Where to start?

Well, I'm back in Swansea for the Easter hols and therefore staying in the house of someone who knows the password for their wi-fi! Hence this post... Journey home was a bit of a nightmare though (lots of traffic and roadworks). Still I was home before midnight which means that DD owes me £50. Ha!

Still not back in the flat yet. Progress is being made every day but it seems really slow. I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end. And of course it would all be a million times worse if it wasn't for the fact that the fabulous DD has agreed to put up with me all this time. She's a real saint and I love her dearly.

Birmingham was good. The Magic Flute was fabulous (even though it was sung in English - which as you all know I'm not a fan of). Falstaff less so in my book although Bryn Terfel was superb. Not enough tunes for my liking. Birmingham was, on the whole, Birmingham i.e. a really ugly city - my mother hated it. Bought a shirt in Selfridges though.

Did the help line on Wednesday which was brilliant - had one call that lasted over an hour from a distressed lesbian. She was less distressed by the end of the call which is, of course, what its all about and why I do the job.

Saw Sean on Thursday. He was really happy with the way everything was looking. Also saw Frances (which was good as hadn't seen her for ages). She's going to ask around about research into gene therapy/stem cell research on growing new saliva glands. You never know... And of course no trip to Christies would be complete without seeing the lovely lovely Debbie who was as lovely lovely as ever. Except she told me I still can't sunbathe. Boo.

Had a chest x-ray (an annual precautionary event). They'll phone me if anything shows up. Also discovered that I've lost the ability to snore (yet another bonus from the cancer). Apparently I no longer have enough soft palate nor enough of the base of my tongue to enable snoring. Honestly you learn something new at Christies every week. Also had a bit more explained about my cancer (Anthony Minghella apparently ad the same operation as me - and I had it 3 times - so even more relief that I didn't die on the operating table). Apparently I had a large tumour in one gland which on the scale of a small tumour in one gland to multiple tumours in multiple glands on both sides of the neck is not too bad from a prognosis point of view.

As for people I know with cancer there is good news and less good news. Jane, my cousin, has 2 slipped discs and not bone cancer. Which is a relief. Bill however, has had some contra-indications on his blood tests but its too early yet to know what this means. I'm sure you will all join with me in sending him love and best wishes.

Next week is busy with meetings and the theatre (I think) on Friday. Jonah & Otto at the Royal Exchange. No idea what its about but going with a bunch of people from work so it should be fun.

That's all. J x

P.S. Mother's fingers (which my regular readers will recall I slammed in a car door) continue to pain her (allegedly) and result in me having to do lots of jobs around the house. They're not too painful to unwrap a bar of chocolate though...

Quickly (I'm Paying by the Minute)

My landlady doesn't know the password for her wi-fi so I've popped into the Hilton to check e-mails. Nothing exciting to report. In Birmingham at the weekend - hopefully with wi-fi access - and (again hopefully) back in the flat next week so will pass on all the news then. That's all. J x

Theory of Relativity

Well its been relatives all he way since arriving back in Swansea. Monday night was cousin Hillary and cousin Mike and cousin-in-law Pam. This morning was cousin Mary and cousin-in-law Barrie and tomorrow is cousin Kathryn and cousin-in-law Andrew in Cardiff (actually I'm not 100% sure they are married yet - I'll find out and let you know). Great to see everyone and nice of Hillary to fit me in since she has to see that other queen (i.e. her actual Her Madge) today. In between its been garden visits - Aberglasney (absolutely fantastic - my first ever Ninfarium) and the National Botanic Gardens where we saw a flowering Voodoo Stink Lily (or some such). It didn't look particularly voodoo-like nor did it stink but perhaps its early days in its flowering cycle. Its supposed to smell like rotting flesh in order to attract flies which pollinate it. I love the NBG though and the hellebores were looking wonderful.

Back to Manc Sunday (chez the very wonderful DD) and then Birmingham on Friday and Saturday nights (with the Aged Ps) for Welsh National Opera - Falstaff with Bryn Terfel and The Magic Flute. That's all. J x

A Match Made In Heaven?

DD will be putting me up next week (flat not ready to live in). Watch this space to find out which of us survives the experience... That's all. J x

Ow

Managed to slam my mother's fingers in the car door today (no, not on purpose). Nothing broken though luckily and she says she isn't in pain anymore although it hurt quite a bit at first. She's refusing to go to hospital to have anything checked. If anyone knows any horror stories of people's fingers falling off following a car door incident then please repeat them here and I'll use them as evidence to get her to A&E.

Back safe and sound from London. The opera on Saturday night was good (albeit sung in English which I don't like but that's ENO and you're stuck with it). Had a gorgeous (if expensive) VM in the St Martins Hotel prior to the show. Fabulous hotel, really swish. They had those Philippe Starck stools that look like teeth. I didn't sit on those as they looked rather uncomfortable. After the show had another (less expensive) VM in One Aldwych - another really swish hotel. No Monsieur Starck this time.

On Sunday met up with Donna for the Sleeping & Dreaming exhibition at the Wellcome Foundation. A really interesting exhibition and well displayed (if a little dark) but just too many people there. So we spent most of our time in the cafe catching up on the gossip. And then back to Swansea on Monday. Managed to fit in a little shopping here and there but nothing much, you all know me and shopping - I'll do it if its got to be done but really I can't be bothered... That's all. J x

Just Realised...

...that my aunt must have been referring to my timetabling rather than my choice of opera. Yes, that's right, I've chosen to spend an evening at the opera on the same night that the country chooses its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. I'm completely mad... That's all, J x