Three weeks + 5

Well we have finally picked somewhere to stay for a couple of days next week, I'm not going to say where yet as Neil hasn't actually booked it and I'm not prepared to tempt fate. Neil has had a hairy couple of days, he works in the centre of Birmingham (near the Jewellery Quarter) and normally comes home through Winston Green, he said his trip home on Tuesday was so eerie, there was a real atmosphere of suspense, as if everyone was just waiting for a kind of spark to set it all off, he actually drives really near to the garage where those poor men were killed. Anyway he decided that last night he would drive out in the wrong direction, but down a safer road so that his trip would be less stressful, longer, but easier. I can only assume that he'll return to his normal route now the rioting appears to be over, trouble is his job is quite stressful enough without added extra for the trip in and out!

I, on the other hand, spent yesterday being the opposite of stressed, was I unstressed, or stressless, who knows. Anyway I spent a great chunk of the day sewing a cover onto a large cushion, yes you did hear correctly sewing! Not a word that is normally in Maxines vocabulary but I do like to mix it up a bit at times. Basically I bought a large rectangular piece of foam and covered it, first with an old duvet cover then with one of the curtains (old ones replaced in bedroom), I sort of wrapped it up like a present and sewed up all the seams, instead of using tape. As a project it was fulfilling as there in now a covered cushion on the dogs settee (yes my dog has his own settee, doesn't everyones?), one that hopefully has enough layers on it that it will last more than a week, like the cushions that actually came on the settee. He didn't intend to destroy the original ones, it's a cane conservatory settee and the cushion material was very thin, but once it was ripped, albeit accidentally, he had great fun getting all the filling out. It looked a bit like scrambled egg, tons of little bits of yellow foam, all over the floor in the kitchen extension, and it took forever to clean up! So far the new cushion has passed the first night test, so watch this space.

I've had a bit of a jolt this morning, it's funny I get so wrapped up in just being and doing that I forget why I'm writing this and why I'm stuck in the house taking it easy, I really forget all the surgery stuff and just get on with being all I can at the moment. This morning I have received a letter from my consultant saying would I attend a follow up appointment at the hospital next week. Firstly it knocks me back into actually, I'm recovering mode, which like I say I forget sometimes. Plus I was looking forward to next week with Neil taking me away, now I'm not because I'm afraid of what will happen at the appointment, they might say "it's all gone wrong and back into surgery you must go!" Horrible, and probably unneccessary thought, but then the last time I had a follow up appointment after my surgery they said I had cancer, so if you remember Maxines 1st lesson, and the 3rd one, an appointment is a scary thing for me. So my question is, do I ring and postpone the appointment until the week after and just enjoy next week, or do I get it over and done with as it's before we go away, and ignore some of my own lessons? I think I'll have to consult with Neil on this one, for two reasons, firstly there is the whole he is my husband after all and should be my first point of consultation, and secondly I need him to take the afternoon off and come with me as my regular taxi driver (Carla), refuses to take me to appointments at the hospital any more as I always get bad news when she does. I'll let you know!

So what will today hold in store for me, well I've done a load of washing, but it raining so it's any ones guess what will happen to that, plus I suppose I could do a little housework, and I have a shopping list to write. Steady on, I hear you say, not too many thrills in one day. Well I just know how to let my hair down, within the confines of my own home and restricted abilities! I may even do some ironing! Wow, really pulling all the stops out there, aren't I. OK maybe I do need to get out a little more, and not just to the doctors!