Friday evening with good friends
We have two good friends and we go to each other's house for dinner around once every couple of months, It began as a simple supper as our friend was once talking about his love for corned beef and I told him my mom was famous many years ago for her corned beef stuffed potatoes, and so began our dinners together!
Simple suppers soon became a thing of the past and it now entails three courses, cheese board and copious amount of good wine drunk by three of the crowd, not me though. We try to make these dinners as easy as we can though so to that end this time I decided the theme was Thai, I actually hate Thai but I do like these recipes strangely enough. I made the Thai soup a few days before and the dessert was a very simple pear frangipani so that was made on the morning of the dinner, Colin was to be responsible for the main course which was a delicious prawn stir fry dish served with wild rice. He did an amazing job and the dish was truly delicious and the rice was just as it should be , fluffy, al dente and each grain separated, not a big sticky mass, except......... We learned that the one member of this party does not like rice, we knew he did not like veg so deliberately went for rice!, The dinner went well though with lots of good talking going on. Next time it will be back to corned beef hash!
Out with the old, in with the new.
For five years we have lived with a table and chairs we hate. Quite why we lived with them for so long is hard for either of us to understand. When we moved over to Spain we took with us our beautiful oak table and chairs, The table was large and oval and had angel wings in the middle that folded out to make the table even bigger. Many games were played on this table, many meals eaten. We sat at this table and talked the nights away from time to time. We loved it. When we sold to come home we left the table, as indeed all our furniture with the house and apartment in Spain.
When we moved over to Spain we kept an apartment in our home town. We furnished it but did not buy a table and chairs as we were only going to be using it for short periods of time when on holiday in the UK. However after a time we were asked by a neighbour who was renting another apartment if we would be interested in her taking on ours, The rent she was being charged was too high so we agreed she could rent ours at a more reasonable rate. That being so we had to go out and buy her a table and chairs. At the time glass tables were very much in vogue and she requested one. It didn't matter to us so we bought said table and six chairs and all was well. That is all was well until we returned to our apartment and had the awful table and chairs!
We both hated it so why did we live with it. I think it was just when we first came back there was so much more to be thinking about, I had the Hickman line and was dealing with getting some sense of normality back and the best news was we had our new granddaughter. The hideous things were only thought about really once or twice a week. So quite what prompted me to say to Colin on Friday "I hate this table and these chairs, let's buy new ones". He immediately agreed and so we are off off shopping tomorrow, taking with us our Izzy who will be with us for the day.
New table here we come
We set off to look for tables believing we would be mowed over either in the roads or in the shops. How wrong we were and it was so nice not to be hustled and bustled about. So it was we began our table hunt.
We saw some pretty bad ones that would have dropped apart in a short time but we knew what we were looking for, a good strong round table with angel wings to turn it into a bigger oval for when we had company, We wanted six good chairs with some padding on the seat and back as we can sit for ages when we have company and we both hate unpadded wooden chairs. There were only two serious contenders and lots of measuring went on to ensure we had the correct size for our space. Things look smaller in the huge showrooms but the reality is once they are in your own home they can appear huge! We both loved the one we decided on and after some haggling, I am the one to do this, we reduced the price. I just can't bear to pay the price the shops ask. I know that even when they say no, there is no discount above what we have already offered that there generally is if you go about it the correct way.. So it was with us. I asked what his best price was and was told there was no more movement in it as it was the best quality wood and they had done me the best deal. I said my usual "well we will just go and look elsewhere then and maybe come back if we can't find something better suited". The salesman looked at me and knew he had met his match and off he went to juggle the figures again! It's really a farce. He came back with a deal I felt better about and the deed was done, well almost, it's never so straight forward is it.
" Right madam he said, we can have your table delivered in four weeks but the chairs in TEN! " We were gutted as we were so looking forward to ringing the heart foundation and having them come round for the table and six chairs. There was no point in giving them a table and then weeks later offering the chairs to go with it.. We have agreed to get the full package delivered in ten weeks. We both hate the old table even more now we know it is to go! It does give us time though to get some felt protector for the top for when we do our crafts on it, again always a silver lining.
