A space girl goes travelling

Well, if you believe someone at least, I’m a space girl, though he refers to it more as an alien, but in truth, in either sense, I only wish it was true, but anyway… This probably is my favourite Christmas song of all time, despite so many 70’s classics, so…

Yesterday, and given I’ve got this far today without any mishaps, I’m assuming again today I’m going to get through without the afternoon nap routine. I’m not saying I’m fine again. Far from it, but I seem to be getting there at least. Tomorrow, I might not take any chances though, as I’m going out for a meal, and I’d rather avoid sleep issues given all that fuss it could cause if I needed it while out. Got an even longer trip on Saturday to London, but given that most of the time I will just have to sit in a car, I’m sure I will survive.

No, sadly, I havent received any offers of spending Christmas in some far off, tropical universe, but there are still a few days, but not holding out big hopes, lol. Thoughts have turned to where I might visit next year, but as I have pointed out to myself, I have to get myself into a state of health where I could enjoy such events first. Well…

One extra expense I can already see for the New Year is a new laptop. Indeed, it might need to be done before next year, but anyway… The battery is clearly worn out, as it is showing as plugged in, but not charging, and currently on 90% only, so obviously on its last (or dying) legs, but at least I can afford it now. I admit it, I got a cheap, low capacity one last time, but now I can afford something with more life to it, and indeed probably need that with the travel I hope to do in 2020, and with having a bit more money behind me too. I’m not going to get into vlogging (or whatever they call it?) like a few lovely friends, but a laptop that has a ‘bit’ more capacity might be wise! Wonder if there is a sale on? Better have a look on the Alpha Centauri discount code pages, as well as Earth ones, lol?

Right, video time. 2 for price of 1. Firstly, the seemingly official live version

Secondly, a more recent live performance. Its for German TV, so all the comments are in German, but other than that…

Bouncing back with update

So fine, lets catch up on news at last, as promised. I know, been a while, but believe me, you dont want to find out just how hard the aftermath of radiotherapy is, as your body, and in my case, the brain finds the change from all of that, to none of that is quite an experience. But yes, generally, things are slowly beginning to come back on line, hence this. Some of the things that are coming back on line are not for posting in blogs, mind, lol.

So, 6th December marked the last session of radiotherapy of the 6 week session, and my next planned trip to Leeds is not until 6th January, which is already booked for the afternoon for my follow up visit. Believe me, if I see Leeds again before then, it will be too soon, lol. My friend, Angie did come across for the last day of treatment bell ringing, and at some point I will save, and post the picture of that, promise. The funny thing was the fact I had to wait for her, as I was picked up early by hospital taxi transport, there was a gap, so I got treated early, but having had a lot of late ones recently, that was a nice bonus.

In fact I’ve been out twice since then, firstly a visit to be pampered at Linda’s workplace, and make me respectable for the second trip out, the following evening for the work dinner. In truth, I had no idea how easy I would find the whole event, but found it relevantly doable, so bonus there. Oh, and had a good evening too.

Yes, I have to say I was warned the first couple of weeks after I stopped treatments, I was warned about the tiredness, and I can confirm that fact, believe me. Still, hopefully it will ease off more in the next week or so, before the trip ‘down south’ for Christmas, but I’ll get through that, I’m sure.

My only comment on the Election is that I was sort of hoping it might all calm down on Social Media after Thursday, but seemingly not. One side gloating, one side refusing to accept the result, and all that. I dread to think how long this will all take to heal, if it ever does, in my lifetime at least. Ah well…

OK, video time. To think, nearly 50 years ago, I was part of a ‘tribute’ group to this act, and in truth, you’re about as likely to find film of me performing live, as of them performing live! Mind, one of those things, you should probably be grateful for

 

 

Even more of a medicine head

Well, recently I’ve been taking 7 pills for various issues for a while, but from tomorrow onwards for a while, that number is going up, as I have to take the chemotherapy pill daily, and a few others as well, to combat any possible nausea issues, as well as antibiotics to keep me healthy, as everything I will need to take for next 6 weeks will lower my ability to resist various illnesses and stuff, because it will all be affected by the radiotherapy, and chemo stuff.

