vCDsayCD6awK4GoW4BsOtuCJf4eNGo1wOj0cJpDjhLbgfnvjEXM6Whc01hjXD_SFZ_N2nHyM1PYLPIvD4-QDhoi4D2wEh1uqk/s1600/P1070038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX8ucwWPVsyCoJOg-wDdnB-TltQxNj2xPooekfB-5B1vCDsayCD6awK4GoW4BsOtuCJf4eNGo1wOj0cJpDjhLbgfnvjEXM6Whc01hjXD_SFZ_N2nHyM1PYLPIvD4-QDhoi4D2wEh1uqk/s320/P1070038.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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The last photograph of Misha, two weeks before she passed away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDdRS7irSjLtxT9RM_enFK5L3IoUxRrKBfvGRVzT-PAkjRdlxJWF6FntRG_wunZmOyn15KUlYClyVHsnPWgahwB8nXYMSy8DB8Qj4w6mlbxD5ZMR78FpQflzFKds4ymn9XSv79YbZN_0/s1600/MishaSand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDdRS7irSjLtxT9RM_enFK5L3IoUxRrKBfvGRVzT-PAkjRdlxJWF6FntRG_wunZmOyn15KUlYClyVHsnPWgahwB8nXYMSy8DB8Qj4w6mlbxD5ZMR78FpQflzFKds4ymn9XSv79YbZN_0/s320/MishaSand.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Always</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">with me</span> xxxSuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-919138810958903382012-07-05T00:31:00.000+01:002012-07-05T08:27:20.076+01:00Straight from the Dog's Mouth<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Okay, so Mum said that because today is my birthday, I should be the one getting all the attention but she just wondered if i wanted to introduce you to these two...</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-8Hosk9f7jDPlTMmjLUwtkKR_0NqMcFiU1Y7fOAmCuDDrDq3NMghJ6x7blQr57X4fMyYtvjHRBsA57kPdQLzzUmN9l1kQaXRNujtwLI5WfU7-XdRFN4M-cu8ZkMdvs6geTOMdfN7DQo/s320/CasperPippin1.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They're my new kitty brothers, Casper and Pippin. They have been living with us for about three weeks now, but Mum has been busy with this and that and didn't have time to blog about them before. She said I could write this post and I suggested to her that we could give them their very own blog over <a href="http://casperandpippin.blogspot.com/">here,</a> so that way she wouldn't have to worry about keeping everyone up to date because the boys could do it themselves, just like I'm doing now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what with the kittens and my human sisters having birthdays just like the Queen, Mum has been quite busy. She said she will tell you all about the last few weeks by going backwards in several posts, starting with my birthday. I'm not too sure thats a very good idea; going backwards is bad for the digestion...</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yu3TSXxlHxTUOppsHLVeQzNlYL_9dqR-ag7Gt7gYy3TutuQM31G_C3pf0Hk52eeM3Vbvz06QA3J2f-qC83YpJXTxvfbNTPzGB4q76NDlTKwXVcp2GnlE5v73WFYiOyvobdJJjkg_SZ8/s320/EmCasperPippinRosie1.JPG" width="200" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, Pippin and Casper are very tiny and I have to be careful not to squash them when we play. They remind me of my dear friend and kitty brother, Mowgli. I'm hoping that they stay a little longer than he did though. Mum said she thinks they will be my best friends. I hope so, I've been missing having furry company.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcELB82LaZH4T8w-6agRKCs9qd9wQOOWHH8jEl8smSbMeGGPVNV6yY92kbDWkH8iwBK0ohFHmv0m2r4kX9ENCt77-rrPEtc0Na7Zs5OMGSrUFb_vN52JrN4PBpL1DjuVH-VARRzNQOqRY/s1600/RosiePippinCasper4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcELB82LaZH4T8w-6agRKCs9qd9wQOOWHH8jEl8smSbMeGGPVNV6yY92kbDWkH8iwBK0ohFHmv0m2r4kX9ENCt77-rrPEtc0Na7Zs5OMGSrUFb_vN52JrN4PBpL1DjuVH-VARRzNQOqRY/s320/RosiePippinCasper4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-27153512669171433332012-07-04T18:34:00.000+01:002012-07-04T18:34:01.063+01:00Birthday Beauty!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RUvXZo6RX_jmsuX8o77zsSXwqEqY2MAKVfUgk9oepct5YGw2EPwf-nCQZhIGjwYuIa7l7t_Dly8XoAJ1B6JfHb0hjL-CrgCy5LFqQV4nrPD_kNt7K6W3aVPQDg470R45R8f82JKO8fc/s1600/SmilingRosie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RUvXZo6RX_jmsuX8o77zsSXwqEqY2MAKVfUgk9oepct5YGw2EPwf-nCQZhIGjwYuIa7l7t_Dly8XoAJ1B6JfHb0hjL-CrgCy5LFqQV4nrPD_kNt7K6W3aVPQDg470R45R8f82JKO8fc/s320/SmilingRosie.JPG" width="305" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Birthday, gorgeous Rosie!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Two years old today.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tMdMqORMEc7yxtvyf1ahiEpT3rM5WgLs0ikFaZELisXaYlHgK6X9Oj94gcZ4E1QoMOWJzgcw4hIFJC7QPxr7PMQWO_1RkF3ZlF93vg5PTK9k5rwr4ymIYG2a6x43Sf6hiXWdymvWs_Y/s1600/RosiesBDayFayre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tMdMqORMEc7yxtvyf1ahiEpT3rM5WgLs0ikFaZELisXaYlHgK6X9Oj94gcZ4E1QoMOWJzgcw4hIFJC7QPxr7PMQWO_1RkF3ZlF93vg5PTK9k5rwr4ymIYG2a6x43Sf6hiXWdymvWs_Y/s200/RosiesBDayFayre.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rosie's birthday fayre</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAyQCEIZni0xMZLZ8dg9LD218Zs3r7YSWX59bvPavNc_x5KR5Jn_DUn-8jDjZTln-AxbbQSkOr5lHID73_Cg5uNojPJxDnPCOV_yhOcN1GIcD52AO6IPRkUquSl-JThp9-LyQ_LFzwjE/s1600/RosieBDay1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAyQCEIZni0xMZLZ8dg9LD218Zs3r7YSWX59bvPavNc_x5KR5Jn_DUn-8jDjZTln-AxbbQSkOr5lHID73_Cg5uNojPJxDnPCOV_yhOcN1GIcD52AO6IPRkUquSl-JThp9-LyQ_LFzwjE/s320/RosieBDay1.JPG" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rosie is looking very concerned because Mum set fire to her tea :)<br />Maybe next birthday, we'll leave off the candles!