Season's Greetings!

I have arisen from the food coma of the last two and a half days and although my muscles are still a little atrophied from the lack of movement, I think I'm OK...  


I am of course joking. I'm all good. I think?!  I know last Christmas I was in no fit state to eat, drink and be merry but let's just say I think I have made up for it this year! Oh my life, I feel M-A-S-S-I-V-E.  I know it's fashionable to go on a detox in the new year but I really feel I could do with one.  A Christmas bleach of my insides. This sounds a bit like the chemo treatment I had last year but obviously a bit nicer. I do have a couple of new books on this very subject but I am still not entirely convinced I believe some of the stuff in them so watch this space.


Earlier today saw me do a 2-mile Boxing Day walk with Mat and Amy. It was nowhere of note other than the village we live in but it was great as it was a lovely walk and gave us a chance to discover more nooks and crannies.  We really are lucky to live in such a pretty area.  


It also cleared the cobwebs from the Christmas Day food-athon of yesterday! We went for a SE Asian fusion feast with a rather large chicken roasted in a Thai marinade, traditional Christmas veg incorporated into a nasi goreng and beef cooked weeping tiger style. The Christmas cake(s) and copious amounts of cheese were more 'traditional' and the all day feast that ensued epic.  Coupled with the copious amounts of telly watching, all I can say is thank goodness for elasticated waistbands! 


Given the crazy of the last fortnight, it's nice to be able to kick back and essentially relax and do nothing.  I always find the build up to Christmas so much busier and stressful than the event itself and not only did I take part in the usual round of Christmas socializing to the point of thinking red wine should be banned (no way), there was also the matter of; 


- taking part again in You Me Bum Bum Train and loving it as much as last year's experience.  So much so that we are going again for the summer 2012 run. It is one of life's frustrations that people who take part in this cannot really talk about it openly as it will 'ruin' it for those that haven't been. The 'not knowing' is definitely one of the attractions of this 'experience!'  Ask me when you see me what it is all about...


- eating Korean food for the first time.


- receiving a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Lucy and Scott for my 'one year stem cell anniversary'. I was rendered speechless by the gesture and truly touched by their kindness especially given the recent distractions they have had. Thank you once again both, I am truly grateful.


- taking part in a surprise birthday party for Matt P and seeing him genuinely surprised by it thanks to Melody's superb organisation.


- receiving my final dose of 'bone strengthener' for 2011 and spending time with the fantastic healthcare team at UCH.


- seeing an amazing play called 'Crush' at the Finborough Theatre where not only was I hugely affected by the dialogue and acting on show but impressed by what a great venue it is for new theatrical pieces.


Anyway, 'Gladiator' is currently on TV and I'm getting distracted by it. Film watching over the last couple of days has been off the scale with 'Super 8', 'Troll Hunter' and 'Contagion' in the mix. Sadly not one of them has gripped me enough to not actually fall asleep (!!) although 'Troll Hunter' was quite good for being a little different. 'Contagion' just made me feel itchy!


The "Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife" speech is coming up and Maximus Decimus Meridius needs my full attention so I'm off. I love this film!

Christmas tree window view

Presents!

Christmas candles

My Christmas elf

Good King Wenceslas - by whistle! 'Notes' above. What a racket!

Swiss roll bowl cake - on fire!

Leftovers

The sparkliest & glitterest Christmas cake for miles made by Amy

Cheese dreams on a platter

Beautiful flowers from Lucy & Scott - thank you both!

photos from shewithacapitalV

Feeling festive!

Our Christmas tree this year
The pine smells wonderful!

Still not feeling a 100%.  My throat is still really sore and I can't seem to shake off this cough.  Mat is the same but his stronger constitution seems to be fighting off the bugs a lot faster as he is already talking about climbing again some time over the next few days!

