On Friday Lee and I sat off for Missy Moo's and an overnight visit to Wilsden. We have been loads of times now and know the way back like the back of our hands. But for some reason we always go wrong on the way there. We take the M1, the the M62 and are supposed to come off at the M606 and then take the turning for Bradford inner ring road and follow the signs for Bronte country. However, I have gotten it into my head the last two times we've been not to come off at the M606 and we've ended up at the back of beyond. Once again we came to the M606 and I told Lee it was the next junction... and it wasn't. So this time round we ended up lost in Bradford City Centre, without our sat nav as its been at Sue's since she borrowed it when she came over for the wedding. So there's Lee panicking cos he doesn't know where he is and me trying hard to look for a signpost that pointed us in the direction of Wilsden or Haworth as I knew if we got to Haworth we were nearby. In the end I got on the phone to Sue.
"We're lost we're facing Bradford Opera House any ideas?"
"Oh its no good asking me I have no sense of direction you need to look for signposts that direct you towards Bingley, keighley, Haworth or Wilsden if you find one follow it and then follow signs for wilsden and you will find me"
"Okay thanks Sue I'll ring you if we need you again". So eventually we pulled in at a petrol station and asked for directions. Lee came back with a hand drawn map and we were finally back on track after around an hour of driving around Bradford city centre. We spotted a sign for Wilsden and headed towards it eagerly. It was a relief when I spotted a farm house and saw a road I recognised.
"Ooh ooh I know where we are, if we drive to the bottom of this road we get to the roundabout where there are turnoffs for Harden and Wilsden we need to go straight through and follow that road".
Lee grinned across at me and sighed a huge sigh of relief that we were finally nearly there. I then went through the stages of pointing out different landmarks to him.
"Yes there's the co op and coming up on the right are Simon and Kim's offices and when we get to the bottom of the hill we go left". So we took a left passing loads of work vans and dumper trucks and a big sign that said Road ahead closed. "ooh wonder what we do now?" I looked at Lee and he looked at me. "We need to go left where that van is" I told him. "I think it will be access only. If it isn't someone will stop us" so we moved forward turned left and finally there was Sue and Nicks house.
"We're here" I let out a shriek of delight and gave Lee a big kiss and cuddle as he got out of the car. "Sorry" I apologised. "Next time we'll come off at the M606".
"Hello, we're here" Lee opened the door and Sue's head appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Hi I'll be right down" and she chuckled. "At least you got here eventually".
"Yeah we did". we put the bags in the hallway and walked into the lounge and I plonked myself on her settee and reclined it back. I love Sue's settee. Sue entered the lounge and gave lee a hug first then me.
"You look a bit grey" she told me.
"I was sick before we set off." I told her.
"Do you feel okay?"
"I just feel really tired" I replied.
"Well we're not due at the Fleece until six so why don't you go for a sleep?" she suggested.
"Yeah I might have forty winks on your settee" I replied.
"What about tea, we were going to bring something over with us".
"Well I was thinking about doing a fish pie, do you like fish pie?"
"I'm not keen in all honesty Sue" I told her.
"Well we could do chicken for you and lee and I could have a fish pie we can just do you more potato and do you chicken, mash and veg and Lee and I can have fish pie. Okay with you Lee?" Lee nodded.
"I love fish pie fine by me" he replied. So I reclined back on Sue's sofa and went for a snooze whilst they both got the tea underway.
It was about five thirty when I woke up to the smell of chicken, it smelt gorgeous. I went in the kitchen to find Lee busy cleaning with the food on the go.
"Where's Sue?"
"In the shower, teas nearly ready" he told me. I gave him a huge hug. "You're good to me you are"
"How you feeling?"
"Better after that sleep" I told him. "It was just what I needed. I'll go set the table, shall I?"
"Well ask Sue if she wants to eat at the table or on our knees I'm not fussed".
"Sue?" The hairdryer switched off. "Sue?"
"Yes?"
"Teas nearly ready shall I set the table or do you want to eat on our knees?"
"Set the table" she shouted back down. "I just need to dry my hair then I'll be down"
"Okay" so I got a cloth and wiped down the table mats and laid the table with knifes and forks ready for our tea. "Sue's just drying her hair she'll be down in five" I told Lee.
"Okay I'm just plating up".
I sat at the table with my meal in front of me and my stomach churning.
"Don't you like it?" Sue asked.
