Random thoughts...

It is coming up really quickly - the big redo of my apartment. A week this Monday, that is when the work begins. My incredible hydrotherapy spa tub arrives on the Tuesday. Hopefully, everything will be completed by the end of the week. And this coming week, I've arranged for a life coach/organiser to come and help me do what needs to be done still to give me more peace of mind. My living room closet needs to be sorted, a cabinet in the kitchen I can't reach needs to be cleared and then reorganised. The bathroom needs to be sorted, too, as that room will be basically taken back to studs with the installation of the tub. I still need to arrange to get to The Floor Shop to look at the various heavy duty vinyls from which I can choose my new bathroom floor. (The current one is a wet room floor that would not look out of place in public toilet. Not very attractive at all.) It's all systems go. I will post about it when it is done, complete with before and after shots! The electrical work has already been done, so I have track lighting in my kitchen now the illuminates every surface. The ceiling light I had before was very dim and wherever I was, I cast a shadow on the counter, so this has made a huge difference! The ridiculous lights in the bedroom have been replaced with beautiful, stylish wall lamps that give a sense of cosiness and intimacy to the bedroom, rather than the nursing home/operating theatre vibe of the lights that were there. And the ceiling light that hung near my front door with no discernible purpose has been shifted to hang over my dining room table, with the extended cord giving it the feel of chandelier rather than a simple ceiling light. I am amazed at the difference these changes have made. I can't even imagine how wonderful it will be when the walls are no longer cream and the artwork is hanging.

This Monday I have the second of three appointments with a cosmetic dentist. Chris and I talked a lot about various things I wanted to do. Improving my smile was one of them. I have very soft tooth enamel and over the years my teeth have become grey and one of my front teeth is broken - the result of a filling falling out for the fifth or sixth time. Chris thought it would be a really good idea. So, on Monday I get to try out some preliminary crowns so I can green light going forward with the final fitting. I'm so pleased. I can smile again with confidence. It's going to make me feel so much better.

This Thursday, Callie and I are off to the Glasgow to see the premiere of "Starstruck." This ballet was originally choreographed for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1960 by my idol, Gene Kelly. As some of you may know, I invited Gene to my high school graduation back in the day because everyone else was inviting President Nixon so they could get a response from the White House. I was seriously not interested in that at all, so decided to invite Gene instead, as I had adored since I was about 4 or 5 years old. To my surprise, he answered my letter and we wrote back and forth occasionally for the next two years. When I was first made aware of a Facebook page dedicated to his legacy, I wrote the admin and told the story of our correspondence and was very pleasantly surprised when Gene's widow, Patricia, answered my message. Since then (and this was about 5 years ago), she and I have written back and forth from time to time. She is so gracious and when I was facing Chris' terminal diagnosis and after his death, Patricia was an amazing person to talk to about grief. Gene died 25 years ago and Patricia (who is a couple of years younger than I am) never remarried. She has dedicated herself to keeping Gene's legacy alive. After the ballet, she will be greeting people and I can't wait to say hello to her in person. When the dates were set for the ballet, she private messaged me to let me know, which was lovely. So, we are both looking forward to finally meeting. 

Beyond the plans for the next two weeks, there are other important things in the pipeline. I have finally been given a referral to the ophthalmic folks at the hospital. My last eye exam determined I am ready for cataract surgery. (I have the screen of my computer enlarged so I can see while I write this and it's still really difficult as nothing stays in focus.) Now I need to determine whether to go with the NHS or go private. The waiting time is going to be the deciding factor. If I go with the NHS, I may have to cancel my trip to Paris in May. What would be the point of going to Paris if I can't see properly? The likelihood of my being able to have my vision fixed within that timeframe is slim to none. The great advantage of getting it done privately is that it can be done quickly and the lenses they insert can be tailored to correct my vision and even address my astigmatism. With the NHS, the lens inserted is basic and only corrects mid-distance vision. Anyway, I've got an idea of the cost from the hospital in Glasgow where I would have the surgery. It is all down to timing now. I will be happy when the surgery is done. At this point, I can't see anything clearly, so watching TV is frustrating and reading is impossible. 

Speaking of television, I binge watched the final season of "Lucifer" last night (my vision means that everyone is ghosted by a faint double image). I really have enjoyed this series, but so like classic TV series like "Moonlighting," "Cheers," and "Lovejoy," it was better when the lead characters were very much in a situation of "will they, won't they." Don't get me wrong, the series was amazing and I was very touched by the final episodes, but there are places I felt where the plot went astray a bit and there were pretty cliché scenarios. What I do enjoy "watching" because it isn't hugely necessary to see as much as hear are quiz shows and comedy panel shows. What would I do without "QI" or "Pointless," "Mock the Week" or "Have I Got News for You." And I enjoy cooking shows, although they are becoming harder to enjoy without clear vision. I've also downloaded Richard Osman's second novel about the Thursday Murder Club, but it will have to wait until my eyes are fixed. (I can't do Audible because I find listening to someone reading sends me straight to sleep.)

Roxie is doing well and growing. My upstairs neighbour, Lisa, adores her and takes her every day for a good long walk and a run around in her friend (and now my friend) Margaret's glorious backyard. We refer to Lisa as Auntie Lisa. This photo was taken in Margaret's conservatory. I love how Roxie appears to be laughing in this photo. She is such a smart dog and I enjoy her company so much. I don't take her on walks because it is just impossible for me to control her from my wheelchair. I am so glad Lisa and Margaret are happy to take her out for her exercise. I feel terrible about my inability to give her these outings, although she does go with me to Callie's where she can run around the back garden with the girls. However she has to be on her lead because of the openness of the fencing. Roxie and I will be spending the week that the apartment is being renovated at Callie's as we don't need to be underfoot here. And Lisa and Margaret may well ask to take her for a day.

So, all in all, things are going well. I've discovered that what I really love for my meals are basically meals based on a Mediterranean cuisine, so I've been enjoying things like courgettes and olives and cheeses and cured meats. They are easy to fix and are filling without being too heavy. As soon as I've used up all the meat I have in the freezer, I am going to concentrate on some vegetarian dishes. I adore aubergine parmigiana and spanikopita and figure I can create individual servings, so that will be an enjoyable task to take on in the near future. I bought a Greek cookbook all those years ago when I holidayed on Zakynthos, so will be referring to that for lots of my winter recipes. Callie and I continue to enjoy our weekly visits and I love seeing the girls on the weekends now that school is in session. I'm feeling pretty good. The end of the month will bring the sad anniversary of Chris' death, but I somehow feel stronger this year. Having the work completed in the apartment is certainly going to give me a diversion. Once the work is complete, I will get the life coach/organiser back again for one final sweep and to help me place all the artwork on the walls. And then it will be on to my project of preparing to introduce the world to Chris' photography. I think I'm heading in the right direction!