We had a TSC Christmas meal at The Swan at the Globe on Friday night where a good time was had by all.  It was a great venue with a fantastic atmosphere and terrific food.  And Shakespeare read out over the tannoys in the toilets!  A little disconcerting but somewhat reassuring as you do your business as it did feel like Simon Callow was in the corner reciting Hamlet :o)

Anyway, I have been feeling festive and as you can see from the pictures below, the festive countdown chez Capital V has started. I still can't believe that this time last year I was in hospital and now I have decorated our tree.  I feel very lucky that I am able to do so.  However, as you can see the randomness remains. When Christmas decorating, it is not always about the baubles...!

Another view of our tree

Decor in close up

Yes, that's a caterpillar. And a ladybird. And a pink elephant.
It's not always about the bauble!

I have also been making my own Christmas cards - smug or what?! Crafting after all is the new rock and roll :o)

I'm off to get some shut eye. It's going to be a busy week!

All photos by shewithacapitalV

Happy birthday to me, myself and I

The stem cell - pluripotent. Special.

According to Wikipedia, December 8 is the 342nd day of the year, the day that John Lennon was shot dead and Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria was born. It's also my 'other' birthday or rather Day Zero.


I can't quite believe that this time last year I was having a full on chemical romance to fully get rid of this cancer and so get better. One year on, I'm still in complete remission and still standing. Go me! 


To add to the whole medical drama that is my life, I have been unwell most of this week. Nothing more dramatic than a nasty cold/flu virus I have picked up but ill all the same. I'm feeling better now although I did feel like I was going to die a couple of days ago! This time last year when I could have actually died, I felt OK. Strange how that happens.


Anyway, last year I do remember telling myself that I would mark this day in some way each year even if it is just by eating cake. Or having a glass of wine. I have to toast each one of the 3.6 million stem cells pumped back into me somehow! Each and every one of them. Even the ones in the freezer. I hasten to add that these aren't next to our frozen peas or garlic bread but the ones held in storage at the hospital for when I need them. As of today, there isn't actually a cure for myeloma yet, just lots of treatment options.  No one can actually tell me how many years I have till my expiry date. Two years? Four years? Ten years? Twenty? Erm, we're not quite sure. I'm hoping it may never come back but no one can tell me that.


It's not ideal, in fact it is rather crap but what can you do? I could get hit by a bus tomorrow. It's just a question of getting on with my life. As written about on here over the past year and where I hope to keep mentioning the shenanigans that I get up to for many years to come.


Last weekend it was all about De La Soul at Indigo at the O2 where I nearly put my joints out dancing to old school hip hop and where Mat left his Surrey roots behind and got all 'street.'  All we needed were the tracksuits and bling and we would have been there I tell you.  There. It was possibly one of the best gigs I have been to in a while and brought back memories of my youth, when life was less complicated and not as scary. 


Anyway, apparently if a stem cell had a face it would look like the one above. Thank you Mat :-) I couldn't think of a better looking one for it. I'm off to get my groove on.  Happy birthday to me, myself and I.

Hello Wembley!

I was lucky enough to have been at Wembley Stadium today and to take part in one of their tours. It was all very exciting and I got a little giddy wandering around inside the stadium absorbing it all.  


I had been to both old and new Wembley many times for football matches and concerts. But to get to see the changing room and players shirts hanging, to be able to walk through the players tunnel, see the dug-outs and see the famous pitch was very exciting!  The geezer bird in me came out and I was half-tempted to start chanting En-ger-land! En-ger-land! En-ger-land! I did ask if we could run on to the pitch but I got told no. Obviously! I did get to chant, "Hello Wembley!" as I am pure cheese and it would have been rude not to given that I was in one of the greatest stadiums in the world.


All I needed was David Beckham in his England kit and I would really have been in the Theatre of Dreams!


A few photos below:

Entrance to the pitch and tunnel area

Tunnel area

Famous England shirts!

Beyond excited and mesmerised!

The famous Wembley Stadium turf

View from one of the £90,000 (!!) a year seats

The famous crossbar (lit up in blue)
from THE 1966 England World Cup game

Keep calm and carry on

Apparently I'm 'normal'. For someone who has never been or tried being 'normal' this was the best thing to be said to me in a long while. 


