love those cupcakes

A little thanks giving of my own

Sunset viewed through the living room window.  Probably not quite the picture you were expecting, given that we've been back from our travels for several days.  

Due to a rather nasty and painful stomach bug, which decided to show its face on the long (so very long) return journey, the hundreds of holiday photographs remain unsorted.  Ditto the suitcases and bags.  

Fortunately, the worst of the symptoms didn't emerge until we were home and for that I'm most grateful. Suffice to say I've been spending my time languishing on the sofa in my comfiest 'jamas, looking like a wrung out rag and doing nothing more energetic than turning the pages of the current book.  And gazing at stunning sunsets.

But things are improving.  The appetite is slowly returning.  I can't face tea or coffee or properly balanced meals yet but have found that liberally salted fried bread tastes delicious and the thought of a bag of vinegar sprinkled chip shop chips makes my mouth water.  Strange.

I've posted previously about using my blog for nothing more than to record, to remember - little stuff, big stuff, bits and bobs of daily life.  

Well, today marks five years since I had radical surgery for cancer. Five years of trying to stay positive, five years of making lifestyle changes in a bid to do what I can to help increase my chances of survival, five years of being overseen by an excellent multi disciplinary team (malignant melanoma of the vulva is a gynaecological cancer that spans two medical specialisms - gynaecological oncology and skin cancer).

One of my consultants has already decided not to schedule any further appointments; I'm seeing the other just before Christmas and, if all is well, the same decision may be made.  There's no talk of being cured, nor are there any guarantees (though, let's face it, there are no guarantees for anyone).  

But, whatever happens in the future, I'm so very thankful for the last five years.

 

Signing off

It's been ten months since that amazing Antarctica adventure*.  

So, for the next few weeks we're swapping views of these hills

 for these.  

Eight flights, several countries and opportunities to look for elusive wildlife.

Back soon.

 

*  And no prizes for guessing which big crybaby blubbed watching this.

 

Comings and goings, bits and bobs

Last week I had a date with Dawn French.  Well, me and hundreds of other Manchester Palace Theatre goers.  It was a great night, less the stand-up routine that some people were expecting (judging by some overheard comments) and more about what it is to be Dawn and bits, really big bits, from her life so far.

This was story telling at its best, enhanced with a backdrop of photos from the family album.  At times it was laugh out loud hilarious, at others so heart wrenching that certain, ahem, people in the audience had to stuff their gobs with tissues to muffle the sobbing.  It was no holds barred, very well written, superbly delivered and I loved every minute.

Staying over with the Girlie and her mister we ventured into neighbouring Derbyshire the following day for a mooch amongst the gloriously autumnal colours before a delicious late lunch.  

Back home (somewhat later than planned after a mix up in arrangements which had me waiting to be picked up in one location in town and the mister and his car in another), the cake tin was empty so the bowls came out and brownies were baked.  This was another of Jamie's recipes, very chocolatey, very tasty but a tad too crumbly for me.  I prefer my brownies squidgy so would maybe take them out of the oven sooner next time.

We're not looking forward to November 5th here.  Not that we don't enjoy fireworks, we do.  It's just that Boo doesn't.  He really really doesn't and turns into a quivering, panting, petrified mess at the slightest bang (which is slightly barking as he's a gun dog).  So we're using a couple of these.  There have been several firework parties locally in the run-up to Bonfire Night and, so far, the plug-ins have made no difference whatsoever.  Nor have they had any visible effect on Boo's similar reaction to Jeremy Paxman's voice. 

Ah well, at least the spuds here are happy.