Fontainebleau - Easter 2012

A lot happened but I think below pretty much sums up the long Easter weekend:

F = footwork...it's all about the footwork.

O = odour...none of the boys smelt. At all. Especially after the camping. Honest. I was in the nice B&B gite so how could I have noticed...

N = nature... "fcuk you nature!" You had to be there.

T = top-outs...getting to the top of a scary-ass rock.

A = aching arms...'pumpy'. 

I = Isatis...razor blade crimps and getting one over a French man. Mat told me to put this.

N = nice...chateaux, scenery and the general French joie de vivre. 

E = Elephant...they have to have a trunk, not just big ears. Again, you had to be there.

B = baguettes...A French kitten dies every time you fold one. Apparently.

L = looking good...when done well, it's nice to spectate a beautiful climbing man move.

E = entente cordiale...between Brits, Brazilians, French, Canadians, Russians, Colombians, Americans...

A = another... French dick driver. No more said.

U = un... peu difficile. The level of rock I did actually climb. Usually for children. Capable ones at that!


I would definitely go again as it is such a beautiful part of France. Still not entirely convinced about bouldering though. I like to be attached to a rope. 


Anyway, the photos below are a smidgeon of the 600 (!!??!!) taken. The boys got trigger happy with the fast sport mode on the camera and so I had to edit. Enjoy!

All photos belong to shewithacapitalV

April showers

Something has been nibbling at my pak choi and I'm not quite sure what it is. I can only assume it is moisture loving slugs given the ridiculous amount of rain we have been having this past week. As it is still raining, I can't fully investigate or do anything about it so the mystery remains for now.


Having been chastised by several people for not keeping this blog up to date (even though I had said I would do so), here I am. A bit like Will.I.Am but without the shiny jackets, the ability to produce jaunty pop or in possession of a swivel chair and push button. ♪ ♪ I've got a feeelinnng, that tonight's gonna be a good, good, nigghht ♪ ♪


Sorry, I got distracted. Which is kind of what's been happening most of April - it's just showered me with distraction - did you get what I did there? With the title and everything?! 


Anyway point taken, I do need to update this blog more often so enough procrastinating and here goes; there was the trip to beautiful Fontainebleau in France over Easter; a retirement party to end all retirement parties (i.e. I got very drunk) and had people other than Mat get to hear how dulcet my snoring is (still so embarrassed); met up with my favourite French émigré who was over from Greece albeit very briefly; attended yet another 40th birthday party; got my hair trimmed for only the second time in a year; got caught up in the "siege of Tottenham Court Road" whilst over at UCH (yawn) and I received confirmation that I'm still cancer free.


Following the full body MRI scan I mentioned in my last post, the results are that everything is 'normal'. As in major organs, blood and bone. There is a three-page medical report that I had wanted to put on here as some of you may be interested in reading and seeing it but I can't find a way to post up a decent copy without revealing too much personal info. Give me a shout if you really want to see it.  As an aside, sorry to disappoint you all but "appearance of brain appear normal" but I do however "have a large appendix with an extended tip". Ah well, nobody's perfect.


See you around. And more often. Ciao for now.

March mayhem & mischief

So that was March. And didn't that go quick?! Blogging was a little non-existent for lots of reasons, all really not that important but time consuming nonetheless. 


As we enter the second quarter of this year, I have pledged to the universe to blog more often. I have been somewhat distracted by other things that have taken up my time unnecessarily so, given me unwanted stress and quite frankly, should have got out of dodge a long time ago because of it. However, it is what it is and life is what you make it. And I need to remember that life is good. 


The big event in March was at the start of the month when I went Skiing Not Skiing again. It was very much like last year except this time around we were in Morzine and Lina was with us.  A good time was had by all and for me, the funniest moment of the weekend was when Lina decided to 'hijack' a car and its driver into giving us a lift back into town! We hiked up to the Lac des Mines D'or and spent a merry time walking in the woods and surrounding mountains except we had seriously underestimated how long we would be and the fact that there would be no bus for hours!  


We didn't really want to miss the spa afternoon booked and so like the resourceful Colombian she is, Lina managed to get us a 'lift' from a random Genevan called Didier who was on his way back to his wife and child having spent the morning skiing. He didn't really have much choice given that he would have run Lina over if he hadn't!  I think from the look on his face when he found out that our 'important appointment' was not a flight but a massage at the spa that he thought we were a little mad but never mind. I have uploaded a few photos below. As it was so beautiful, it wasn't difficult to take a good photo but I am especially loving the first pic - it feels so inspirational.

I also got to see Zach Braff's play 'All New People' at the Duke of York Theatre.  I very much enjoyed it and found it quite moving although I can see why it has received mixed reviews.  It does veer towards the 'emotional' side of things with lots of people talking about 'what they are feeling inside' which can grate after a while. I really liked it and wouldn't have minded a photo with the man himself at the end but as Mat is not really one for hanging around stage doors and I didn't want to look like a stalker, I never got an opportunity.


The usual round of socialising remains unabated with the usual over-indulgence in red wine, white wine and everything in between! Adrien and Sam were the latest to come and stay over chez nous where a good time was had by all.


Finally, I also had the 'pleasure' of having a full body MRI scan at a clinic near Harley Street.  To fully make sure that there were still no traces of cancer left, my consultant suggested I had this done - I find out the results in two weeks.  I am very familiar with MRI scans but this was on another level. I had to lie very still for nearly two hours (!!) while all my major organs and bones were scanned. To help me lie still, I had these clamps over my head and body. It wasn't very nice and quite frankly it felt like I was in a coffin. On the day I had this done, I came into work afterwards to learn that a work colleague had lost his own battle with cancer. I didn't even know that his cancer had returned and felt very sad at the news. 


A reminder to me of my own vulnerability and that life really is too short and therefore, just like the mountain scenery above, it really is onward and upwards indeed.

All photos belong to shewithacapitalV