"Its really nice, its just my stomach its going somersaults again. I'm eating it just really slowly".
"This fish pie is really nice. Don't you agree Lee?"
"Yes its lovely".
I pushed the food around my plate and ate a small amount of mash potato and some chicken and vegetables. But I wasn't enjoying it, my stomach was churning and I felt green.
"I'm sorry I don't think I can eat anymore" I apologised. "I'll put it in the microwave in case I fancy it when we get back from the pub later. I just don't have much of an appetite at the moment".
"Listen if you don't fancy going to the pub we can leave you here?" Sue said smirking.
"Hey I'm going" I told her. "I'm looking forward to it".
"Well I suggest we get ready and go I said we'd be there just after six".
"I was going to get changed but the weathers shocking so I'm just gonna put a bit of slap on and go as I am" I told her.
"Well I'm not getting dressed up we're only off to the pub" Sue said. "We can take my car and I'll leave it there and we can get a taxi home".
"Ready Lee?" Lee nodded and we all left Sues and headed to the pub.
Alan was behind the bar as usual when we headed inside.
"Hello love how you doing?" Alan asked me a smile on his face.
"I'm doing okay Alan thanks" I replied. Sue and I decided to share a bottle of wine and Lee got himself a pint of Black Sheep. John (sue's dad) and Celia (his girlfriend) got up from the table to greet us and hugged first Lee then me.
"Its good to see you" John told me and gave me a bear hug.
"Hi daddy number three" I greeted him and hugged him back.
"I hear its been all fun and games at your end hasn't it?"
"Oh yes" I replied.
"It'll get better love" John told me.
"I hope so John,, I really do. Get in there pet" John got up from the table and I sat next to Celia. Lee and him stood chatting away and I sat and talked to Celia.
"Hi love you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine" I replied. We chatted about the wedding and the photos and I asked Celia if Sue had shown her the wedding dvd yet.
"Oh no not yet but she was waiting to show you it first" Celia told me.
"Well its brilliant it made us cry Lee's eyes filled up too when he saw it".
"So hows married life?"
"Its brilliant".
"And how's the chemo going? Sue says you've been okay on this cycle".
"Yes so far so good this Carboplatin really seems to be doing the trick. I've been sick once today just before we left. But I haven't felt ill at all and if I have to have chemo for the next god knows how many weeks on this regime I don't mind. Its two hours a week and its no big deal compared to the last lot. If its all about quality of life whilst fighting this cancer then on this regime I can do it. In nine weeks they will repeat the scan and then a decision will be made as to what to do next".
"Well I hope it keeps working for you love"
"Me too".
Simon arrived with the kids Lilly Mae and Theo they are allowed in the pub til nine o'clock. I had been worried about Lee maybe not enjoying tonight as much as other nights when we've been over because Nicks away in Delhi at the minute. But, he was happily talking to John and then when Simon arrived he seemed to be in his element. They went round the other side of the pub for a game of pool and the kids came in every time Simon potted a ball to let us know. The funniest time was when Theo came bursting in through the door saying where's Sue and I told him she was in the toilet. He apparently marched in the ladies opened the toilet door whilst Sue was sitting on the toilet and said "Dads just potted another one sue that's six now" then he turned and ran back out and into the games room again. Sue's account that evening was hilarious.
Chris... I think his name is Chris who runs the local chippy in Harden arrived in the pub laden with leftovers of fish and chips, scallops and fishcakes. Sue was the first to notice and asked if she could have some chips for the kids. A massive bag of chips were put open in the middle of the table, (around six portions), they looked extremely well done, extremely brown in colour and disgusting in all honesty. I can now, wholeheartedly, say they are the best chips I have ever tasted in my life. Apparently they are made from a red potato which is why they are darker in colour when fried but boy they were gorgeous. Celia and John have both being going to slimming world and have done fantastically well at their weight loss ready for their holidays as they are going on a cruise in a couple of weeks around the caribbean. Celia had told me how John had lost two pounds despite being a bit naughty in the past week and she had been better than him and had put half a pound on. There's definitely a mini competition going on between them both. John took a handful of chips but no more and Celia kept eating more and more one after another. Then she suddenly looked at John and said.
"You've had some chips haven't you John?"
"Not many no" he replied. She folded her arms in front of herself and pulled a face.
"Thats it no more, take them away Sue this is all your fault bringing them over" we all laughed.