Yes, why they cant just give me the full robot makeover, I know…Oh, I wish! I dont know how much more hair I can lose, given I got most of it chopped off so the wigs work better, but maybe my hair will see that as a challenge, but other than that…

It has been suggested that I should do at least 1 session (I suspect some think I should do all 30) wearing the silver Lycra bodysuit, and the silver wig, and I suspect it will happen on a day when I have time to plan it out, and no other appointments, which means you can accept its not going to happen before Thursday this week, as see above, due to 2 appointments, and a very early start. Sadly the chances of getting a full face metal mask to match is less than slim.

Hopefully, if nothing else, I can come up with something apt blog wise for Halloween, though if I dont, dont sue me, as its a lunchtime radiotherapy session that day, so how things will work out time wise, I really have no idea. I have no plans to dress up anyway, though I now have my Christmas Day outfit on the settee besides me, as it arrived earlier today, thanks to Amazon Prime, the last day I will have that service available to me. Beyond Eric’s birthday (4 weeks today) present, I dont know of anything I need to buy soon, as anything for Christmas presents (definitely online buying this year) can wait until after all the treatments end on 6th December, and I start my 4 week recovery period. Not that many to get thankfully, but the few I do need to get, well…

Oh Father Christmas, a full body robot suit, ideally quite solid in design, oh please, lol. No, wont happen, but a woman can dream!

Right, video time. Unless you are about my age, or older, you arent likely to remember this, but anyway. Yes, its mimed, as you cant hear all the clapping because its all on a tape, but never mind…

Mustn’t stop believing

I have jokingly said to my followers on Social Media that by the end of the next 6 weeks, they might all be sick of this song, or maybe not for various reasons. Hopefully I wont need it too often, and even if I do, hopefully I find enough different versions of it not to drive everyone crazy anyway. Sadly, or luckily for you, I doubt very much I can find any version of me singing this, either at Dodgers Stadium, or other baseball stadiums (Kansas City, and San Francisco for sure) for which you should be grateful, as I’m not really that good a singer, but anyway…

Yes, I love this song, and I suspect I might need it over the next 6 weeks if things get to me with all the radiotherapy and stuff. But equally, if they provide me with a metal face mask instead of the plastic one, and I’m a ‘naughty’ girl, and wear a silver Lycra bodysuit under the clothing for a session or more, I might actually love the whole experience, but we will see?

The one thing that is for sure is the fact I need to learn to listen to the needs of my body, even if logic says otherwise. Like today, I didnt think I should be that worn out, but it seems I was, as 2 hours of sleep this afternoon did wonders for me, even if neither yesterday, or this morning had seemed that hard a period, but fine, my body was right, or I wouldnt be typing this now, lol.

Will there be blogs tomorrow? No idea, I’ll see how the mood takes me, but probably, as I’m not sure how many will appear over the next 6 weeks, as even allowing for weekends, this issue of weariness is going to play into things, clearly. No, I wont be dressing for Halloween, but as I’ve just ordered something to wear at Christmas, which is due tomorrow, on my last day of Amazon Prime free trial period (not paying for more), looks like I will be dressing up then, though I’m sure hair will be a wig, but as to colour, and style, we will have to wait and see!

In truth, I have no idea how the next 6 weeks will affect me, just got to get through it, and find out, I guess? I do know I’ll have seen more than enough of Leeds by then, for sure, lol. But equally I know I’m very lucky. Not that many decades ago, this sort of cancer would have been a death sentence, but now, far less so, maybe not at all. I’d love to think that if I needed it, I might be able to get the Metropolis treatment, but only in my dreams, I’m sure.

Right, the video. Yes, tonight the original group version live, but maybe in the future…?

And on the 25th day, of the 12th month

Just a brief piece to wish all those who read my waffling’s throughout the year, and those who just pop in occasionally, a Merry Christmas, which if I do this right, should appear in the first minute of Christmas Day in Hollywood, which seems rather apt timing for Clara, at least. Yes, 8 in the morning for UK readers, which is still a reasonable time, lets face it.

The rest of the year will be the traditional annual review, and a look forward to next year, though in truth, beyond 2 trips to Blackpool, I have no plans in concrete as yet for 2019.

So what can I offer, given no videos? Well, a pair of pictures, of both myself, and Clara, in the most seasonal shots I have.

And as Shakin’ Stevens said, many years ago, Merry Christmas Everyone!

