Wild

It’s wild today. The wind blows. The rain comes down. The bird feeders are full of water. The saving grace of the day? No pneumatic drills. The workmen haven’t even turned up on the scene yet. We have some quiet at last. Three cheers!

 

Season of mists & mellow fruitfulness

It is a morning epitomising Keats' season of mists & mellow fruitfulness. As the morning goes on houses appear down the street. Giant red tomatoes appear on the apple tree – yes they’re really very ripe red apples. Strings of diamonds gleam on the wet spider webs. Dampness pervades everywhere. And to complete this bucolic scene, this rural idyll, the pneumatic drill goes on next door.

 

Food chaos

It seems strange. Last week we did the food shop on Tuesday. It is only today I’m going to attempt the first meal I bought for. Why is this?

 

Wednesday & Thursday were both days out at the hospital. By the time we got home, neither of us felt like cooking, even though on Thursday I had prepared a shepherd’s pie ready to just warm up in the oven. However, by the time we were home, & I was pumped full of tiring chemicals, we were both desperate for something to drink & I was about ready just to put my head down & sleep. So we went to the village pub. Before we’d finished the first round of drinks the Fish & Chips had arrived & I could eat.

 

During the shop I’d bought mushrooms. They seemed to be the first thing that needed to be used up before they went off. Some went in the shepherd’s pie which we had on Friday. Some went into a Suffolk pastry, a sort of bacon & vegetable vol-au-vent which the Fox made on Saturday. The rest we just fried up to accompany the pastry. Sunday’s meal was the usual quick & easy convenience meal, in this case fish fingers.

 

So finally I’m getting on the scheduled meals. My next urgent item to use up is an avocado & some pomegranate seeds. So we’re having a vegetarian meal of Mexican Fiesta Bowl which consists of rice, spiced cashews, avocado, pomegranate seed, honey & lime. It should be something different. I’ll be serving some tinned tomatoes with it, to give a variation in taste.

 

I’ve yet to tackle the two chicken meals & the salmon meal I’d planned. It’s fortunate I hadn’t even got as far as buying the meat or fish. This week the Fox is planning a slow-cooked chicken meal too. We know at least one meal we’ll probably end up eating out, the one after my next chemo treatment.

 

I’m beginning to suspect this week’s shopping is going to last nearer three weeks than the usual two. I’ve also got a bit of bacon to use up from the Suffolk Pastry so that will be another meal. You wouldn’t believe I only buy food for four days! Then the Fox often often adds an extra meal & a Sunday convenience meal.

 

Life seems to be busy & chaotic at the moment.  So far the chemo isn’t having the same adverse effects as the last cycle. I am feeling better. Even the lumps aren’t hurting as much. I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or not, but it certainly makes me more comfortable.

 

On top of that our gas fire has gone on strike so I’ve had to get onto the heating engineer today. We’re also thinking of updating our wills. It seems more important to get that done now death seems more imminent.