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-82832438561404760972012-05-31T00:33:00.000+01:002012-05-31T00:49:40.381+01:00Bring out the Red, White and Blue<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Before anyone points it out to me, I realise that I am always talking about the weather in my blog - how very English :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br />But continuing with my Englishness...Phew, it's HOT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Is it any wonder the British are preoccupied with the weather when it is so changeable? This May, we have gone from a rather cold, wet Spring to a hot, dry Summer, seemingly overnight. The garden is confused. I'm confused.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I'm not complaining, mind you. Long may this weather reign. And talking of reigning that leads me on nicely to that very, very historic day coming up soon, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. I'm loving all this patriotism. I wouldn't describe myself as a Royalist, but I love the design of the Union Jack. Always have done really. It's so bright and cheerful and whenever I see it, I smile. I ordered these the other day and they have just arrived ready for the weekend. Aren't they great? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNA7jFjAWRM4rCkYxeMcG9_nHn2wE26wwC3YmA-aUwPI_uU-iaFhsGMfjqU7PjrZomeN5RWfaS6KkK1vuHoPudngufxE5nXllBji4EEEwRrOFFyWqkCTW7w6SM_r21WqucTBFI9TkMqc/s1600/UnionBunting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNA7jFjAWRM4rCkYxeMcG9_nHn2wE26wwC3YmA-aUwPI_uU-iaFhsGMfjqU7PjrZomeN5RWfaS6KkK1vuHoPudngufxE5nXllBji4EEEwRrOFFyWqkCTW7w6SM_r21WqucTBFI9TkMqc/s200/UnionBunting.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've had these cushions for a couple of years now and they have been christened Winston and Jock, obviously. I really need a welsh corgi and an irish setter to complete the set but I don't know if they are out there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYkLyMV_iM-cvkQA5KR6KaAkEVgefThQUoo5wFBnwWLxSfwoyMQG-2ESufjpw-tgw91o6RJpxvz5VzwAlA_Ijej5PH4m9ydfd-7h_gwQZfrS8McHNq0Y9KP_fj5GC1sV9Ps9sRERPyEw/s1600/Winston1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYkLyMV_iM-cvkQA5KR6KaAkEVgefThQUoo5wFBnwWLxSfwoyMQG-2ESufjpw-tgw91o6RJpxvz5VzwAlA_Ijej5PH4m9ydfd-7h_gwQZfrS8McHNq0Y9KP_fj5GC1sV9Ps9sRERPyEw/s200/Winston1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe0L17HYZXvP7T4-7SdJEOhYAHHg7UwscXf1oYw108i50TfjQvVzMa6aJ0fn7BqR-YBAfJwBpCoedVwT1HXpe4xlLKnJ42b9VdmTP4M1FyMkNsYwVNxr9irzOs8Fx2uG9d8vTexgosp0/s200/Jock1.JPG" width="200" /><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">These cushions were a bargain about 18 months ago in Wilkinsons. Try buying them for the same price now - no chance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOCGL1ywV8Il40ncUL_edOUtTqmSfOXOQGL4UjNm-Aij5M1xHYuHs_tB4wfPmSWwty4H4raAfnbj1HgVlN-50iaVswqXK6D6x6UuqhcSj4VNGU1sxfIiFkj0xwJAtKNG8E2_lkT_d4Q0/s1600/UnionCushions.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOCGL1ywV8Il40ncUL_edOUtTqmSfOXOQGL4UjNm-Aij5M1xHYuHs_tB4wfPmSWwty4H4raAfnbj1HgVlN-50iaVswqXK6D6x6UuqhcSj4VNGU1sxfIiFkj0xwJAtKNG8E2_lkT_d4Q0/s320/UnionCushions.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And this union jack mug is one of my favourites. I have a matching apron too. They came from Tesco a few years ago. The Queenie mug was a bargain I scooped yesterday at The Range, just ยฃ1.45!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDCv7AVhyphenhyphenW4dF2CY7zOlE51oI76ywhp8FOUiPRZ7LbcxiVxh6C1B3gKPd4pSJFt2b98N0qfNiRSBuHfJlAv_vxrDqDc-JBmZAzhD7CVFpBj9S41DdItJMURjb9xZ7XOppUkOfZSMuP3A/s1600/Mugs1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDCv7AVhyphenhyphenW4dF2CY7zOlE51oI76ywhp8FOUiPRZ7LbcxiVxh6C1B3gKPd4pSJFt2b98N0qfNiRSBuHfJlAv_vxrDqDc-JBmZAzhD7CVFpBj9S41DdItJMURjb9xZ7XOppUkOfZSMuP3A/s200/Mugs1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So, you see, I am a bit of a Union Jack collector. The same cannot be said of the flag of St. George, the English national flag. I'm afraid the association of the far right in British politics and football hooliganism have put me off a bit. Also, it is just a constant reminder of how our national football team fail to deliver at every tournament. I used to be a big fan of football. When I lived at my parents' home, we all watched football as a family on television every week and occasionally, live. I saw Georgie Best play :D </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">However, being married to someone who isn't particularly a fan, (he'll watch the big matches but thats all; I suppose I should be thankful), and being present at friends's houses whilst the men in their lives watched football and they treat it as a very masculine concern, has put me off. I want to reignite my love of football this year - after all it is supposedly our national game. So come on England, show us you are still worthy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Back to flags, if you love that design, St. George's flag, then there are plenty of examples out there to buy too thanks to the <a href="http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/index.html" target="_blank">Euro 2012</a> tournament kicking off very soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Of course the other big event for us this year is the Olympics. I'm really excited. I think it is going to be a very memorable Summer. I can't wait...</span></div>
