For someone who is off from work “sick”, I have been ridiculously industrious since my last blog.
As you know - I decided to get a puppy. Little Minstrel (aka Mini, Minnie, Minnie the Moocher and probably quite a few aliases, as yet to be discovered). We should have collected her last Saturday from her breeder in Yeovil. But...... I wasn’t ready. I was still doing the decorating! I have determined that once Minstrel is here, I must have no pressing plans apart from training her to be the BEST behaved pup in the neighbourhood (hmmmm.... we’ll see how that goes)
So - our hallway has not been entirely decorated ever....... not ever.
Primarily because we decided many moons ago to install beautiful panelling up to dado height everywhere. This looked amazing, but as with MANY (most) joinery projects in this house 😢, Peter had never finished it. In 2002, I decorated one side of the hallway, and it was great, but I refused to do any more because the woodwork was unfinished. After many and numerous discussions (read threats), the panelling and architraves and ‘making good’ of the corners and skirtings was all done, and we were good to get on with the decorating.
I spent many a half hour wandering around the hallway, staring up at the ceilings; the cracks; the gaping hole (where we had knocked a wall down when we put the downstairs loo in); the strange mock Tudor battening on the hall ceiling that was there when we moved in; the original Edwardian woodwork hanging down from the top of the stair banisters (probably has a special name, no idea what it is..... finial?????) that we cut off to make new cupboard doors...... wandering, and wondering if I could actually take on this project myself?
In my head, I had a figure of around £3000 for getting someone in to do the decorating..... and was reluctant to shell that out when I might not be too happy with the result. I have always done the decorating here - it’s my job. So - I decided to make a start - and if necessary, I’d get someone in to do the vertiginous areas. I’m fussy and a perfectionist...... and I started ..... five weeks ago..... and now - five weeks later, I have ALMOST finished - a few little bits of touching up to do today - and some stairs to paint, and then we’re done! I must be honest and say there were many occasions when I didn’t think I could do it. But I did. It’s helpful when you have an extremely tall son who has come home to live - who is also a designer, and a perfectionist and is able, and quite willing to help (I would never have managed to get right up in the corner under the loft stairs, but Ned did!) Thanks to Peter’s ingenuity, we worked out a way of using ladders as platforms, worked brilliantly. Anyway - done. Tick that box 😊 I must also thank Lou, Ned’s partner, who has wielded a paintbrush with dexterity, and cooked, and organised, and tidied too. Very blessed to have her on Team Quiney.
I have had other help: my two amazing friends and colleagues - Susan and Helen, gave me a day of paintstaking work (deliberate spelling mistake), and our lovely MA Julie came and painted a beautiful topcoat downstairs whilst I was toiling away in the loft. All socially distanced and mask-wearing, of course.......... Friends eh? How would we manage without them?
Did I say £3000? In reality, I think we could certainly have doubled, if not trebled... that estimate.
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I have had contact from work as I have been off for almost six months, and had to go to a meeting with HR and my manager to update them on my health. I still have pangs of guilt that I’m not at work, but I do keep getting letters from the government telling me that I shouldn’t be there!
Pay is dropping to half at the end of this month, and then I’ll have six months of that, and then if I don’t return to work, I’ll take my pension, and I’ll have another six months to survive before I reach the grand old age of 66, when I get my state pension. No substantive decision made as yet.......
The HR meeting was interesting. I almost didn’t manage to attend the meeting, as I was not informed that the HR department had moved offices last October. I turned up at the old office. Brilliant communication, eh? After being redirected, and arriving at the new office block? Automatic doors, only opening with a swipe card, no receptionist, and no doorbell! Fortunately, I was able to call my manager (who was running late and hadn’t arrived) and she managed to contact the HR lady on the third floor. I shall not say what I think about this! **£$%@***
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Immunotherapy is going well. Had my 12th infusion yesterday - which means I am a quarter of the way through the suggested and proposed treatment. PET scan is booked for April 1st, and after that we’ll have a discussion about moving my treatments to monthly - which would mean a double dose every four weeks - bearing in mind, I shall have a baby canine at home, this might work better for all of us..... I was reluctant to do this before because I was anxious about double side effects....... I think I’ll try it. My lovely consultant said it’s up to me. Because this therapy is so new to her ( as well as to me) and we’re all “feeling our way”.
My new Facebook Group (Immunotherapy Support UK) has grown exponentially - we now have 122 members, and it’s a lovely forum for information and mutual support - I’ve had to request two more admins to run the group, and am now thinking about having RULES. I had one very strange member who started unwanted soliciting amongst the group. And I had to BAN and BLOCK her. I’m not a natural megalomaniac, so this doesn’t come easily to me (my sons will probably dispute this statement 😂)
So - that’s me - updated. I shall now get on with my “touching up” and the rest of my reading....... I sincerely hope that Minstrel is reading from the same library, so we’re on the same footing.......
This blanket should be good and smelly - been with the breeder for a week or so to absorbs smells......💩
I shall end with the thought that I am simply looking forward to catching up with all my wonderful friends in person. Whether they are dog lovers or not, they’ll be walking this summer with me and the Moocher. Roll on the clocks moving forward..... roll on normality.... roll on LIFE!
Love and hugs to everyone. 💗
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