And so this is December

I bet everyone thinks they know the video already, and you’re wrong! 😛

To be fair, it is only 3 weeks to Christmas, and I guess Eric did at least wait until December to do it, but yes, the Christmas Decorations went up here today. To also be fair, a house just down the road from us had done theirs between Thursday (previous day I’d been out after dark), and last night, and their display wouldnt look out of place in Leicester Square, or on Broadway! Excessive, absolutely!

I know, I’m an old grump, but I remember the days (yes, I really am that old) when the tree, and lights would only go up a week, or less before the big event. Well, in our hot ouse they did, anyway! Me, when I lived on my own, no tree, beyond a tiny, token one on the table, and I mean a few inches high at most. I know, but no children, no family, no bother, lol!

Here, I can live with it, but dont tell Eric I said that, lol, as he never reads these, he will never know otherwise.

One thing I havent done in years, is the office politics of who you give Christmas cards to, and who you dont. I take the easy option, I just dont do any! Given there are few others I’d need to get a card for, that saves me a lot of time! But no, I’m not quite Scrooge material just yet, I will do my bit, but only as much as I have to, lol!

Oh fine, I’ll enjoy the break from work at Christmas, to ease the poor damaged back, but all the hype, I can happily live without. Did someone mention humbug? 😉 Oh fine, if Santa wants to bring me a full body bodysuit (I need to be able to see, beyond that the more cover the better), ideally thermal, though heated would be nicer, I might get more in the Christmas spirit, but until then…

Or a flying saucer, so that I dont have to rely on public transport, maybe? Yes, I would love a good alien suit if someone gets me that, but I’m sure I could find one for myself…? 😉

OK, fine, the video. No, not John Lennon, but Brenda Lee. Well, strictly, one of the cats is more into sleeping around the Christmas Tree, but close enough?

Christmas time, dont let the Physio end!

To be honest, in an ideal world, I’d probably ignore the build up to Christmas for as long a period of time as I could, but today was the day I had to accept it was coming soon.

Why? Simple! Currently I have a session of Physiotherapy, every 4 weeks, on a Tuesday. So, given I had one today, there is one small snag with booking the next one for 4 weeks time, it is the 25th day, of the 12th month, otherwise known as Christmas Day! And 5 weeks from now is New Years Day, so it will now be 6 weeks before I can go again, eek!

In truth, at this moment, I see this as less of an issue than I did before discovering the benefits of an hour in a flotation tank! Yes, its official, my back is better now than its been for 15 months, but not yet by a dramatic amount, but maybe its getting there? Not going to ever be right, I’m sure, but apparently I have more mobility in my spine now than I’ve had since it fractured. As I say, baby steps at this point, but given thats the official Physio view, oh wow!

And yes, guilty, I only did it so quickly because of the ‘weirdness’ factor, but look at the old girl now! No, I dont know how, and neither does the Physio, but neither of us really care, in truth. And yes, I have 2 more session in the ‘brainwashing pod’ planned before Christmas, which will help too.

But yes, depressingly, this was the first day I had to really acknowledge the coming of Christmas, ah well…

Right, the first, but almost certainly not the last Christmas music video of the season. Not one of the golden age classics from the 70’s, something far more recent in fact. But it has that golden age feel, so…

But baby, its cold out there!

If anyone should happen to be thinking, I wonder what Harlean would really love for Christmas, I’m happy to give you an idea, assuming such a thing exists. Oh fine, a fully interfacing robot suit would be sheer heaven, but might be a shade expensive, even if it existed, so I might have to pass on that. But if anyone has one going spare…?

Its fair to say I’ve been lucky this summer, in that most of the time the weather has been warm (or hot), and reasonably dry, most of the time. This is because, the 3 things my back really hates, are cold weather (anything much below 50 issues start, and get much worse below 40), high winds, and rain, as they make the fracture in my back feel far more painful.

So, what I was thinking, if such a thing exists, is that wouldnt it be handy if I had a thermal (heated as well would be nice) full bodysuit that I could use during the winter. Oh fine, I probably need 2 or 3 to get me through a working week, but even 1 would be a help. Does such a thing even exist? I know, you can get vest things, and leggings, but I really need to be able to keep the cold out everywhere! I know, if it came in silver, would be heaven, but in truth, any color would do, my back wouldnt care!

Does something like this exist, or is there anything even vaguely close to this that exists? If so, please let me know. Equally, if someone fancies designing one, also, let me know! Because yes, the warmer my back is, at all times, the better! In practice, I cant (and I’m sure most buying presents for me) afford anything at too crazy a price, but if it clears a lot of my back pain, it may still be worth it?