<br />Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-81895285900678926492012-05-21T12:37:00.000+01:002012-05-21T12:37:01.081+01:00Blooming Spring?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Goodness, isn't it cold for May? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We haven't had rain yet today though so hopefully the weather is set to improve.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When the sun does shine, I'm hoping to make use of this beauty. I bought this gorgeous number on eBay. I'm a huge fan of eBay.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41VTby34Q7lEDZXBgUM2vQl87BmryHP42G92uvXTW8CwVbAyo2PG0x_NAORUnMkptm7S553BZz7EWiN5D_zlbn8892ita3nk-jEQHX-Z8aw7Mz-M-mTdhKBUmYPY5Mfz84__Wk1Q8dg0/s1600/SpringGarden12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41VTby34Q7lEDZXBgUM2vQl87BmryHP42G92uvXTW8CwVbAyo2PG0x_NAORUnMkptm7S553BZz7EWiN5D_zlbn8892ita3nk-jEQHX-Z8aw7Mz-M-mTdhKBUmYPY5Mfz84__Wk1Q8dg0/s320/SpringGarden12.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are very few flowers in my garden at the moment. Everything is very lush and green, thanks to the rain, but the flowers are late.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xiH-44sjq4wNAVklayIGfSPXTsCdqwvqFAnndPp9qgZWx0Koongw9Slh_AsiJhhWjIPMYzkIhfdiJ6hmrBTInkomYigp6xYs9-aEFgzJFP4BMYRRl3FyRVa2_ftXKG1ylWm2aSWWzIA/s1600/Auricula1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xiH-44sjq4wNAVklayIGfSPXTsCdqwvqFAnndPp9qgZWx0Koongw9Slh_AsiJhhWjIPMYzkIhfdiJ6hmrBTInkomYigp6xYs9-aEFgzJFP4BMYRRl3FyRVa2_ftXKG1ylWm2aSWWzIA/s320/Auricula1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Auriculas are stunning.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, our Wisteria has flowered for the first time ever this year. Just one flower, but what a beauty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwGLOx3am9SECHllaaYzNx9hCxOaec6xqztlOo_DkVqkmK3m9u7HJy3zKx92vql3XSBH0Ouv5EOIuqj5kOE7EhR5aPqnl0fo2cillMpkg4XAG7v-nM3yuzQRHITf6fDjw1RgKvJWB1dw/s1600/FirstWisteria.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwGLOx3am9SECHllaaYzNx9hCxOaec6xqztlOo_DkVqkmK3m9u7HJy3zKx92vql3XSBH0Ouv5EOIuqj5kOE7EhR5aPqnl0fo2cillMpkg4XAG7v-nM3yuzQRHITf6fDjw1RgKvJWB1dw/s320/FirstWisteria.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this dashing chap paid a fleeting visit the other morning. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I couldn't get close enough to take a decent picture but I was very pleased to see his colourful presence. </span>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-36021419566347908702012-05-05T17:54:00.000+01:002012-05-05T17:54:32.346+01:00An April Postcard<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April, what a washout! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I don't just mean the much mentioned fact that it was the wettest April since records began.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all, it started well. Hubby had a birthday. We went out for a lovely meal here, </span><a href="http://www.chinchinbarkitchen.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.chinchinbarkitchen.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. A very laid back place where they do fab food and the staff are lovely - when or if you are in Bristol, I highly recommend a visit!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlYqsIrTd_Qi0-is87Kk5RWh2WE_TIq72YhLzAD5Mix89zfGDsckO95HQDx5jzjRkJsMerBGeSbvvRt96hmLA-bAR5zD1YBaeRrmNERGtjGGPfieBwwQL6AxFmqBicXqRRMboPylKwco/s1600/Mac'sBDay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlYqsIrTd_Qi0-is87Kk5RWh2WE_TIq72YhLzAD5Mix89zfGDsckO95HQDx5jzjRkJsMerBGeSbvvRt96hmLA-bAR5zD1YBaeRrmNERGtjGGPfieBwwQL6AxFmqBicXqRRMboPylKwco/s200/Mac'sBDay.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I caught a cold, a real stinker on Easter weekend! And all the plans I had for a very creative time almost evaporated, but luckily I got this bit of creativity in before the bug hit! Aided by my very artistic girls, I might add.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WF3f-80FHenJIinakLi-kF7PYb-BMkNMtMmykQA8R8I8pvLWH-CokpYhBSoi8kFNTC1jMbz0mpvhlT3ojlv33go93Nxu4IHgW-QW8Owlb6iEl1KCS4dw3ZgzRZGwxbbzy8K589v4UJI/s1600/Egg3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WF3f-80FHenJIinakLi-kF7PYb-BMkNMtMmykQA8R8I8pvLWH-CokpYhBSoi8kFNTC1jMbz0mpvhlT3ojlv33go93Nxu4IHgW-QW8Owlb6iEl1KCS4dw3ZgzRZGwxbbzy8K589v4UJI/s1600/Egg3.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SDb6ylGaU8w5u9wmDVLw76TFhMktH_rKjciZVAAfWVntfK4a7-A9-2xHoMLfec_sE7y8nWhvqVE1cdcnJrHI4_PFntthW9yG6S_zX-LfXO0zgnydYXUl-3EO_Ruh7KXg13LP75OcTBM/s1600/Eggs1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SDb6ylGaU8w5u9wmDVLw76TFhMktH_rKjciZVAAfWVntfK4a7-A9-2xHoMLfec_sE7y8nWhvqVE1cdcnJrHI4_PFntthW9yG6S_zX-LfXO0zgnydYXUl-3EO_Ruh7KXg13LP75OcTBM/s1600/Eggs1.