Writing block?

I started this blog, rewrote it as I didn't like it then promptly 'lost' all the new stuff and nearly threw my tablet out of the window... Now I've pulled myself together and am making a fresh start. It's quite early and I will not leave this bed until I'm 'posted'!

Healthwise I'm much the same, some discomfort kept under control by fairly basic painkillers. The Hospice nurse Janet visited to see how I'm doing, and Phil came over to inspect her. Energy levels still limited but we've had quite a busy 2 weeks so the answer still seems to 'pace yourself and carry on'. Interesting activity definitely keeps the spirits up and so I feel good... with the occasional naps. I'm sleeping well and my appetite is good. And in fact we've indulged ourselves in some very good meals out, always a morale booster (and a break for Geoff)

The biggest event has been Geoff's goddaughter's wedding, attended by close family and friends at a very pretty country house hotel near Warminster. Louisa looked radiantly beautiful and happy to be finally married to David, looking forward to a long and happy life together.

This seemed like a good opportunity to tick off one of my bucket list: Phil and I spent a relaxing afternoon having manicures and pedicures for the wedding. Am I the only female in the Western world who has reached 'three score years and ten' and not enjoyed such a thing?  

Geoff and I have suddenly remembered how much we love the cinema, an experience buried by the recent years of catching up on films on planes, definitely not the same experience: small screen, poor sound, frequent interruptions, seat movement and so on. So we've been to see The Limehouse Golem, gruesomely exciting but very effectively filmed and acted, and Victoria and Abdul, equally well acted (Judy Dench always a winner) funny and moving. If Victoria really did learn Urdu at her advanced age then I'm very impressed by her memory and concentration capacity!

Geoff has been busy harvesting and blanching beans and stewing fruit. And we've made 2 huge vats of tomato soup, very satisfactory if messy.

I've had 2 portrait sittings, which was interesting with lots of chat but no sight of the portrait yet as he said he was 'chasing colour'. Next sitting I'll take the cat. In fact cats have featured quite highly this week as the Literary evening topic at the local book shop was Cats, with some excellent choice readings, famous and no so well known. A good chance for a catch-up with friends over a glass of wine.

Last weekend all the family came together to stay for what should have been our apple juicing weekend..sadly no apples because of the late frost! Instead on Saturday we borrowed a friend's Canadian canoe to paddle on the canal, great fun. No-one fell in, not even Barney who loves to fall in, but all were absorbed in paddling and manoeuvering round the odd canal boat. Chrissie was in charge, with all his Greenpeace training. And it was his birthday weekend (my baby is 36!) so we had bbq, cake (Phil and Beth trotted out the boys' birthday fav, a fort with a modern twist: cybermen instead of cowboys!) and pressies.

They really excelled themselves for my bucket list ticking opportunities as after a lot of research into 'alternative pain relief' (and my complaints about missing out on the Swinging 60s) they arrived with the goods and we had a very lively evening (when the grandchildren were in bed). Fun now but may be really helpful in the future.

Sunday we had a very lively session with a family photographer who knew how to involve the children and relax stiff adults. We're looking forward to seeing the photos, indoor and outdoor.

Now I must concentrate on pre hol jobs and packing! Off tomorrow!! Don't know if there's wifi on the boat. Maybe a good thing if not as I don't want to bore you with blue skies, warm evenings, exotic ruins and the old Nile.... 

August Bank Holiday, with surprisingly good weather!

August bank holiday meant

a busy and enjoyable few days. Family, of course, over the holiday, full of energy and news of wedding plans (all coming together well) and holiday experiences. We enjoyed some lazy time in the garden and a trip out to the New Forest, well more like the coast opposite the Isle of Wight where it was warm enough to swim, when the tide finally came in. Chrissie had Barney & Martha sampling edible seaweed. And he introduced them to Ursula le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea, which they loved.

Barney is now officially in secondary school which he us enjoying. It's a well thought of Catholic school with a smart uniform and compulsory individual laptops (which parents have to rent for the child's whole school career!) He's enjoying all the options of secondary school, like drama.

So now's it's September. I've never liked Autumn as it means 'Winter is coming', end of Summer. So we've decided to get some sun and go on a Nile Cruise! Very exciting. Not too long a flight to Cairo and then 2 weeks gently sailing along the Nile, stopping at various important sites. The boat is an old English 1918 gun boat. King Farouk had it until his overthrow and it has been done up for Brits to indulge in 2 weeks ultimate comfort. We've treated ourselves to a suite, with balcony and bigger room to be comfortable (bath & shower) so if I feel unwell or tired, Geoff can go off on the tour & I can laze about on board. There is anyway quite a lot of sailing time, so it should be restful. We fly back from Aswan. Getting health insurance was really hard: many companies want you to guarantee you'll still be alive 6 months after your return! But we did in the end, and cheaper than first quoted as apparently Egypt counts as Europe!!

The alternative was the south of Spain, Seville & the Alhambra etc but that does include a lot of hardcore walking/sightseeing.. My advice to you all is, if you can, to do the things and see the places you want to while you can! You never know when a nasty joker will pop up and you'll lose your chance. Costa Rica is too far now and I really wanted to birdwatch there and go through the Panama Canal. And I would have liked to go back to Hawaii which we love but it is too far (sorry, Sam & Donna)

Last Thursday, we met Geoff's cousin's widow, Graciela, who's an Oxford academic, for lunch then a very interesting visit to the Raphael's Drawings exhibition at the Ashmolean.. some wonderful work though a little overwhelming in its quantity! Drinks with friends from across the road, and a visit from my sister Shelagh have all helped make the week go with a swing. We're always pleased to have friendly visits, though I apologise in advance if the first thing you see on arrival is the rather tightly packed sleeping figure on the conservatory sofa!