Good News

I have just posted A Good Day And Some on A Life in the Day Of.  It's a slight expansion of this posting and there will be a follow-up over the next few days.

I had a Really Good Day on Friday. I went to Ayr to see the oncologist.  The consultation lasted all of 30 seconds. He asked if I had any lasting ill effects from the radiotherapy (I have not) and then said "Well the PSA count is about as good as it gets. I'll see you in 6 months when you get back from New Zealand." All this way for 30 seconds! I had a longer chat with the nurses afterwards because one of their number (who was at lunch) is shortly off to live in New Zealand. The others didn't know where though. By coincidence I have a theatre nurse and her husband living in The Cottage at the moment. They love it so much they don't want to leave! I can see me ending up in my own spare bedroom when I get back!

All the travelling on Friday (from 1015 until 1630) enabled me to do some reading and I managed the Times 2 Crossword (not cryptic!), the Codeword and the Polygon. I only failed on 1 clue in the crossword: Picasso painting inspired by a bombed town. Even with half the letters I just didn't know. Otherwise I was quite proud of myself.

So I bought a bottle of Champagne on the way back to Anna's. All in all it was, as I said, a Very Good Day.

Keeping Promises

Many of us have made promises that we have, at some time and for some reason, broken.  I promised ''...'till death us do part."  But I am divorced.  I'm sure there are many others but that's the one that still haunts me.  So now I try never to make a promise that I can't keep.  I never make a promise I don't intend to keep.  So yesterday when I received an email from a beloved God-daughter asking if all was OK because I hadn't emailed for well over a week when I was down in England and stayed with her, I was mortified.  Had it really been that long since I'd emailed?  And why did it matter so much?  Well it did because I'd made a promise once upon a time that I would email her every week.  I'm pretty sure that give or take a lost day here and there when I've lost track of where I was never mind what day it was, I've kept that promise.  This last fortnight when I've been away as well as here, every time I thought about it I thought "That's ok there's no news I've just seen her.".  And so the time passed. 

Last night I made a list of emails and phone calls and letters to be written today and her name was at the top of the list.  I still had to tell her my Good News 'cos I hadn't texted.  I make lists in order of who's up in the morning (Europe) who's next (Canada/USA) and who'll be picking them up latest (New Zealand when my this evening is their tomorrow morning).  And vice versa when I'm in New Zealand.  Life's complicated in my world.  Or perhaps I just make it that way.

So first thing this morning I wrote my weekly message.

Then I got to thinking about promises in general and other promises I've made and can remember.   I think I've only made one recently.  It's to someone amongst whose friends I am privileged to be counted.  It made me realise just how few promises I do make and just how very seriously I take promises: whether they are made by me or to me.

Return From A Temporary Absence

I've just spent a few very enjoyable days in Glasgow catching up before I leave for New Zealand - I have 10 more sleeps in Eagleton.  I caught up with Gaz who, yesterday, went to Egypt to kite surf.  I stayed with a friend, Anna, and 'did' things on Thursday (A blog posting on that will doubtless follow).  Yesterday I went to Ayr to see the Oncologist and I'll blog about that tomorrow.  Today I returned via lunch with an old friend.  What is amazing is the circular links between us all and the smallness of the world.  I met Anna in New Zealand but she lives near Glasgow.  The friend I lunched with is also part of my New Zealand world although we knew each other many years before either of us had ever set foot in the Southern hemisphere.

So tomorrow normal service on this blog will be resumed.

Potential Disaster: How Could I Do This

 I cannot believe that I have done this.  I have forgotten Samantha's feeding bag.  Hmm.  Just realised that many may not realise the significance of that remark so I looked it up to see if they are still around.  They are.  Many years since I saw one.  So what am I talking about?  I've left the battery charger at home.  Bummer.