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ElYHkJOkUSJFCJiqz34eBoQJp9AdYfOQ2QWSFBPeEgo7ZfS7-vr72c_VPdVvLw-qh7CxH90q8JV6OG5haL-OIS-gBFfMG85b9IdH5lcnwwRBtlQIuNxZFP2i6_fS3NJO2Xfw6H97ieE/s1600/EasterTable1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ElYHkJOkUSJFCJiqz34eBoQJp9AdYfOQ2QWSFBPeEgo7ZfS7-vr72c_VPdVvLw-qh7CxH90q8JV6OG5haL-OIS-gBFfMG85b9IdH5lcnwwRBtlQIuNxZFP2i6_fS3NJO2Xfw6H97ieE/s1600/EasterTable1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few days were spent feeling sorry for myself and Youngest Darling Daughter, who also had the nasty virus, and thinking that as soon as the sun shines, we would feel much better. Did the sun shine? Somewhere, definitely, but not West of Centre.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'Oh well', I thought to myself, 'never mind we are off on holiday soon, at least I won't have a cold then.' We had booked a week in Sorrento and were very excited having never been to that area of Italy before. Sure enough by the time it came to leave for our holiday, I felt much better. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something inexplicable happened to Europe that week though. It rained everywhere. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw-gySiCOvhE1zrlc-5mLXqcFcsalO0N1TKW6hIuUkHDGBDsu9CQ12g22HtXcpMdB8Mz_12j8aAzApWKixC0-UWegV1Uuf2Pkk0ITlnqc_sJcuDTznaUFcs2tEraS9vML_87WiYzuQyk/s1600/SorrentoPostcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw-gySiCOvhE1zrlc-5mLXqcFcsalO0N1TKW6hIuUkHDGBDsu9CQ12g22HtXcpMdB8Mz_12j8aAzApWKixC0-UWegV1Uuf2Pkk0ITlnqc_sJcuDTznaUFcs2tEraS9vML_87WiYzuQyk/s400/SorrentoPostcard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorrento was beautiful, even in the rain! But, oh how I wished we could see its beauty bathed in sunshine, instead of, well, just bathed!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzLknA_4QEQ9Ayh7O2IepaW-Z4jBuvXI33icLsgjjmEZrI-C4kkaCLPcrMFtdz_DxhO7D0hdZPPaebcA33qHNgBxsSjFEjtqzvRXRVgg2IdQw2X15ZLCpjRTw2eOqkkEguGflk3uF4YI/s1600/PompeiiPostcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzLknA_4QEQ9Ayh7O2IepaW-Z4jBuvXI33icLsgjjmEZrI-C4kkaCLPcrMFtdz_DxhO7D0hdZPPaebcA33qHNgBxsSjFEjtqzvRXRVgg2IdQw2X15ZLCpjRTw2eOqkkEguGflk3uF4YI/s400/PompeiiPostcard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09xgVcm45flvvXneyCsyEGY7iPmdyFPuGWgW85LhvPf8BwGv6evLZedjksOwMOp3lnzGfD4pOgEQTXXFd-2gPpjCwssr7U38BIcJoEwdUKBABXH7Cd6N8oM9lAD-FIRrcPcFvAiwHUcY/s1600/HerculaneumPostcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09xgVcm45flvvXneyCsyEGY7iPmdyFPuGWgW85LhvPf8BwGv6evLZedjksOwMOp3lnzGfD4pOgEQTXXFd-2gPpjCwssr7U38BIcJoEwdUKBABXH7Cd6N8oM9lAD-FIRrcPcFvAiwHUcY/s400/HerculaneumPostcard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had rain everyday, most days it was heavy and torrential. We trudged round Pompeii in the cold and wet and it was flooded whilst we were there. It stopped raining long enough for the clouds to clear on top of Versuvius. The views from there were nothing short of breathtaking. And the sun did shine briefly at Herculaneum but on the way back to Sorrento, we spotted a twister in the bay - very impressive and very scary heading towards a cruise ship that had stopped there. Amazingly, we tried to get a photograph but it just vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, thankfully. I wouldn't have liked to be on that ship looking at a twisting tower coming towards me...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought of this poem as we faced the twister and floods:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 'O, To be in England</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Now that April's there...'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Robert Browning. (1812โ1889), Home-thoughts, from Abroad)</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTbYx-i0TyIy3NL4BCWz912Z_KX78wR7OIm59z6fVyx3TpBla1Z64NJ0RyMfDMQoSuJiSpLd6uf3fwg6yZv4PVXMYS21OgCMZ_ABbOocsKzOHGvFvqZdO2tUC6Sum6HyM5TTGTuHqFig/s1600/SorrentoBoats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTbYx-i0TyIy3NL4BCWz912Z_KX78wR7OIm59z6fVyx3TpBla1Z64NJ0RyMfDMQoSuJiSpLd6uf3fwg6yZv4PVXMYS21OgCMZ_ABbOocsKzOHGvFvqZdO2tUC6Sum6HyM5TTGTuHqFig/s1600/SorrentoBoats.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, despite the damn awful weather, we had a wonderful time. Luckily, our <a href="http://www.lasolarahotel.com/" target="_blank">Hotel</a> was tip-top! Imagine how terrible it would have been if the Hotel was pants too! We ate far too much, drank far too much and generally took life at a slower pace. Beautiful, beautiful part of the world! Pompeii and Herculaneum are just fascinating. I hope to go back one day, maybe when Europe is in drought!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJBvvJ8QhuQAULPx1gcFFnwrozaAhJzf-BOVgehyphenhyphenlCWLH4xCl8qMQYZZ3pXYRQrrT1E-nL6fHVcou1FBMZ1e_ziXiGvf2Xq3xGz8xFMmlDWxJf5cb0kiwpGuduLdGGrDKsrfNTssmL5k/s1600/VersuviusMeK&E.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJBvvJ8QhuQAULPx1gcFFnwrozaAhJzf-BOVgehyphenhyphenlCWLH4xCl8qMQYZZ3pXYRQrrT1E-nL6fHVcou1FBMZ1e_ziXiGvf2Xq3xGz8xFMmlDWxJf5cb0kiwpGuduLdGGrDKsrfNTssmL5k/s1600/VersuviusMeK&E.JPG" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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Then we had to come home. Darling Daughter First Born had exams to sit; Youngest Darling Daughter had to go back to school for her final term, gulp! And then Hubby got a cold. Poor thing, I sympathised having not long had one myself...