I hasten to add that the person calling me 'normal' was my cancer consultant on Friday. She was looking through her monitor going through the latest results of my blood tests with me.  I ticked every 'normal' box. Various measurements of blood and myeloma indicators, check.  Liver, kidneys, bladder and other major organs, check. No significant pain issues, check.  "Hair looking well", check. "You look very well", check.  Aside from a pamidronate infusion to strengthen my bones in a couple of weeks, all is good.  Nearly a year on since my stem cell transplant and everyone is happy.


I had been quite nervous leading up to this appointment. I know that in all aspects my life is back to 'normal' but it isn't really. Every cold, sniffle, ache, pain, headache, stiffness and other strange goings on my body goes through I have to keep an eye on. And don't even get me started on the emotional and psychological aspects of it all. It's a bit of a head mess knowing that one appointment could result in your life going one way or the other but it is something I am going to have to live with. I don't really have much choice unless I forego any treatment but living with a scientist and friends 'in the field' make it hard not to believe the compelling medical evidence.


Yes, I have been reading about alternative treatments and although I quite like the dietary aspects of some of them, I am still not entirely convinced about the merits of some of the procedures...


Anyway, Mat and I have also tentatively started looking at wedding venues - don't get too excited as the ones we saw this weekend were not quite right.  I think other people are getting a little more excited or stressed on our behalf about our wedding but I know what we are like, it will be all right on the night...!


In other news, my climbing is going really well if I say so myself! I'm definitely getting better although I still need to get an awful lot fitter so I can try harder routes.  I watch all these incredibly fit and lithe girls nimbling up the rope and I'm so envious of them all.  I know it's only a matter of time and training but I just don't think I could get that good.  I fear age and stiff joints are conspiring against me even though I am constantly telling them to &*%^ right off!


I have also turned into a bit of a Twitter twit (or the one with the other vowel).  For someone not into Facebook, it's one aspect of social networking I have really got into. I'm not even going to attempt to describe why as that's for my imaginary Phd to debate in but let's just say I'm very into the spontaneity, friendliness, playfulness and general randomness of it all.  It's a bit like being in a pub where all sorts of randoms are blathering on and you choose who you want to listen or speak to at specific points during your pint...


@shewithcapitalV


Hope to follow you soon!

Saturday Night Live - doing nothing

And relax...


Apart from having to put up with dire Saturday night television this evening, I've had a good time tonight. I know I moan about 'enduring' the reality TV fest that is X-Factor and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here but quite frankly, given that all I wanted to do tonight was veg out, they fitted the bill nicely.


This week has been non-stop and it finally caught up with me today. I have been out every single night since Tuesday and was up for going out again tonight but bailed out as by mid-afternoon, I just felt unwell - tired, a little nauseous and headachey. I think my wall had been truly hit. Smashed into even and I wasn't going anywhere.  I feel a lot better now - the vegging out has done me good.  It's times like this that I realise I am no longer 21. And someone who is still getting over cancer treatment.  That bit really pisses me off but at least I'm here to feel tired and pissed off.


Anyway, as a summary of my social activity this week, I give you my 'week in the life of'. Don't go expecting a Tara Palmer-Tomkinson IT-Girl style social diary commentary like they have in ES Magazine, we are talking me here so lower your standards;


Tuesday - Dinner and Drinks at The Fellow Pub over in Kings Cross where not only did we get to spend a fun evening with Tony, Debs, Scott and Lucy, I also got to see how great Kings Cross is looking at the moment.  I'm old enough to remember the prostitutes and junkies wandering around and now it all seems so tidy. And all a bit shiny.  I'm sure there are still hookers and drug addicts off to the side streets but the immediate area around the station just looks really cleaned up.  


