Mum

Day 55 - Mum
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

I'm not able to be there for Mothering Sunday next week, so when I was over seeing my brothers this weekend I called in to see her.

Forty Nine!

Day 48 - Forty Nine!
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

Just back from a lovely birthday weekend with J.

Saturday night at M and G's Joint 50th Birthday Party - great to see loads of old piping friends. Then on Sunday to Alnwick Garden and then on to Warkworth ( such a contrast from when I was there two years ago!).

And in the evening, a meal out in Darlington with J and D.

Thanks to everyone for all your cards and presents and flowers!

Internet Following

I love this! Courtesy of The New Yorker via The Flog.

One Dog and His Man

Day 41 - One Man and His Dog
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

I've had Alfie for a year today. I remember the moment I brought him home from the Dog Rescue place.. We just sat and stared at each other.

We still do....

The house purchase is grinding forward in spite of the best efforts of my solicitor to make everything take twice as long as it needs. ( This week's classic was a letter in reply to an email from me...) The vendor and I are aiming for a completion date of 14 March. ( Hope it's not a day later... -ed)

Still busy at work and had a quite a lot of trouble with my back this week. It's been quite sore. Too much stressed hunching over a computer I think!

Civic Welcome

Darlington weatherman
Originally uploaded by Pickersgill Reef

My move to Darlington had better go ahead now.

The Civic Welcome has already been prepared...

( Many thanks to Pickersgill Reef for this.)

Every Day Is Like Sunday...

I always look forward to weeks when I'm working at home. But by about Wednesday things start to drag- no matter how busy I am and I begin to wish I was away again! This week was no exception - I think I've just done this sort of job for too long.

I've also not quite felt 100% all week - nothing too serious - just a bit fluey and queasy. ( It's poor J who's been really ill with whatever this bug is that's going around.)

The house buying/selling palaver has trundled on as well - I think we've moved forward and I may even ( fingers crossed) have a buyer for this place. But still no completion date.

But the highlight of the week was definitely seeing Morrissey at the Sunderland Empire on Friday. He was superb. Such shame that J was too ill to go.

I'm away on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

That'll teach me...

Gearing Up

As well as a trip to Holland with work this week, things have really started picking up on the new house purchase. What that actually means is that:

• the vendor and I are bickering over Central Heating Service Contract
• my dampness surveyor had to cancel because he had a bad chest...
  
• everyone tells me that completion will be Very Soon but no-one can tell me When
• I remembered how completely baffled I am over what it is exactly that solicitors do for the huge fees they demand.

Oh - and after no interest at all in my current property for three months, I had someone come and look at the weekend. And I also got a laughably low offer from a couple who viewed in September. No way...

ho hum

However, the highlight of the week was definitely going over with J to a local studio to record some of her poems. Maybe we'll use them to go with videos or to post online - or maybe even a CD to sell at readings?

Second Anniversary

I had my major cancer surgery two years ago today

It always seems important to commemorate these things. On the fifth anniversary I'll be able to forget about it....

Queasy

It's been a busy week at work and with a work trip to Holland next week, it's going to be even busier.

Things with the new house are moving forward - surveys look like they're OK and the mortgage has been agreed. But I doubt I'll be moving in before the end of February. No buyer interest in my current house so I'm going to move to the new one and then try to sell this one empty in the spring.

I've not felt too well most of the week - tummy's been upset and I've spent a lot of the time feeling queasy. I'm sure it's nothing too serious. ( I did of course, check that I didn't have any of the symptoms of Norovirus. I don't.) Probably the delayed results of Christmas overindulgence.

I'll just have to eat and drink sensibly in Holland....

Looking at Myself

Seems like I've spent the whole week looking at myself! Project 366 is going well but it can easily take over everything. On top of that it's been a really busy first week back at work - by Friday afternoon I finally remembered what I do for a living...

J came over last night and we had a nice evening in cooking supper and watching a DVD.

Will try to have a more interesting update next time - but heh, it is January!

Twelfth Night

...and I've just taken my tree and decorations down for another year. Next year in the new house eh?

Back to work tomorrow after a nice break so I'm inevitably feeling a bit low - but it's a nice sunny day out there (the snow left as quickly as it arrived) - so I'll take Alfie out in a while. He goes back to the kennels on Tuesday as I'm then away for the rest of the week.

Healthwise I go into the new year OK - the col/flu thing I had is almost gone. The richness of Christmas food has made my tummy play up a bit and the daily exercise is making me a bit sore but all that will pass I'm sure.

Project 366 : Day 2 - Mugshot

Day 2 - Mugshot
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

You can see each day's photo in the sidebar now.

If you want to, that is....

Happy New Year!

Day 1
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

Health Wealth Happiness to all of us!

New Year's Eve...

...and time to think about my New Year Resolutions.

1) Lose weight ( I decided that last year too - and have put on half a stone since then...)

2) Get fit again. ( With a specific goal in mind)

3) Reach Level 70 on World of Warcraft. ( Decide what to do then once the new expansion comes out)


4) Investigate becoming a Cancer Voice. ( The only C - related resolution )

and finally

5) Take and post a self-portrait every day for a year. ( Sosij has been my inspiration for this)



There are others - but they're just for me.

Pre New year Post

I've been a bit low for the last few days. Mostly I think it's been this horrible cold I've had - hot sweaty sleepless nights and coughing days. I'm feeling better but I'm still going to take it easy today - just venture out with Alfie when needs must.

But it's also the time of year - one year ends and another begins etc - I sort of feel stuck in the middle at the moment. For me a lot of 2007 has felt sluggish ( I may name it Year of the Slug..) while I recovered healthwise - and that was right, I needed that time. But now I need to get on, to push myself a bit.

But it was also the year I lost my mum and that still hurts a lot.

Post Christmas Post

Christmas began with J's party last Friday. A great night with much alcohol consumed - and the Most Awful Hangover the next morning when I drove 300 miles to spend a lovely Christmas with my brother A and his family - Christmas Day is definitely better with small children around! We also popped over to Bristol to see the rest of the family. ( Mum was there in spirit I'm sure...).

Then I drove back up home on Boxing Day to meet J for our own Christmas which was wonderful. The last one in this house too...

And now - Alfie is out of the kennels - I've another week off work and - I've come down with a really sore throat cough and cold! Still feeling horrible today and so I'm staying in instead of going out to see friends as I'd hoped. Ah well - it's probably just nature's way of telling me I need a rest!

At least the telly's good...

Merry Christmas and a happy healthy new year!!

Happy Christmas!
Originally uploaded by Menage a Moi

Instead of sending christmas cards this year, I'm making a donation to Beating Bowel Cancer. I'd be delighted if you wanted to do the same.


xx

Party Animal

With L - at London Office Party Tuesday.


With M and K last night



With former colleagues on Wednesday night.

Think I'll stay in tonight!

Made It!

Blimey! It's been a busy weekend! I took the day off on Friday and got all my Christmas Shopping done in Newcastle. ( and a new suit for yourself - ed) Then out with friends in the evening on The Curry Train before staying over in Newcastle.

On Saturday I got the train to London ( sad to see the end of GNER) so I could see one of my favourite bands The Mountain Goats play live at the Union Chapel in Islington. They were superb! And best of all they played "I'm going to make it through this year", the song that has been one of the anthems of my illness - and on the second anniversary of being told I had cancer too.

I thought about me and J in that little room with my consultant. Not sure how I feel about that now - it's like it's a dream I had once.

I left the hotel fairly early on Sunday morning and now I'm home again and contemplating my week to come :(

Launches...

...in Middlesbrough, Stockton, London and tonight in Newcastle.

It's been a busy week!