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then it struck again! Cold number two! How could this be, I usually only get one cold a year and here I was with two in a month. I was not happy! And it kept raining. I had all the holiday washing to do and it kept raining. Then Youngest Darling Daughter caught the cold too. We are obviously far too much alike and share far too much. I thought of this poem as I blew into a mansize tissue:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">April is the cruellest month, breeding</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Memory and desire, stirring </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dull roots with spring rain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(T S Eliot, (1888-1965), The Waste Land, 1922)</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Thank you to Darling Daughter First Born for the Easter Egg Photos)</span></i></span><br />
<br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-70341286812152174922012-04-10T00:41:00.000+01:002012-04-10T14:46:18.853+01:00Easter Eden<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is there anybody out there?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm still here...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HAPPY EASTER!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGdC5AkiY1rNINZpM7DSzrTmzgXxnREeojfE46Y-1N16Mh-e8rF4_msDmsfom3bfWSMgeMmMN-KSq2FweZAHtk6NJ8MHlib04QWqawO7uZO_308JCDWGvCS9SbNB2JhRla34PcG5fOV0/s1600/chocs00006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGdC5AkiY1rNINZpM7DSzrTmzgXxnREeojfE46Y-1N16Mh-e8rF4_msDmsfom3bfWSMgeMmMN-KSq2FweZAHtk6NJ8MHlib04QWqawO7uZO_308JCDWGvCS9SbNB2JhRla34PcG5fOV0/s320/chocs00006.JPG" width="212" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is supposed to be a photo of me and my girls painting eggs but Hubby uploaded the photos and now I can't find them!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I know! All that talk about blogging at least once a week and here I am, over a month later, finally managing to drag myself to the laptop to do a post. This is still the infamous old Apple PowerBook and it is still temperamental but is getting better following the acquisition of a new charge cable. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have had an eventful month, full of happy reunions and glorious
sunshine. Darling Daughter First Born is home for the Easter break, and
a few weeks ago I met possibly my oldest, (in terms of how long I've
known her, dears, not her age!), and dearest friend in London. It has
been over a year since we last had the chance to get together and it was
really nice to chat over old times and new. We drifted from cafe to
park bench to pub for lunch and then back to a cafe again. The sun shone
and I remembered just why we have been friends for thirty years - she
knows me so well in every sense of the word. Thank you dear Nicky for a
lovely day. Our lives have taken different paths. She is a successful
and very hard working business woman with four children and is always
looking for new challenges. I haven't had a paid full-time job since
before my daughters were born and I am happiest when I potter in my
garden or walk with my dog. I guess I have never really been ambitious,
but now after our meeting, I am beginning to think I need to shake
myself up a bit over the next year or so. Youngest Darling Daughter will
be eighteen soon. She is planning on staying here for another year
whilst she does her Art Foundation year but then she will follow in the
footsteps of her sister and go off to university too. Then it will be
just Hubby, Rosie and Me. Oh and Raphael, Darling Daughter First Born's
bearded dragon lizard :) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUMzsHupAPLAJOVbUC6UI8PR0Mo3grxlxk2ao7sihc-M-ePLdjAH5d1EfYI1gT2w9qJnDjzRvMiKM16DwXqIQbp-1AFqeQw2T_peVIvCv2og8UtRe47jsWhnH15sK17u2Df_uOo6Vq-c/s1600/Raphael.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUMzsHupAPLAJOVbUC6UI8PR0Mo3grxlxk2ao7sihc-M-ePLdjAH5d1EfYI1gT2w9qJnDjzRvMiKM16DwXqIQbp-1AFqeQw2T_peVIvCv2og8UtRe47jsWhnH15sK17u2Df_uOo6Vq-c/s200/Raphael.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I need a plan for the future. I'm working on one right now and will reveal all in a future post. I have also been getting creative again. I am terrible at starting projects and never finishing them. Works in progress, yes, well, we all know what that means. Anyway, about fifteen months ago I started knitting my Mum a wrap for her holidays. Then as usual, life got in the way and the wrap was stuffed in a bag, unfinished and forgotten. Well, I decided it was time I finished it so that Mum could take it to Spain with her this time. So here it is, modelled by my Mum:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIxg_0VgEhPGV2GoosYcMRZxf1rm2ZfHCVu4napJNYsgL7yx1_P53D0PsQVMO1f7tqJ_YNaUKENXGjiuTrMbG0syNqHmEfDmdGD4x9FE_K16fL8qmb0uwjCXNbD2ufPxwKGSImZ2WNbc/s1600/BackShawl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIxg_0VgEhPGV2GoosYcMRZxf1rm2ZfHCVu4napJNYsgL7yx1_P53D0PsQVMO1f7tqJ_YNaUKENXGjiuTrMbG0syNqHmEfDmdGD4x9FE_K16fL8qmb0uwjCXNbD2ufPxwKGSImZ2WNbc/s200/BackShawl1.