And I got to learn about breaking one's little finger by reverse parking. Yep. You read that correctly.  Courtesy of Tony, we were regaled the tale of a tight reversing spot, his steering wheel suddenly springing back and his finger breaking. That man could start a blog for his mis-adventures alone!


Wednesday - Dinner and Drinks at The Bloomsbury Bar and Restaurant with Fi, Sarah, Rhian and Caroline for Fi's 40th.  Again, a good time was had by all.


Thursday - Wine tasting event courtesy of The Theatre of Wine. Enough said. The words tasting and wine are involved, of course it was good.


Friday - Birthday celebration with Mat where we had an amazing lunch at Magdalen Restaurant (oh my life the food was good!), a wander around Borough Market sampling various foodie wares, buying cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy and drinks in the The Market Porter.  We were supposed to continue into the evening but Mat and I were both tired at this point and went home for a relaxing Friday night to watch Drive Ryan Gosling's new film. A good film but horrifically violent and not one for the faint hearted.  I'm still traumatised by the lift scene.  


Tonight was out in Shoreditch night but Mat ended up going on his own with Roger and a good time was had by all from what I gather.  I did hear mumblings of being now 'too old' for Shoreditch but not sure if that was because neither of them wear skinny jeans or have shaggy hair cuts....


And amongst all this, I have been well into Twitter, @shewithcapitalV


It's a hard life!

Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday to the only man whose web I want to be caught in. 

Happy Birthday Mat!


Thank you for everything.

 Johnny Depp eat your heart out - my very own Edward Scissorhands!

Feeling fruity!

What greater thing is there for two human souls
than to feel that they are joined together to strengthen
each other in all labour, to minister to each other in all sorrow,
to share with each other in all gladness,
to be one with each other in the
silent unspoken memories?


“To Be One With Each Other” by George Eliot

Tweet! Tweet!

I've finally succumbed - to Twitter. After going on about it for an age and lurking in various Twitter accounts, I now have my own.  To air random brain emissions, mind leaks or as I call them, brain farts.  Sorry for being crude.  If you could be bothered to follow me or even want to read my tweets, my Twitter address is:


@shewithcapitalV


if not this blog remains, so as you were.


Have had a busy, busy, and properly busy weekend. Quite tired and would like to avoid expensive leather luggage look under my eyes so keeping this post short and sweet.  


Friday - blood tests taken at hospital for 3-month check-up since last hospital visit.  Felt strangely weird in there. I know I have moved on but my ties will forever remain at UCH.  Felt like the prodigal daughter gone home. Except this is one home I really do not want to be returning too for a long, long while. If ever.


Saturday - Fi and Megan's 40th and 2nd joint birthday parties. To those not in the know, Megan is Fi's daughter - this wasn't some weird, random theme for yet another party we have been invited to! There was a masked theme to the party and a good time was had by all. Amazing hospitality, great company, copious food and drink and amazing young children who were a pleasure to be around. And a good night's sleep on an airbed!  No 'Princess and the Pea' episodes from me for once. And the Spiderman outfit got another airing.  It's the costume that keeps on giving!


Sunday - Hangover breakfast followed by a brisk walk in the woods then climbing in the afternoon at Reading Climbing Centre.  Mat and Jon enjoyed it all and I sort of did too except I was too tired and too unfit to fully enjoy what was on offer but fun all the same.  This was followed by a quick drive to Oxford to hear Andy Kirkpatrick speak at the Phoenix Theatre about his various outdoor adventures.  Very inspirational and funny to listen to in parts but found his constant jumping around from story to story frustrating. I guess this is part of his charm.


Now succumbing to a soporific state.  So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen goodbye.

Wear your poppy with pride

Because I spent a large chunk of this morning hanging around a tube station (don't ask but oh the glamour! Not) I was able to see actual servicemen and women collectors for this year's Poppy Appeal collecting donations from various commuters. No fuss, no bother, no hard sell.  Just dignity, pride and bravery.  