"They both think they're the posh and becks of Harden now you know" Sue told us. I was nodding off as I sat at the table and Sue noticed.
"Shall we go soon?"
"I'm happy to stay Lee's having a good night".
"Well the kids have to be out at nine so Simon will be going then" Sue told me. Sure enough at nine Alan told Sue the kids had to go so she asked if Simon and Lee could finish their game first and he agreed. The chips were removed from the table and Celia and John left to go home. I gave them both a hug and said I'll see you again soon, and I hope I will.
Lee and Simon finished their game and we asked Alan to ring a taxi for us and got the kids ready to go home. I felt really tired and was ready to get back.
When we got back to Sue's we all went upstairs and got into our pyjamas. Lee had never had pyjamas when we'd been to Sue's before and had bought them especially. Sue said she was going to put a dvd on called Mischief night its an old film but she thought we would enjoy it. Fifteen minutes in she did a Sue and announced she was going to bed. (This is typical Sue behaviour and something that takes some getting used too. But if Sue is tired and you are at hers it doesn't matter if you are on your own and she has neighbours in she will just disappear off to bed and leave you too it). Then Sue got up and headed for the door but then reappeared and sat back in the chair. So we both took it she'd changed her mind. We watched another five or so minutes of the DVD when she disappeared again and then it went quiet.
"Has she gone to bed?"
"I don't know. I'll go check" I went upstairs and crept into Sue's room and there she was under the duvet already snoring. I went back downstairs.
"She's in bed"
"How do you turn the telly off?" Lee asked me.
"No idea" I replied. We spent the next ten minutes trying to find the correct remote to turn Sue's telly off.
"You go up to bed. I'll figure it out" Lee told me. I didn't need telling twice I disappeared upstairs and got my night bag out hooked myself up and got into the single bed in the spare room, nearest the door. Lee came in just as I was about to go downstairs and check if he'd managed to turn the TV off.
"Did you manage it?"
"Yes. Night love" he gave me a hug. "See you in the morning".
"Night Lee" I gave him a kiss and crawled under the duvet to go to sleep.
I awoke at ten am after quite a good nights sleep. We were supposed to be going to the farmers market at Saltaire with Sue today I'm quite looking forward to it. I went downstairs and made myself a coffee and a slice of toast and reclined back on the settee with my laptop. I had no emails and there was no one on facebook so I played a couple of games of bewjeled and waited in the hope one of them would soon stir. Nick came online and I sat and chatted to him about our night at the Fleece and how Sue had done a sue and disappeared to bed early leaving us both to entertain ourselves. It was after twelve before I heard movement and Lee came downstairs.
"How long have you been up?"
"A couple of hours. No sign of Sue yet though. I'm chatting to Nick. He says he's gonna buzz her phone and wake her up for us " I laughed. Lee disappeared upstairs and thats when I heard him talking to Sue. She asked him what time it was and he told her she was in disbelief. Then she came online and said to me "I'll be down in a little while just chatting to nick okay" I told her okay and went upstairs to get dressed.
We arrived in Saltaire after one but the farmers market was already packing away for the day. We parked up on double yellows (the advantages of having a disabled badge) and got out for a look around the shops.
"I'm sorry guys I thought it would be on all day"
"Its okay Sue you weren't too know"
"There's a good market at Keighley we could go there if you like?"
"Yes why not" we agreed and set off to have a look around Keighley market. I wasn't feeling too good the latest problem with my medication is constipation and I felt like i desperately needed to go to the loo. So when we arrived and parked up I told Sue I needed a toilet desperately and we went in search of some toilets. Unfortunately regardless of the stomach cramps I was experiencing I still couldn't go to the loo. Lee and Sue were hungry so we sat down in a cafe in the market and sue had meat pie and chips and lee had a bacon and egg sandwich. I sat with a can of pop still unable to eat.
"You look tired"
"I am a little" we sat and chatted about the weekend as Sue and Lee ate. The truth is I don't miss food I don't crave it, I simply have no appetite whatsoever. At this moment in time its no big deal as long as I drink plenty I'm still overweight for my height so the hospital aren't concerned about my appetite at present. But obviously you have to eat to gain energy so that's the reason why at the minute I am really tired. I'll have to start forcing food down if I'm going to get any energy back out again. In time I'm hoping it won't be too much of an effort.
We said goodbye to Sue around three thirty that day not knowing when we will see her again. I'd had a weekend of good friends and I hope there will be many more of those to come.
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