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1smAj9mePwVhftH6i4wp3iQFB_29FxmHY0ry42jPuEtqWOpHdXudqSn0zrCRhkJ-ScBNupNjgWE1WKw4R-QTZKlayFH6JzLKOK7-J_RBvfPM2KYBFoUOoNPZhS1x2uGPlI1BTLiRmTo/s1600/MumShawl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1smAj9mePwVhftH6i4wp3iQFB_29FxmHY0ry42jPuEtqWOpHdXudqSn0zrCRhkJ-ScBNupNjgWE1WKw4R-QTZKlayFH6JzLKOK7-J_RBvfPM2KYBFoUOoNPZhS1x2uGPlI1BTLiRmTo/s200/MumShawl1.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm pleased with the finished item and I think Mum liked it too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm home alone today because Hubby and girls have gone to Devon to visit Hubby's Dad, who is 74 today. Happy Birthday Grandad! They left me behind because I am infected with a nasty cold virus. So I have been a recluse all day, feeling sorry for myself and watching the rain pour down outside. It's hard to believe we were basking in the sunshine just over a week ago. Hopefully, tomorrow the sun will shine again and my cold will be a thing of the past, fingers crossed :)</span></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-86522397516632518812012-03-07T12:10:00.000+00:002012-03-07T12:11:40.977+00:00Open the Box!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a delivery a couple of days before the big birthday.</div>
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This box arrived. I was very excited because I love The White Company, but I was very good and didn't open it until the day. </div>
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Inside was this box and a little card with a birthday wish from Sally, my dear friend.</div>
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Inside this smart box was this:</div>
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Another stylish box. </div>
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And inside this? Yes, you've guessed it, another box.</div>
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A beautiful trinket box. Thank you Sally, it really is lovely.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And because I know you all want to see I couldn't resist this final photo.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxoUGkw4v22wzhoOhhjvKYuHwJZwdKB65mCrWhA-e0iMq2BEbGFbv_RDgACHW14fswqL0oNdIM5asIlT-0MqeVgqBR8LhUHaa_WPbqVY_hP6wpo43AdQZy6YCr4vRZVgGschOqtommrk/s1600/OpenTrinket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxoUGkw4v22wzhoOhhjvKYuHwJZwdKB65mCrWhA-e0iMq2BEbGFbv_RDgACHW14fswqL0oNdIM5asIlT-0MqeVgqBR8LhUHaa_WPbqVY_hP6wpo43AdQZy6YCr4vRZVgGschOqtommrk/s1600/OpenTrinket.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I hope the sun is shining for you today.<br />
And a big "Hello" to my new followers. </div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-72236963207383093902012-02-24T10:52:00.001+00:002012-02-24T10:54:10.597+00:00One Woman and Her Mac<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6F8NaR3BaSTFEy22I4UA1TJMNIVNSj2YPIOD42D9Hx8HV_GwkVGarKkGYuALSNYoneaRg8AXK20wHD0Eb0Bqih7k3cug8orbLgIRhpTQD20Yr0VwZZyaORhnP30nmUgFFX1FiAIVLKok/s1600/RainyApple2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6F8NaR3BaSTFEy22I4UA1TJMNIVNSj2YPIOD42D9Hx8HV_GwkVGarKkGYuALSNYoneaRg8AXK20wHD0Eb0Bqih7k3cug8orbLgIRhpTQD20Yr0VwZZyaORhnP30nmUgFFX1FiAIVLKok/s320/RainyApple2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Historic Apple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had high hopes for my 51st year. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">High hopes that I would be able to publish at least one post a week, or even everyday, like some bloggers. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, my equipment let me down!</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I don't mean my brain :D</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I mean my trusty ten year old laptop! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Yes, I did say ten years old! </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But this is no ordinary laptop, no. This is a Mac.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And no ordinary Mac either.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an Apple PowerBook G4, once the ultimate in cool technology in its pearlesque titanium casing.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, that was when it belonged to my dear Hubby!</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It now belongs to me and it seems to be reflecting my own inability to quite get to grips with the frantic pace of Twenty-First Century living. Nowadays the casing looks, well, more grey than shimmery and as for its aging abilities...</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's getting slow and unable to take in some of the new-fangled software and updates that Apple want to throw at it. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just under two weeks ago, it all became too much for my Mac. The charger cable was beginning to get a bit thin on top. The joint between cable and adapter was no longer as flexible as it used to be and the battery wasn't charging fully. One minute my Mac had 99% of life left in it, then within ten minutes, nothing, zero, zilch, dead as a dodo :(</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wouldn't respond to CPR, (that's computer power recharge, as far as this post is concerned); and it seemed like I finally had to say 'goodbye' to my faithful old Mac and let it go...