Enjoying being at home

I have had a strange week this week. I have been doing errands, practising the art of the domestic goddess and  having a long need contact with people.
Not that this has made me remote from people it has made me feel that I am looked at differently when out and about.  This however could just be me being self conscious about the way I look.
Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th April 2010
Saturday my husband did overtime at work. I on the other hand arranged a shopping trip with one of best friends. I have now started shopping online, which I have to say is brilliant.  The delivery person even brings it straight into the kitchen for me, the main thing is the kitchen is at the back of the house! The draw back, as there seems there has to be a draw back somewhere is great plans. I can get things wrong or there could be strange substitutions. Well I had to go to the supermarket to correct a human error (mine). After lunch I went to John Lewis to look at their cushions and do some retail therapy. Unfortunately the cushions I had seen on the website were not in keeping of the colours of my lounge so I will have to back to the drawing board. However, I did manage to find a replacement for the Bath shelf. We got back and had a cup of tea and carried on our chat.
Sunday was, in comparison, a lazy day.
Monday, 26th April 2010
I thought I would take myself out on a little trip and found an Antiques and craft centre in south Cheshire. It was a lovely day out, if a little too far really. However, it was a lovely chance to have a rummage and a wonder. It turned out to be a successful day with the purchase of my first Christmas present for a friend. I know that she will love it and that it is something that she is collecting. The only thing is that I did not find anything for me, but that was not really the point.
Tuesday, 27th April 2010
DUVET DAY
I did not do much other than finish all my hand written notes to friends and family for their generous cards and presents over the past couple of months. I sat in my PJs in the lounge and with my pot of purple ink and my dipping pen (quill), a pile of Basildon Bond paper and envelops. All letters written! I even had my postal arrive yesterday so I sat down and read the instructions and cast my vote, not just in the National election but for the local council as well. All envelopes filled and stamped, they can be posted tomorrow.
Wednesday, 27 April 2010
After the relaxation of yesterday I was up and out early to get some essential ingredients for cooking today.  Was settling down with some breakfast and the newspaper when the doorbell rang. It was the boss and a colleague doing a welfare visit. We had a good chat both for work purposes and a good gossip. They came baring gifts - someone has obviously made them aware of my love for all things Monsoon Accessorize. They had brought a square silk scarf and a matching necklace.

Once they had left the building I went into the kitchen and turned my hand to being the domestic goddess. I found a recipe from Rachel Allen for Lemon Cupcakes. I may have changed a couple things in the recipe but I think they turned out okay. My husband thought the sponge had nothing to it, but I may not have put enough lemon in the mixture.
Thursday, 28 April 2010
After cooking yesterday I thought I would hit the shops and get a matching pair of earrings to go with the necklace and scarf from work. I also need a pink lipstick from the Body Shop. Also on the shopping list was a leaving card for my boss and little present to say thank you. All done and a quick lunch at Starbucks and a good day was had by all. While in the Body Shop I was looking at the make up and the girl came over to offer assistance, she was just about to tell me about the new mascara they were launching when I told her that I don't know how long I would be keeping my eyelashes and so that the mascara would not be a purchase for today, she was very apologetic and went on to show me the eyeliners and other make up. I then went to the till to pay and we carried on talking. I mentioned in passing that I was having a Body Shop at Home party for the Race for Life. She said that she was doing the run but had no one to put on her back that she was running for and asked if she could put my name on her back. I was honoured by her idea.

Getting on with life

Tuesday, 20th April 2010

Well today is one of best friends birthdays.  Today I want to surprise her and have decided, even if it kills me that I will going to her Birthday tea and the local Chinese restaurant. I know I will pay for it Wednesday but it is for a good cause.
Phoned my friend and told her about my surprise and she is over the moon that I can join her. She has said if by the time they arrive I have changed my mind then not to worry.
Well I glammed up and was mistaken by some as Annie Lennox, I am sorry to Annie  as I think she looks fab and am only a pale imitation.  Still who would know what I am going through if I can look that good.
We had a great night with good conversation and a lovely meal.  At one point I did think of asking for the ice cream to be mircowaved as it was too cold for me.

Wednesday, 21st April 2010
As foretold I was not that clever on Wednesday but I had to get myself down to my local GP to get my 'fit'note and other forms. She was pleased to see me and thought that I looked really well.  Will people learn that I am going though some strange stuff and I am not supposed to look well.

The rest of the day was spent lying on the bed and listening to Classic FM, it has been my regular listing for a while but I am now addicted.  I know some purists will not enjoy the fact that they only play excerpts but as of an evening they do play the full works.

Thursday, 22nd April 2010
As the weather has been really nice I had transferred my arrangements from the lounge to the conservatory. I can still watch DVDs or listen to CDs but I can do it in the warmth of the sun. I also get company from the cat that has adopted us.
I had a visitor today in the form of a girl from work. It was really nice to have a good chat and talk about other things that what is going in my world. She is due to leave work soon to have a baby and so we talked about that and the fact that we are going to Stratford in July to see Romeo & Juliet.
Today is Toastmasters and I do feel a little guilty that I am not going, but you can not do everything and you have to selective about your invitations.

Friday, 23rd April 2010
I am now feeling a lot better today and could even pass as human.  Well I definitely think that being off work is going to cost us a fortune! I have just found another fantastic programme on the BBC called Cracking Antiques. They take a room and put in High Street mock antiques and show that person what they can do if money was no object, the current episode showed a lounge and it cost over £13,000, they only have £2,000 to spend.  They did it and was actually under budget if you excluded the curtains. The big thing for me was they took a £90.00 Chesterfield sofa and recovered it for just under £600 and it looked fab.  I mentioned this to Ivan in the morning and by the afternoon a local upholsterer had visited us and given us a quote for out suite.  I also had a glazing company visit for a new garage door, which Ivan broke the other weekend. So by the end of the day I had spent big!!!!
My last visitor of the afternoon was my shopping.  I have now decided it is best to do online shopping that way we do not get side tracked into buying all sorts of things we don't want.  I still managed to order stuff that we didn't want or need on reflection.
Now that all my scheduled visitors had left the building I have decided that the idea of going into Manchester to see my ex-work colleagues from the local paper was a little too much at this time. Maybe next time.

Second Treatment

They said it would and it did.  That is get worse. Thankfully the anti sickness drugs are doing what they say on the tin, it is just all the other internal side effects that I just can not reconcile.

Friday, 16th April 2010
So a week last Friday I went to the drugs party at Halton Hospital. Met up with the Breast Nurse and one of the Oncology Doctors, all very happy with me and my progress. My hair was doing well and hanging on in there!
Ivan spent the time listening to Robin Williams on his iTouch.  I on the other hand had a lovely conversation with one of the nurses who was in charge of 'feeding' me the drugs.

Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th April 2010
That weekend I stayed above stairs and gave the excuse to view trash TV on BBC iPlayer, 4OD and other catch up TV websites. I also watched one of the best F1 races this season, what overtaking and the rain really sorted the men from the boys even the self appointed Rain-Meister Schumacher struggled!!!!

Monday, 19th April 2010
By the Monday I had enough of sharing the bed with a Yeti and bath looking as though I bathed with one, so I called a friend and she came over and shaved my head.  This will not reduce the hair shedding but it will not look that bad and it won't be so noticeable.