I'm always moved when I see anything like this and no matter how small, I always donate.  I'm obviously a massive supporter of cancer charities, but the Poppy Appeal each year also gets my unequivocal support.  It's a given. And this year, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month we will get 11-11-11-11 - an extra special Remembrance Day. Definitely once in a lifetime.

Don't and never forget.

The Poppy Appeal - supporting the Royal British Legion

Photo from flowerinfo.org

Haircut - one hundred...

... pounds! Nearly!


Not a long post other than to ask has something happened in the hairdressing industry over the last year or so?!  Did I miss something? My last 'proper' hair salon visit was probably about 18 months ago.


As you may have seen, my hair has grown back curly. A proper Shirley Temple job, some would even say verging on an Afro. Again, all thanks to the chemo.  I have been really patient growing it but I feel now it needs a bit of a trim.  A tidy up. Bit like one of those privet hedges that still looks good but needs a bit of a shear here and there.  Sadly, I don't think my hair will ever be as long as it was but I really want a 'Quorra' haircut (see my post back in Jan 2011) so would like it at least jaw length.


Anyway, my usual hairdresser couldn't fit me in over the next few days so I thought I would try out another reputable salon.  Wow.  I had no idea that haircuts were so expensive!  I was being quoted, ahem, brace yourself, EIGHTY FIVE POUNDS (£85!!!) for a wash, cut and blow dry at one place! 


I will hold my hand up and admit to spending a small fortune in the past on my  crowing glory but £85 for a haircut in an average salon not even in central London probably by an ok hairdresser is ridiculous.  I think £50 is a stupid amount to pay but I am prepared to pay it as that seems to be the average round here.


Do these people know there is a recession on?! I'm going to wait till my usual salon can fit me in. Cheaper and at least I know they are good.  I'm off to pick my jaw from the floor. And to learn to cut hair.  It's clearly a good way of making money!

Happy Halloween!

Photo belongs to She With A Capital V

Kentish fun!

Having had my multiple personality experience from Friday night (see previous post), most of this weekend was spent in Kent enjoying some of the sights of the county.  Being an Essex girl, there is always a little bit of rivalry banter over the merits of Essex versus Kent where I'm obviously always going to support the delights of Essex.  However, I do acknowledge that Kent has some absolutely stunning scenery, it is not known as the Garden of England for nothing.


We were visiting Mike and Sylvie who have only recently moved to their beautiful new house where we were lucky enough to spend the night. Dinner on Saturday night was at The Castle Inn in Chiddingstone which was absolutely delicious. The landlord is great too - friendly, amusing and full of chat.  Unfortunately, as it was already dark by the time we got there, we didn't get to enjoy Chiddingstone village itself by daylight but from what we could see, it all looked very pretty. Will definitely be going back!


And today was spent enjoying Leeds Castle apparently the 'loveliest castle in the world'.  It is very lovely but not sure if I would be so bold as to say it is THE loveliest castle in the world having visited other good castles but then again I don't work for their PR team!  A few photos below.  

Leeds Castle through autumn leaves

Near the entrance

One of the beautiful drawing rooms

Castle shoe cupboard - 1920s style

Me on one of the window seats. Not quite Downton Abbey!

This evening has been spent carving our pumpkins for Halloween. I'm off to finish mine.  It's supposed to be a cat. Except one of the eyes has gone a bit skew-whiff so I'm not quite sure what it's supposed to be now!  

All photos belong to She With A Capital V

Are you talking to me?

Living in and around London town, nothing surprises me about the sights and sounds to behold on the last train home from a night out. Last night's experience, however was up there in terms of sheer randomness. And possibly one of the strangest things I have seen in a while!

I definitely hadn't had too much to drink so I certainly wasn't seeing or hearing things. And no way had I fallen asleep and dreamed it all.  But the chap who sat opposite me from getting on at Vauxhall station till the last stop, had a full on conversation...with himself.  Yes. With. Himself.  Just like I would be having a chat with a friend. The best bit though was at some points during his self conversation, he would reply back in French. Ah oui, en Francais!  