</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was very sad. Hubby tried to cheer me up by giving me a shiny sleek iPad for my birthday. It just wasn't the same. You see, my Mac and I shared a history - a life to which this young iPad can only aspire and never match. My iPad, as lovely, portable, accessible and new as it is, just cannot do all the things I need it to do. It can do a lot. Wow, yes, it is frighteningly gifted in some areas. Scarey, in fact! (For the purpose of this post, scarey means I don't fully understand it!) But what it's lacking, is that history...</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All my photos are on my old Mac! And I don't know how to upload photos on to my iPad, or even if I can. So, I was unable to fully blog. I could comment but somehow, even that seemed complicated on the iPad. But, my goodness, the blogs do look good framed by its dark silky sides. And as for recipes, they look positively edible on its gorgeous back-lit screen. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the true beauty of my old Mac was more than just skin deep.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Hubby, because, well, he's clever like that, did something that is never normally recommended with old laptops. He opened it up! Yes he took the back off the Mac...and fiddled! And only he knows what he really did - I dare not ask and wouldn't understand anyway even if he told me, but now, my old Mac can knock spots off most of its young PC competitors. It has a new lease of life, a new charger, a rejuvenated battery, a future in this world...And a new close friend, my iPad. They have long conversations, bounce ideas off each other, push boundaries, share platforms. It's love.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fCgZ8wT86-u9z2UNdeZXw9RXbRfI3n-AWIsCkq0I9D3b1PsriwdIJ0-f9-NN5GHBYRwzvdJWOJ6Uf0zrfsMjn622gwUJ52EFZrSX7aOeJ7B7-80R-OCghN0zuLEh20VdeLphyG6vrgk/s1600/DenRoses5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fCgZ8wT86-u9z2UNdeZXw9RXbRfI3n-AWIsCkq0I9D3b1PsriwdIJ0-f9-NN5GHBYRwzvdJWOJ6Uf0zrfsMjn622gwUJ52EFZrSX7aOeJ7B7-80R-OCghN0zuLEh20VdeLphyG6vrgk/s1600/DenRoses5.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of the gorgeous roses from my dear sister</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I can access my photos.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJhoEZPez2EL9OkgAepBQ37QtNf7JF7VhOj792T2a1eqPmjZzyido9amyHsiWflcyQj9BFiyxLOxzkKV-QS-Vh7aSrM00HBrbjSdMELIODxUDkblKX-JZMGaugev-Jr68JU24UJKq29w/s1600/Bouquet5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJhoEZPez2EL9OkgAepBQ37QtNf7JF7VhOj792T2a1eqPmjZzyido9amyHsiWflcyQj9BFiyxLOxzkKV-QS-Vh7aSrM00HBrbjSdMELIODxUDkblKX-JZMGaugev-Jr68JU24UJKq29w/s320/Bouquet5.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These beauties came from my Brother-In-Law and family in France</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun is shining again for me in blogland.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-52513326469499314392012-02-12T22:47:00.000+00:002012-02-12T23:01:13.265+00:00'L' Plates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm1Wc1NPP0PK36jRPmWt8gXQA1JUE0lctbJhICNwJrqqa-s6cwcBddZ81G6LQ15Ah_YJotT_YQ4xRLNhHguu8v1LljPoavbY28FPIXACg4dJNxJ18gBpiLWDYH3XaLBRj0fhTYF2clnY/s1600/MeMac50Grin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm1Wc1NPP0PK36jRPmWt8gXQA1JUE0lctbJhICNwJrqqa-s6cwcBddZ81G6LQ15Ah_YJotT_YQ4xRLNhHguu8v1LljPoavbY28FPIXACg4dJNxJ18gBpiLWDYH3XaLBRj0fhTYF2clnY/s320/MeMac50Grin.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yes, you got it right! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was my birthday, of course, but not just any birthday... my FIFTIETH!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shock, horror - it definitely took me by surprise anyway!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But do you know what?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Despite the fact I am now in my sixth decade, (gulp), I am loving my life at the moment.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I feel healthy; </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I finally feel comfortable with myself, after years of chopping and changing hair colours and styles; of dipping in and out of various fashions; of fighting and not fighting the flab, (wow, that phrase definitely dates me); of following and adopting various political and social stances only to be disappointed with the final outcome; and of feeling the need to talk without my West Country accent!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It is all nonsense, I know.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The things that matter are that:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have a wonderfully supportive extended family;</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have a beautiful home and a dog who every day becomes more and more adorable;</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am immensely proud of my girls and last but not least, I have a lovely hubby, who still at times makes me feel like I am 20!