Where Have You Been?

Lets have a catch up!

Hi there Chickadees!

There I was, bimbling along, keeping everything up to date, when I just disappeared for three weeks, and I am so sorry! I missed you!

So I thought today we’d have a bit of a catch-up, then we can all get back on track.

First up, how are you? Have you been up to anything exciting?

Are we all back?

Good. I won’t have time or space to catch you up on everything that happened in the last 3 weeks and you really don’t want to hear all of it if I’m honest; however, for those that were worried, my absence was not cancer-related. It was initially work- and life-administration-related as suddenly I had LOADS to do and sort out, and there were not enough hours in the day. Then it was illness-related, as I got a nasty cold that turned into a chest infection. However, I have now finished my course of antibiotics and am feeling much more perky. I still have lots to do, but I feel more settled into a routine. So I can organise my time better.

Phew. Here are a few fun bits I got up to over the last three weeks when I wasn’t attempting to get solicitors to reply to me, chasing the hospital for drugs or feeling sorry for myself.

Officially Had Cancer for 3 Years

Last time I was here I was updating you all on what 3 years of living with Cancer has taught me. As is now tradition, I decorated myself a cake. I think one of the things that 3 years living with cancer has taught me is that I am truly, epically, bad at cake decorating.

Still, it also didn’t actually taste that good either, so that’s good. Next year I’m buying chocolate cake instead of decorate your own victoria sponge.

Mr Gem also bought me a card, so that was nice too.

Did some Roller Derby

My league ran a “Scrim Lite” for those of us not ready for full contact. So it was like playing Roller Derby but pulling your punches a bit. Drives rather than hits, positional blocking (aka “Getting in the way”, my special skill). And I had SO MUCH FUN. Really, and I felt good too, physically, no skating related aches or pains, just joy.

I’ve been returning slowly and cautiously, watching for any signs that my body isn’t up to this now, but it’s been silent so far. It shouts louder if I sit in an uncomfortable chair for an hour than it does with any exercise, and for this, I am so grateful. Getting back to as normal a life as possible with cancer is really bloody important to me; one day, the time might come when I can’t do all the things I want to when my body DOES start screaming at me, but for now, I love getting back to my life. (Read this one about the Dignity of Risk in disability care.)

Accidentally bought a bottle of Bollinger

Just in case you wanted more evidence of me being flustered and short of time. For over 6 years I have been booking online shopping slots and meeting the minimum order requirements by bunging a bottle of champagne on it, and then taking it off when I finalise the order.

A couple of weeks ago I forgot to update my order and the Sainsbury guy bought me a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread and a bottle of Bolly.

So we watched the football with a high class tipple.

Went to Kent

The last moderately interesting thing that happened over the last 3 weeks was that I went to Kent.

On Saturday we went for a walk, which was supposed to 10 miles, however, it was very, very, hot, and a large chunk of our planned route was across some completely shade free marshes.

We walked from Leysdown to Shellness, past the nudist beach where I was disappointed not to witness any nudity, and got turned away from the gated community at Shellness Hamlet by a guy standing on the gate. I’m pretty sure that they take it in turn to stand on guard. It’s very odd. Shellness is a gated community of private land, and those that live there are very protective of it. I don’t know why, it’s a bit wicker man, but we were packed off, politely but firmly to walk across the footpath on the marshes when we accidentally wandered through the gate.

The Isle of Sheppey is a hugely underrated spot and full of history, including my favourite bit that I hadn’t seen before. Did you know, that in 1909, someone put a pig in an aeroplane at Harty to show that pigs DID fly?

There’s a little memorial where the marshes turn up a bridleway up to Harty Church.

Harty Church itself was a sight for sore eyes for 2 very hot people, and we decided we couldn’t face the last 4 miles back across the marshes to Leysdown, so we cooled down in the church, and then called my Mum to come rescue us like the wusses that we are.

Harty Church is also a very cool bit of history, it dates to the 11th or 12th Century, which is just stupidly old, and it still has no electricity.

After being rescued from the Harty Ferry Inn, a pub I remember from my childhood as a little traditional pub in the middle of nowhere, but that now appears to host weddings and have a spa and treatment rooms, we refreshed ourselves and then went to Maidstone for a concert organised by Ashford Rotary club in aid of Myeloma UK and the Samaritans. There was piano, flute and organ music, and, most importantly, I got to wear my nice new green dress from The Pretty Dress Co.

And that is what I’ve been up to since you last saw me around here. I shall return to regularly scheduled programming this weekend, I promise.

Love and kisses