But yes, if someone wants to supply, or buy for me, so much the better!

OK, video time. Fine, I have no idea why I havent used this before? It has a 20’s feel to it, including the most gorgeous flapper dress (would love the adult, size 16 UK version of this), and one of the most wonderful singers of this era too. And yes, just perfect for this blog!

 

I believed in Father Christmas?

Indeed, if you believed the idiots doing the long range weather forecasts 2 months ago, we should now be in the middle of continuous snow, from mid November, until mid March. Yes, we had a little bit of snow, briefly, but that was it! The irony is that this is about the 4th winter in a row that they have forecast Arctic conditions for months on end. We could still have some yet, but I wont hold my breath!

So this is it, the last post before Christmas Day. The rest of the week will include the traditional review of the year, though it might get a bit unbalanced, as a lot more happened in the last 4 months, than in the first 8, so it will probably end up being split that way. There will also be the traditional look forward piece, all the things I’m expecting to happen, a few that could happen (some more unlikely than others), and a few that would be fun, but almost certainly wont happen! So yes, a dreamed of, alien abduction might just appear in that last section lol!

Well, I know of 2 presents, one that I specifically requested when asked for, and one because we were expected to open our ‘Secret Santa’ presents at work. Beyond that, no idea! Nothing dramatic, I’m sure. Definitely safe to say no alcohol this year. A maxi length flapper style dress would be fun, but given that no one has asked my clothes sizing, I’m pretty sure thats not coming. Not that flappers did maxi length dresses, but I’m not 20 something any more! Was I ever, lol? Oh well, maybe I should just go for it, and not care?

So yes, Santa, if you want to arrange for me to wake up in the morning, as a young lady, with a cute figure, looking just like Clara Johnson in her twenties, it would be much appreciated

Oh, and lastly, it seems that I’m going to reprise the Elf role quite quickly, tomorrow in fact, for a young lady visiting here at present. Wasnt my planned outfit for tomorrow, but will sure be fun, all the same.

So, at this point, I’ll take the opportunity to wish all my readers, a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or Seasons Greetings, whichever you prefer. Yes, thats definitely the Civil Service neutrality option lol. Tonights video is probably my favorite Christmas song, probably because its not your usual saccharine effort, just the opposite in fact. Sadly, Greg Lake is no longer with us, but thats no reason not to play this live version, all the same.

 
I hope you get the Christmas you deserve! 😉

Getting modern, in one sense at least.

As a lot of my readers will know, I’m not a big one for modern technology. I claim its my inner Clara Johnson, keeping me a 30’s girl, with 30’s attitude lol. Well, strictly, there is my witty comment about having no interest in controlling technology, more desiring to be controlled by it, but anyway… Yes, I read an amusing piece about a very clever Smartwatch this week on the EMCSA, which amused me, but then I realized (from reading other things online) that you need other smart gadgets (presumably a phone?) on your body to make them work, so no use to me! No, I’m happy without any mobile/cell phone, let alone a smart one! Especially when I see what people pay per month to use one, seriously…? Wow!

But yes, in one sense at least, I’m getting too modern for mine, and certainly Clara’s liking lol! Its fair to say that for the last 15 years or so, I’ve not had many Christmas presents to buy for anyone. 3 or 4, and that would be tops! But, all the same, I always took a day out to do my shopping, generally going over to Manchester for a day out, when I would buy the few items I needed for others, and probably a few things for myself!

However, the last 3 years I’ve very much got into this online shopping lark. Lets face it, when the weather is freezing, as it is at present, its a much nicer option to do it from the warmth of home. Probably not altogether a bad thing, I dont end up buying several items for myself that I dont really need, I save on the rail fare, lunch, and a few other things! And lets face it, this year, with the state of my back, its probably better that I dont go out more often than I really have to! At the same time, those trips were fun, and I guess I miss them, and I guess I feel sorry for the stores, but then again, the amount I spend wouldnt keep them in business anyway!

But yes, its strange now, when I do all this, to look back on the days when a ‘fun’ trip to do your Christmas shopping, for ‘whoever’ was part of the build up to Christmas. Now, we are far too guilty of just sitting at home, and doing it all online! Ah well, seems it is true, Christmas isnt what it used to be, lol!

Right, video time. I thought I’d posted most decent Christmas songs from the past, but I’d never found this one before. Until now…