On leaving we decided to go out for lunch. I was so proud of Izzy who, when presented with the menu asked for water to drink as opposed to sugary drinks, jacket potatoes as opposed to chips, and corn on the cob, though she did have two sausages. For dessert she chose fresh apple, strawberries and grapes and thoroughly enjoyed them, good for her, she has better eating habits than I do!
Well who would have thought it.
I received a message on Saturday from Paul, the administrator of the Pulmonary Hypertension Facebook page set up by our own very much loved Anthony Roe who sadly passed away in August, He asked if I would take up the post along side of him. His reasons being I am termed to be a long time survivor and he knew that I had known Anthony personally. I was rather fearful at first as I am not very good with computers but I asked him if I could keep running to him for advice until I got my head around what it entailed. He was so kind and explained things I needed to know, said he would always respond to my queries and away I went. Very early days but I blocked a couple of people requesting to join as it turned out they did not have ph at all, just wanted to be admitted to as many groups as possible. I approved a couple of people too and I hope they get much help, guidance and reassurance from our members, I actually feel quite honoured and I hope Anthony would have approved Pauls choice of administrator.
Lazy Sunday afternoon.
I am just so tired, my battery pack is drained, After shopping for the table yesterday I came home and made twelve packets of soup, from scratch, for my elderly neighbour, these I put in his freezer so I know he always has good food in. I also made him ten packs of stewed and puréed apple so that I know he is getting enough vegetables and fruit, So it was that today I am exhausted. I went to church and fell asleep! Fortunately I am assured I did not snore. So it is that I am sitting here typing this feeling very lazy, but why not. Tomorrow will be a busy day with blood tests and pottery etc and then the worst day on Tuesday being a witness in court for an harassment case. Wednesday will be a very full day at Hallamshire before I leave with my trial meds so it is better that I rest now.
Just so you know quite how boring our day was I should tell you we also tidied under the lift up of our bed! It contains shoes and fold away travel bags etc and hand bags, much of which is never used. It also has spare pillows and clean bedding etc. We tidied it out and I feel better knowing things are neat now underneath my body when I rest at night. Ahhhhhh. It's the little things!!!
Colin bleached and steamed our shower, a job we do around every three weeks. We do clean it every time we use it but a steam clean is always nice to do and very simple.
I am telling you these silly, inconsequential things so you know we are not always doing exciting things as some of you seem to imagine! We are like you all, sometimes busy, sometimes catching up with boring everyday jobs.
Pottery class
Well that's how much I know about pottery. Arrived at my class today, just second one, to find that my pot had not even dried yet! The process is a long one and I have a long way to go before it goes into the kiln. Today I wore a mask. Though you don't see the dust with the clay there is lots of it. To protect my lungs it seemed sensible for the mask to be in play, I was ribbed a little that I wanted to pretend to be Chinese as they often wear masks as the smog is so bad where they live and they have brought the custom over here. My teacher though had told,them a little of my illness so they were asking me questions about it, I am always happy to spread awareness of this disease.
This week I have begun a new piece of work, this time done in two halves, like and Easter egg. I have only done one side yet and will do the other half next week. I was really pleased with the design when it was taken off the mound for me to see. Now I think I think I shall do the other side a different pattern so that it will be two sided. My head is working away with ideas for the other side. I may put a heart in it somewhere as I think it may be for my sister who has asked me to make her something. When I told my daughter today I might make something for her her eyes rolled in her head, I think she believes it will be like the offerings they made for me whilst at school, very precious to me but she can't bear the thought of having a clumsy effort on display in her home, I do believe she will be quite shocked at the results, I know I am.
Week after next I am told I will be making a bust, just from the neck upwards, ME, I can't quite believe it but will give it a go nonetheless. I really am enjoying these classes and already know that I shall enrol for another course after this one. Some of the ladies doing these have their own painting studios upstairs, they are very talented people.
Right all for now BUT there will be another blog going out immediately after this one. This was specifically asked for by a few newbies who have read my blogs and wanted to know just what tests etc were performed once I reached my specialist hospital and how I climbed out of the abys we are thrown into at the start of this ph journey, For many of you the story of my journey at the hospital will be the same as yours so I am telling you now to save you from reading your own journey.
Have a good day everyone and thanks for reading this blog. Please share, once again it is all about awareness.
Carole xx
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