The 14th & 15th; My lungs were full of dust.

The 14th of October. 

Wargh so cold. I had a great dream about tiny bunnies wearing top hats and tails while people were playing croquet, and was very reluctant to wake up and get out of bed. 

This morning I wrote up a blog post and was very conscious about my higher than-usual heart rate. It did eventually settle, but it took a couple of hours. Nothing I can attribute it to, just got to watch out for it. 

After lunch, I went with Mommy to pick up Grandma from church lunch, and after taking her back home, she took me to the gym. It was starting to rain when we arrived, and I didn’t want to wait in the cold for someone to let me in. Spurred on by my reasonable experience with the stairs at the Glee, I thought I’d try to climb the two flights to that gym. And I didn’t feel like dying at the top! I haven’t tried the stairs since I first joined, and it was awful then – couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak.

I didn’t get everything I wanted done because there was always a particular man on the machines I wanted, he was everywhere, like a plague. So I ended up skipping some bits and leaving about half an hour earlier than I normally would, which was good timing as the boy who likes to look at his belly had appeared. 

Trying to decide where I want to go to eat for my birthday. I’ll be 25, an age no one expected me to reach. Where do I go?

The 15th of October. 

Today is two years since I wrote a blog post about my imminent death. Apparently not so imminent. It’s weird, sometimes I almost feel bad for not having died yet, like I somehow misled people, but it is all what was told to me at the time, and I’m just really lucky that the superbug hasn’t been reactivated, and that I am still here. I don’t know how, I’m just happy that I am. Most of the time. 

I didn’t exactly spend the day celebrating though. I have been crocheting and tidying. I have made three mini-mittens, trying to work out the right size for a one year old. I have come to the conclusion that I need Elle to measure Luna’s hands, then I can be sure. 

My tidying was to deal with all the shoes/books/crap in front of my bedroom window that were making it hard to close the curtains. Ninety minutes of sitting on the floor, sorting stuff out, putting things away. I’ve realised I have way too many shoes that I don’t wear and need to go to a charity shop or on eBay or something. So many books too! I am awful. When I was finished, my lungs were full of dust, meaning I should probably do it more often. 

I got a phone call from Lynn, current fosterer of the N kitties, and the plan is that she will be bringing the four (FOUR!) of them on Saturday evening or Sunday, depending on what time she gets home from a course she’s doing. 

The 1st & 2nd; I spent my entire morning in a state of pure fear.

The 1st of October.

I spent my entire morning in a state of pure fear because I had such a terrible stomachache, and I thought it was a stone and the klebsiella had returned. Thankfully we were in clinic and they were running late so I curled up on the sofa in the quiet room for a few hours and even managed a little sleep, I think. I was feeling better by the time Manoj called me in and he felt my tummy and didn’t find anything untoward.

We got out just after noon and went across the road to the Women’s to see Elle as she’s in having three days of steroid injections. Next time I see her she will probably have a tiny baby!

After seeing her, we went into town and had lunch in Pret, then we went to Starbucks where the man recognised me, then to House of Fraser for more wool where the woman recognised me! I think it’s the facial bruising. We went to Topshop to get some socks to give to Christine, and to River Island to buy some collars to wear under jumpers.

Since we got home, I have wrapped Christine’s biscuits and finished crocheting a snuggly scarf. Tonight is Bake Off semi final!

The 2nd of October.

Such a brilliant day. I got tweeted by Katherine Ryan, had a delicious latte from Faculty Coffee, and received a lovely email from Leukaemia Care which I need to respond to properly tomorrow.

We got the train down to London to meet Christine at The Dorchester for her birthday lunch at Alain Ducasse. We went to the bar where I had a Marmalade Dream cocktail. I don’t know what was in it bar champagne but it was yummy. Christine opened her presents and cards, then we went through to the restaurant and per used the menu. Before we’d even ordered, we were brought a pyramid of choux puffs flavoured with paprika, cheese and black pepper, then we got breads – I had a little brioche-y roll with some soft cheese and another bread that had bacon in it. Then as an amuse-bouche, we were given these ceramic eggs that had a parsnip soup poured over a quenelle of Stilton in and I love parsnips so that was fabulous. I had to stop myself eating all the bread in case I didn’t have room for the actual meal! For my starter, I had baby squid a la grenobloise, then braised ox cheek, which made my wine choices interesting! I had what the sommelier recommended, and it was the first red wine I’ve had that I’ve actually liked. I made a tiny mess with my gravy (literally a few spots) and they came and covered it up with a napkin. Before pudding, we were offered some more Stilton which we all declined, but then they brought some pre-desserts – macaroons (chocolate, caramel and lemon), chocolates, cocoa-dusted almonds, toffees and nougat! My actual pudding was the chocolate/orange combination and it was gorgeous. Then coffee. By the time we were finished, it was nearly four o’clock, so we only had time to go to Selfridges before getting a cab back to Euston. We went there because I really wanted to get some Crosstown doughnuts but I don’t think I’ll be eating anything more until tomorrow.

I am stuffed and exhausted.