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So I raise a toast to myself on reaching fifty and as to the next half century, (we can but hope), I say:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"BRING IT ON!"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5ZdfyVXIqafmTzHaYonzKPmym0BY0QOpXkny5mL_hxNdKGLOoCflZuHdly-B9_7Q6U9bq5ooTi_pliObn1ux1i8s-nySQAwTB4i_7L_gt4jV4jfAl36DGFbwarEVS-WnbFr7881G7VY/s1600/MeMac50giggle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5ZdfyVXIqafmTzHaYonzKPmym0BY0QOpXkny5mL_hxNdKGLOoCflZuHdly-B9_7Q6U9bq5ooTi_pliObn1ux1i8s-nySQAwTB4i_7L_gt4jV4jfAl36DGFbwarEVS-WnbFr7881G7VY/s320/MeMac50giggle.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-43186392338807530722012-02-10T23:43:00.000+00:002012-02-10T23:43:04.673+00:00A Special Day<div style="text-align: center;">
Today was a special day.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Why?" I hear you ask.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Perhaps this will give you a clue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXcBz1JoJhoPVmzWtROpBjsc4jnMKNwqb2_2m2vLrJ8OcQplsUwlABX8A4VZe8LvPVi_UtF_rhi9FGO-1ECVRlBeXshrb0Ta9_mr6PSK8XOhqmLHCLIMwU-nLhzGHpixy5IPMeaBoCso/s1600/Cards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXcBz1JoJhoPVmzWtROpBjsc4jnMKNwqb2_2m2vLrJ8OcQplsUwlABX8A4VZe8LvPVi_UtF_rhi9FGO-1ECVRlBeXshrb0Ta9_mr6PSK8XOhqmLHCLIMwU-nLhzGHpixy5IPMeaBoCso/s320/Cards.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Or this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ex5vsljHYRX9OjL_QkrJVNYun3M2e57O4SZuwbbuupIu7_NFMye36H7sEuUnOB76gJJG8TS9EQD8Xol5OaX4qILfoRzKfTnV1ZHNMXn2DCRhB99bcLTGuB_w5EJ4idtKyaN3pF2YgFc/s1600/DenRoses2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ex5vsljHYRX9OjL_QkrJVNYun3M2e57O4SZuwbbuupIu7_NFMye36H7sEuUnOB76gJJG8TS9EQD8Xol5OaX4qILfoRzKfTnV1ZHNMXn2DCRhB99bcLTGuB_w5EJ4idtKyaN3pF2YgFc/s320/DenRoses2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Or perhaps this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C_2ej22vy64NsE9RknVs0CzciFwhzPXSu6qzfPRWLmhxu52mprWTcbkPYFOVanIxBHnxYcr_YLTtlkDMhovsGmYRLDZP9XbhTTJsf4hjhBldKpGzwQstpNIV9pW_Vcjd2wwbwRKy3DY/s1600/Bouquet2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C_2ej22vy64NsE9RknVs0CzciFwhzPXSu6qzfPRWLmhxu52mprWTcbkPYFOVanIxBHnxYcr_YLTtlkDMhovsGmYRLDZP9XbhTTJsf4hjhBldKpGzwQstpNIV9pW_Vcjd2wwbwRKy3DY/s320/Bouquet2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Or maybe this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_nZJn7OipuBd9vL5qhGjTzxdAr8OPoPdH_nhZ8JPehJ0oz3ilZS9-2PgDPv5pX55mCG0KXsvB254AgqRdbi-TbrwekXsoObL_DGkOiCem9nuXYtQ8KG30-P9WoA2oWidvyJF4cLCP1k/s1600/Cake1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_nZJn7OipuBd9vL5qhGjTzxdAr8OPoPdH_nhZ8JPehJ0oz3ilZS9-2PgDPv5pX55mCG0KXsvB254AgqRdbi-TbrwekXsoObL_DGkOiCem9nuXYtQ8KG30-P9WoA2oWidvyJF4cLCP1k/s320/Cake1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
No? Well, I will reveal all tomorrow when I've recovered from celebrating this special day :)</div>
<br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3138935408567422195.post-51739216856757806012012-01-18T10:03:00.003+00:002012-02-01T10:47:11.622+00:00What Is Going On?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYh0Su5V_wfV8UGQ3MNtjuodYjpRfzlu0nZFb5pCzcWvThlc3OWjmXwJdpg6CvDt9F_7doffKy1KineK_IjqBlY7jXcoUxvnJlOSV1j6t5TYuNi8LMQ42KnMlaEyqyUTu2L4laQDZPFVs/s1600/Image203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYh0Su5V_wfV8UGQ3MNtjuodYjpRfzlu0nZFb5pCzcWvThlc3OWjmXwJdpg6CvDt9F_7doffKy1KineK_IjqBlY7jXcoUxvnJlOSV1j6t5TYuNi8LMQ42KnMlaEyqyUTu2L4laQDZPFVs/s320/Image203.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me about 30 years ago - I still have that scarf!!!!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just a quick post this morning to say:</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">WHAT IS WRONG WITH BLOGGER??????!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Several times I've tried to leave comments for fellow bloggers and one minute the box is there then the next...GONE! </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Am I going mad? </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Am I imagining things? </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Am I being shut out by the powers-that-be behind Blogger?</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Am I paranoid? </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Is anyone listening to me?</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Oh well, no doubt after a nice hot soothing drink all this will seem like just a storm in a teacup!</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have a Happy Wednesday!</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sue xxx </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">P.S. Loving the movie clip and Fran<span class="st">รง</span>oise Hardy links over at <a href="http://lucyvioletvintage.blogspot.com/">Kylie's</a>. Groovy!</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have a look. </div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12959827247083019652noreply@blogger.com14