Monthly Archives: January 2011

fingers crossed!

21 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by in cancer, chemo, hope, hospitals

≈ 37 Comments

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Today at 8am I’m having the third PET scan since I got the all-clear in September 2009 after my last chemo finished that summer. Will my luck hold? Will I be okay?

I’m always nervous, if not downright terrified, just before a scan (scanxiety!) but this time was only given two day’s notice, so at least that cut down on the usual anxiety build-up period. Just two nights of lost sleep rather than a week or so. But the really extra anxiety-making thing is that this time I have to go all on my own. Nog has a class and I couldn’t find anyone else to come with me. We’re talking about six hours of scary hospital time with nobody else to talk to.

By the time most of you read this I’ll probably be either in the machine or still at the hospital awaiting the results. I’m really lucky that I don’t have to wait a month after the test for results as my nuclear medicine Team always tell me straight away. The scary thing about that is – if they do find more cancer – they will probably insist I start chemo next week, which would really bugger up my moving plans, as well as the two tapas tours I have booked the first week in February. Of course the even scarier thing would be them telling me that chemo is no longer an option…

Hope I’m back with good news later on!
I know you’re all rooting for me, and that helps.

what does your bed say about you?

20 Thursday Jan 2011

Posted by in quizzes

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Your Bed Says You Are Down to Earth
 

Outward appearances are very important to you. You do your best to look good and have an attractive home.

You are an organized and disciplined person. You do the right thing because you want to, not because people expect you to.

You are very high maintenance. You like everything a certain way, and you’re grumpy if things aren’t the way you like them.

In relationships, you tend to be quite dominant. You enjoy taking charge.

You tend to be a down to earth, practical person. You think in terms of what is actual.

You are a bit of a homebody, but you can also make yourself at home anywhere.

my new home?

19 Wednesday Jan 2011

Posted by in change, home, hope

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Well, I found it! Just by chance after my friend Flor sent me an email last night saying she’d seen a for rent sign up on a building around the corner from her place. So I called and it sounded wonderful – and also too expensive – but I thought it was worth looking at. And man, it’s perfect. Bigger than I was looking for with three bedrooms instead of two (though really one “bedroom” is more of an office space) and 100 square metres not including the massive terrace. On two floors without the dangerous-for-cats spiral staircase. Clean, freshly painted, unfurnished (yay!). Tons of light everywhere, and balconies. The kitchen has loads of cupboard space, the two bedrooms also have lots of closet and storage space. The drawback? The price! And I am so trying to rationalise and figure out how to say yes to this place. My maximum price was set at 750 euros, a hundred euros more than I’m paying now, but I was hoping for 700. But the thing is, this apartment is actually worth the price. Which is 850 euros, and which the owners say they are willing to lower to 800 euros and guarantee that price for two years.

And so, 50 euros more than my maximum price, and 150 more than I am paying now. To be honest, if Peter was working more and paying his share then I could afford it. This irks, because the whole point of sharing your dwelling is to cut costs – this is not happening for me at the moment. Another option is to rent out the “third bedroom” for a few months until things get sorted, to see if Peter gets his shit together. Because really, if I have to share the place then it makes sense to do it with someone who can actually pay, right? I can put up with three for a short time, but hey, there’s only one bathroom. And I know I can find people willing to take that room here on short-term rental, because the apartment is fantastic. And the owners know I’m in love with it, and have given me first option, though I have to decide this week.

Well, I guess you’re wondering what the place looks like. Here are some pics I took this morning with my iPhone that don’t really do it justice, and the apartment was still in the midst of painting and cleaning, and they’ll be hanging curtains, etc, but you can at least get an idea  (click on all the collages to enlarge)…

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first amazon order

18 Tuesday Jan 2011

Posted by in books, films, retail therapy

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Wow, I had no idea that I’d started ordering from Amazon so long ago. Though I remember why. Back in the day it was impossible to see any films here in original version, or even rent the orginal versions on video. I also didn’t realise it was possible to go back and trace ALL my Amazon orders until I saw that Beth had done this and found the first thing she’d ever ordered. Unlike Beth, Amazon has never sent me any gifts for being a good customer – after almost ten years you’d think they’d at least send along a little something from my Wish List (like maybe season 8 of 24  😉 ).

Anyhow, my first order was this video of Wilde, which I still have, though I think I also have a DVD version now. This was before I learned that if I ordered three items I got charged the same delivery fee as for one. These days delivery to Spain is free! Progress, eh?

What was your first Amazon order?

dream destinations

17 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by in travel, trips

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For some reason Istanbul has been coming up on Twitter and in other conversations lately, and I find myself filled with a longing to visit, though my heart is also drawn to places I’ve already been to like Lisbon, Tangier, London…

So just for the heck of it, here are my top five dream destinations of places I’ve not yet been, in no particular order:

  • Instanbul
  • Florence
  • Edinburgh
  • New York
  • Greek Islands

What are yours?