A better day than expected

Yesterday turned into a nicer day than expected. Certainly the weather didn’t improve - grey & wet all day long.

No, that wasn’t it. We went into the hospital as usual (oh too usual!). After the treatment, as usual, we went along to the golf club for something to eat. Normally we just have a sandwich. But on Monday, for a change, we had the Prawns in Rose Marie Sauce Baguette. It was delicious. The barmaid commented it was almost big enough to just add a bowl of chips & you would have a meal. That’s what we did yesterday. We made it into a proper lunch so the most we would want later was a snack.

It worked very well. We got home mid-afternoon & had a couple of hours’ nap. As the evening arrived we felt liberated – no meal to prepare, no washing up to do, just time to relax. So we opened a bottle of sauvignon blanc, put on a CD of show songs & chuntered for an hour or so.

We’ve decided against going away immediately. We just want to get back into normality. We don’t have much chance of that with Christmas so soon but we stand a better chance if we are home.

We’ve also concluded that the idea of Belgium in spring/early summer appeals to us. We remembered another Belgian we met on holiday this year – the waitress at Ti Toque, our favourite restaurant in Juan Les Pins. If all Belgians are as friendly & generally nice people as those we’ve come across this year, both at Bardolino & Juan Les Pins, we should have the basis for an enjoyable holiday.

Having had a good talk we progressed to watching “Masterchef: the Professionals”. We then had a tin of sardines on toast, followed by the news &, for me, bed.

It is with renewed enthusiasm I’m now in the midst of making a goulash for this evening. It’s plopping away. In a little while I shall add some chopped pepper. Then, when I warm it up this evening, I will add some paprika & thyme dumplings. I’m really rather looking forward to it.

Nearly there

Only one more session to go after today’s trip to the hospital! Three cheers. We’re both so looking forward to it, to not having these constant trips into Lancaster. It’s only 5 miles away but it feels more like 500. It’s certainly taken its toll on our energy levels.

Yesterday the first Christmas cards arrived. All local cards. They’ll all have to wait for us. So far I’ve got as far as locating the cards. I’ve not written a single one – far too tired to cope with that.

The wet greyness of the day doesn’t help. Nor seeing the return of the giant Santa once more at that house which had its inflatable Christmas symbols vandalised. Increasing numbers of houses have their lights & trees up now. Next door it’s suddenly seems to have turned into a disco with its bright multi-coloured vibrating lights. We meanwhile are just too drained to feel up to even thinking about it, let alone making any preparations.

Next week, though, I’m going to have to turn my mind to deciding what to cook - slices of roast turkey warmed up in a creamy mustard cheesy sauce or a gammon joint suitably glazed. We haven’t had a turkey for a couple of years now, but I have a hankering for some once again. And all that lovely leftover meat – turkey quiches, turkey rarebits, turkey croquettes, turkey curries etc. etc. We’ll see. First we’re trying to decide whether to go away for a couple of nights into the lakes just to unwind a bit. It would be more tempting if it was a bit drier & less grey than it is now.

The weekend

At last it’s the weekend. A couple of whole days without the need to go into Lancaster to the hospital. We’re in dire need of them.

It’s also very wet, as it has been most of this week. It gives us no incentive to even think of going out, not even for a quiet relaxing drink & chat.

With this in mind I’m doing a slow cook meal – layers of sliced potatoes, minced beef & baked beans in a very gentle oven for 2 hours until the top of layer of potatoes are crispy & golden & those below are meltingly tender.

All in all I think it will be a lazy day. The one thing I’m thinking I might get around to doing is locating the Christmas cards. I suppose it’s time I got those written up. I usually include a letter to a couple of friends but this year I think they may have to wait until next year for their letter. I’m having enough trouble trying to write these blogs without making the effort to compose letters too.

We’re both so looking forward to next weekend & knowing we will not have to go to the hospital three times a week any more. Admittedly I shall have to get onto chasing up my appointment for some new knee braces. I’ve been waiting a couple of months now & my old ones are slowly falling to pieces. The Fox will be having a follow up appointment with Dermatology but I suspect that won’t be until the new year now.

Oh but just to be able to relax a bit will be wonderful. Admittedly, with Christmas on the horizon, there won’t be too much time for relaxation.