Well, it has been a while!! Sorry, but life has been hectic these past 4/5 weeks. Geoffrey has moved. Three words that sum up so much hard work and planning, but, as they say, the most stressful things in life are moving house/marriage/divorce. Detailing just how much work has gone into moving Geoffrey is BORING, but it is behind us now. Work continues, but it is now under control. I am sure that if you visit Brian, you may get to take a trip to the flat - it's only 7 minutes walk from our house!
My Dad and Shirley came to lunch on the 3rd November. We celebrated Shirley's birthday, (as the photo's show), and it was the first time in 20 years that they haven't celebrated it in the States! It was great to see them and the cake was fun!
Brian joined the other members of the BIG team, (Business Involvement Group @ M&S), for a meal at "Il Ponte" in Croydon. It was his first night out at a restaurant since July. He loved meeting up with his colleagues, but was tired when he got home.
Lots of friends have visited from M&S, the latest being Liz. Fortunately, she loves Christmas, which is just as well because Brian has turned the house into a festive grotto!! You can see Liz and Brian by the tree in our hallway. I am sure that this will be the first of many such poses!!
The chemo goes on, and on the 30th November it will be halfway with the pills. Various side-effects on each set of pills, but nothing that he can't handle, and Brian just gets on with it. We visit the Surgeon's team on Thursday 25th, after which we have a massage at the Cancer Centre in Purley. This is a highlight of Brian's week! (And mine, too!)
Pat and Jack arrive on 2nd December with Peter, Brian's brother; there will be a lunch at the Toby Carvery on Pat's birthday 4th December, and they will stay until 6th December, when I will take them home. I will then drop off Christmas gifts for my family at Dad and Shirley's on my way back.
Brian is looking forward to the M&S Christmas lunch on 7th December, the MS Centre Christmas lunch on 10th December, and Tea at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane with the Cancer Centre on 15th December. I have no doubt there will be photos to post after all these events.
As of 16th November, M&S stopped paying Brian, but he still gets Statutory Sick Pay. We did at least finally get a refund from our insurance company for his flights from the cancelled holiday in Turkey in September, but it was a bit of a fight!
I have been busy also with touring in Welsh National Opera's production of Beethoven's "Fidelio", tomorrow and Friday we perform in Southampton. Last week I was in sunny (and it was!) Llandudno, and I stayed in Welshpool with our dear friend Eve Barnes. The week before we were in Birmingham, and Liverpool the week before that, again I stayed with Eve. (The week before that was Geoffrey's move.) On 6th November I took part in a performance of the G&S operetta "Trial by Jury", playing the Counsel for the Plaintiff. It was at St. James', Piccadilly, and was a charity performance to raise money for the Bobby Moore Fund for Bowel Cancer. I am so thrilled that we raised over £1,000 for them, and it was such a fun performance! I'm now busy with rehearsals for "Madame Butterfly", which will open 11th December, so there's little time left, but we're managing to cope.... somehow.
All best wishes,
Ian
