Monday 31 October 2011

Thank heavens it’s over! I made it to my 80th birthday on Tuesday, 25 October, with proper celebrations. The whole family gathered gradually over the preceding weekend and the temperature picked up until noon on Tuesday, when we were joined by just a few local friends. We began with champagne and nibbles and then trooped down to the Barn Café at Alder Carr Farm for a main course, then back home for coffee and birthday cake.

There were two stands of goodies – a pile of meringues topped by the number ‘70’, and a collection of cupcakes by ‘80’ – as we were marking 150 years: Willa’s birthday this past January as well as mine.

Willa was here for the past 6 weeks and helped me with all sorts of tidying up of papers, pictures, household things, etc. We had some nice excursions around Needham, plus visits to Manchester (Imperial War Museum North, BBC Media City, City Art Gallery) and Woking (Wisley RHS garden, Winkworth Arboretum, the Watts Gallery – the Surrey Hills are incredibly gorgeous just now). Willa flew home yesterday and I miss her awfully.

I continue to be very lucky in my response to the chemo I was changed to in June (Gemcitabine), which I have every 2 weeks and which isn’t debilitating. I get tired very easily but can usually recharge with lots of rest stops during the day and can manage to sit up talking for hours. But I am planning ahead for difficult times, so looking into carers for when I can’t manage for myself anymore and visited St Elizabeth’s Hospice in Ipswich for an introductory session today. See a picture of the Halloween mask I made during the craft session on my Skype profile.

Meanwhile, Kate and Harry manage to visit Needham regularly on weekends and lots of friends come for a night or so. Janet and Margaret were here in August for 2 ½ weeks. So anybody is welcome especially if you are prepared to go to the fish and chip shop or prepare a meal.

Thanks for all the cards, emails and gifts that I carefully saved to open on my birthday (unlike Roy, who was always an immediate opener). They were greatly appreciated as all your messages, prayers, phone calls, etc have been over the past 3 years. I’d like to acknowledge everyone personally but just can’t manage it and hope you’ll accept this apology for not doing so. Please keep the messages coming in.