And yes I did look out for a telephone earpiece, headpiece, blue-tooth device and other possible transmission instruments where he could be hearing other voices to talk to but the only voices this chap was hearing were the ones in his own head.  


I did consider joining in so that we could have had a party but didn't want to intrude what with three being a crowd and all that. 


Maybe if I hadn't been on my own I would have had the courage to talk to him (to them?!) but I wasn't sure how he would have reacted to me butting in on his conversation.  It's obviously not usual behaviour to be talking to yourself on a train and my risk assessment at the time told me to carry on reading the news on my phone! 


Just in case you were interested, 'they' were talking about what a good evening they had spent at the bar they were in and how nice the people he had met were...


Just another night out in London!

A sponge is an animal not a plant

There were three stand out things from yesterday;

1).  I learnt that contrary to popular belief, a sponge is an animal and not a plant.

That a sponge sponge from say somewhere like Kalymnos looks very strange, almost 'alive' when wet and used in the shower. Strange in a watching kind of way. Winking even.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't and hadn't been alive, alive and that it had been made to look alive.  But what with Halloween approaching you just never know really...(!)

2).  If you're good friends with someone, it doesn't matter how long it has been since you last saw them, how far away they live, what you and they have been up to, it all just works when you see them again. Fits even. It obviously all depends on whether they are a pretty decent human being to begin with but you wouldn't be friends with them if they weren't. 

3).  That the old saying of 'tell me your friends, and I'll tell you who you are' is really true.  

Great seeing you Marc. And fantastic to meet your friends and gorgeous sister.   Hope to see you soon. 

C'est la vie

It's all very well being 'forty and fabulous' but there's feeling 'forty and fabulous'. 


Quite frankly, since the high of my birthday celebrations, I have felt more like 'forty and forlorn' of late.


I don't know if it is the sudden drop in temperature, the darker days, gloomy mornings, hormones, the fact that I've been unwell the last few days or a combination of all of the above but I feel rather flat. A bit like an old banger - tyred out (did you see what I did there?), rusty and in need of a new engine.


Last night, I met up with a bunch of friends who I hadn't seen for ages and it was great being with them all. It cheered me up even.  But it also made me feel a bit, well, I don't know, introspective.  


Everyone seems to be doing really well and so high achieving. And I just seem so normal, pedestrian, ordinary even!? I don't have the delights of any progeny to talk about, my career has plateaued, I still like a glass of wine or three, I like a laugh. And er, that's kind of it.


I know I have lots of good things happening over the coming weeks and months and we are getting married next year (woop!) so la vita bella.


And maybe that's why I feel this way. It is all good. But what cancer does to you (well me anyway), is that it makes you fearful of having or wanting it all in case you lose it. Or it loses you. Or you never even get a chance to have it.  It's a bastard this disease. So much so if it had a face I'd punch it. Hard. Physically you may be all sorted but mentally it's a different ball game to try and win.


Ah well. Musings over and time to get on. It's a start of a new day. C'est la vie.  


I'm off for a coffee. 

Forty and Fabulous - photos!

A selection of photos from my recent birthday celebrations...

Homemade champagne breakfast - with mushroom!

Birthday Lego Darth Vader - what every girl needs!

Cocktails at Trader Vics

Fish too big to fit in my handbag...

Spidey on the cocktails

Spidey (or rather Mat) showing off his climbing skills

Last night a DJ saved my life...

Mwah!

Dorothy and the rattiest Toto ever seen!

Ruby slippers and Spidey Feet!

Ninja Turtles!

Partying like its 1999

Spiderman *hearts* Dorothy 

Andy Warhol, James Bond, Frank, Dorothy and Toto

What a gorgeous group!

Fantastic box of Heroes with Woody and a couple of scientists

Dorothy and Sherlock laughing at an elderly Hulk

Captain America and cupcakes!

Lost count indeed!
Scrummy cupcakes from Bobo's Bakery

All photos belong to She With A Capital V