Keeping Active, Butterflies & Orchids, 'Never Let Me Go'

'Never Let Me Go' - go and see and marvel at the superb acting.
It may even make you cry. And think too.

Feeling a little leg achey this evening. I am putting this down to my underused muscles being worked a lot harder this past week than they have been for a long time. And only through walking more! It just goes to show how ridiculously weak I am. I know I have undergone pretty major medical procedures over the last few months and I shouldn't frustrate myself but I can't help it. It is frustrating.

After getting over my cold, I have been raising my activity levels to try and increase my fitness and so improve my well being. I am not feeling as tired as I was and I figure that moving around abit more can only be a good thing. And it might help shift some of this steroid bloat I still have!


My Wii Me - complete with baldy head!



Amy has spent all this week with us working on her research and so I have been accompanying her on walks around our village whenever possible during her breaks. I didn't do the jogging that she went for as this would have been too much for me but it was good to have her company as always.  She is so flippin fit, she makes you feel active just being around her!  We have also been playing about on the Wii - specifically the sports games. I'm rubbish at all of them although I have beaten Mat at the frisbee golf! I'm also going to tackle the Wii Fit more. If it is good enough for Helen Mirren...

The week started off well as I was lucky enough to watch a preview of the film 'Never Let Me Go' with Kira. The showing was over in north London near where I used to live so not only did I get to have good company watching a remarkable film, I got to reminisce about my living in north London days.

If you do get a chance to see 'Never Let Me Go' do watch it but be warned, it is abit of a tear-jerker. I found it to be an incredibly moving film. I know the book is a massive favourite with a lot of people but having never read any of Kazuo Ishiguro's novels, I had no idea what it was about.

From the trailers, it was obviously a love story of sorts but I was taken aback by the sinister science-fiction medical element to it. I won't go into too much detail so as not to spoil the story but there was a particular scene where one of the characters screams and howls following an incident. The noise made is a noise of unbearable sadness, anger, dissapointment and hurt. And unfortunately, it was a noise I only know too well as I have made it myself. Since cancer bulldozed its way into my life, I have made a lot of noises not all of them good ones but all necessary to get through each day.

On a more cheerful note, my slide into Surrey village life is slowly but surely happening!  It will be the Women's Institute next... Last Wednesday evening I attended a talk on orchids and their care at our local village hall and organised by our local horticultural society. The British Orchid Council were involved so it was all very proper, professionally done and believe it or not very interesting. Really, it was!

Unsurprisingly, I went on my own as Mat was washing his hair that evening and I didn't think any of my friends would be interested. Funny that?! In a hall full of about 60 people, I changed the demographic in the room by just walking in. I was probably the youngest by about 30 years (and I'm certainly not that young!), the only one that didn't dye her hair if I had any to dye, the only one that didn't have silver hair if I did have hair and the only ethnic minority present that wasn't for once serving staff. It was great! I found it really interesting and I have already made a couple of acquaintances. Admittedly, they are a little slow on their feet given their age and wheelchair but acquaintances all the same!

Carrying on the horticultural theme, today was spent at the gardens at Wisley. 'Butterflies in the Glasshouse' was on and I wanted to see this along with their orchid weekend so a win-win situation. Mike and Sylvie came to visit so it was great to see them and they joined us for an afternoon of gorgeousness - some photos below. The butterflies were absolutely stunning and huge! The only downer was the number of people in the glasshouse (a lot of small kids running around) but to be expected on a weekend. Thank you Caroline for recommending this :-)

On the celebrity spotting front, Maureen Lipman of all people was in the glasshouse with us admiring the butterflies. She was with a dashing gentleman companion and I have to say, she looked really fab for her age. Coincidentally, she is a patron of Myeloma UK as her late husband died from the disease a few years back. In some cultures, butterflies are a sign of long life, in others souls of those no longer with us and in some change and rebirth. Make of that what you will.

All in all, a good week.