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!