Friends for life
Some friendships endure despite time, distance and infrequent contact. These are true friends. Carolyn and I worked out that we last spent so much time together 24 years ago in Hampstead in the summer of 1993 doing our respective MBA projects. She is still a wacky and funny.
This panoramic photo (after a quick lesson the previous day) was taken by her in her PJs one bright Queenstown morning from the balcony off her bedroom at temperatures below freezing.
Little did she know that she was also entertaining the rare passing commuter traffic.
Sticky beaks up the driveway are common; looking to see what we are doing to it next. Chinese tourists also still wander up to take photos, jumping over wet concrete, despite the shy Stonies (stone masons) staring dumbfounded. It is left to me to gently shoo the off the intruders, smile and wave to those still on the pavement!
Lots of beautiful shots taken this week as we headed up to the top of the gondola to check out the Lake and mountains in all their glory. Still no snow. Coronet Peak ski resort opens tomorrow. All man-made snow blown on the runs there. It is cold enough for snow, but not much dropped yet.
Wee hours of Friday morning again and as I wake up, I have rapid thoughts about my time qualifying as a teacher in 2002-3. Rapid thoughts flit between memories of lesson planning, having to think on your feet, crashing and burning and what I would do differently; difficult kids I met. I returned to the final school where I worked in 2004, for a charity day, to assist my replacement with my old form. The kids were kind but with attention spans of their age +/_ minutes, it was hard to re-engage apart from in short bursts. As a teacher you are an actress, entertainer, listener and occasional shoulder to cry on. The relationship as a form teacher is based on trust. I left them behind and unless I was coming back to teach they were not interested. A lesson for me.
Meanwhile my brain spent ages going over to try to refine a
starter session I gave on Moscow involving Russian dolls, quick fire quiz, vodka, movies history and football. No idea why I am thinking about that now. Perhaps because amongst all our discussions, Carolyn mentioned she thought that changing career to teaching was one of my worse decisions; I disagreed. It probably taught me more about myself than I taught the kids. Humility, acting, I got much better at improvising despite detailed lesson planning, thinking on your feet and sensing the mood of the class; how to engage with the shy, bolshie, bright, not so quick, to get them involved somehow. Parents, have to do this daily with their own children but not with classes of 30+, of different age groups for 5- 6 sessions a day. Exhausting. The grown-up kids in Credit Suisse, Macquarie and HSBC were a breeze in comparison.
We were competing for the best photos of illuminated trees or the sculptures hanging or constructed around them. It was a draw.
We headed to the Irish pub with live music to celebrate on a Saturday night with a Guinness (something I can taste) and a wine. Showing our age, we had to find a place where it was quiet enough to talk without shouting, to sit down and where there were less germs for me to catch from people. After one drink, we caught a taxi home, to whizz up a stir fry Salmon, soy ginger garlic and mirin and for me to collapse to sleep.
Needless to say, I had developed a bad cold by the next day. Great excuse to light the fire.
With a cold and the rapid taste deterioration, I’ve discovered that not all crisps are equal e.g. chives, cheese and onion, chicken, reduced salt are all yuk. Even cheese doodles have started tasting like plastic (Sarah complains about them every time I buy some but still manages a bowl) It is only salted and salt and vinegar that does it for me. Sadly, no marmite crisps or nuts in this part of the world yet.
A cold didn’t stop us sharing Gin O’clock. Tanquerry no. 10 must be the Rolls Royce of gins. Its world gin day on Saturday 10th June. Time to celebrate maybe with a cocoa gin from my favourite online shop:
Hotel Chocolat:
http://blog.hotelchocolat.com/a-journey-in-gin/?utm_source=hcmarketingemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WORLDGIN01
Meanwhile Sarah (who loves competitions) was on the champers taking her own selfie by the pond in Glyndebourne.
The cancer recipe books from the Royal Marsden hospital have been a godsend. They have become my bible to consult from when I am wondering what to cook some I can taste it.
That and good old Delia Smith.
I have found several of her pudding recipes include spices that zing and zang when I eat them. Apple + any other fruit you wish to add crumble with cinnamon and cloves and crunchy almond topping is the stand out. This before the crunchy crumble topping is applied.
Carolyn’s visit was relaxing and a great distraction from feeling miserable. We talked non-stop;
we walked by the Lake in sunshine
and walked in the frost (Carolyn dressed like Nanook of the North)
browsed some real estate as you do (Millbrook golf course estate included)
took a ride into the sun to Glenorchy;
walked amongst what was left of Autumn leaves and winter berries)
visited Amisfield for a quick lunch in the sunshine (through the glass. we sat inside for obvious reasons) to see what I could eat/taste on the menu.
Carolyn the truffle queen was very happy to find a root vegetable truffle recipe with shitake mushroom crackers. A hit for me too. Couldn’t taste much else but one of us was very happy.
Whilst my body is busy fighting off a bad cold, I had to take my temperature every day this week to check I had not developed neutropenia (requires hospital visit to rectify) ; I couldn’t tell if the hot sweats at night are either menopause, related to the chemo drugs or the start of a fever. But all ok. Perversely my blood tests were better again this week. The immune system woke up to fight off a cold and this was stronger than the downer effect the chemo drugs; my white blood cell count actually improved. Fight in the old girl yet!
Amazingly (taste aside) on the last day of the chemo cycle (Weds) I actually felt relatively “normal”. and strong enough to borrow Simon’s skill saw and use it a 5pm (time of day I am usually shattered) and eat up all of the left over sweet potato and chick pea Mongolian stew. (hunger is not part of my new normal)
Krysia and I were very impressed with the efficient of the chemo injection this week; 15 minutes in and out leaving us time for a relaxed coffee and cake in the old post office in Clyde. No photo of me, I was still feeling a bit green after the chemo.
Krysia has been such a sweetie taking time out from unpacking boxes to drive me to hospital. Despite having a sports car and about to get an Evoque, Krysia admitted to enjoy driving my fun loving yellow Nissan Juke: Bumble. I enjoyed being driven with brain jumping all over the place and chemical reaction going on within.
With all the help, love, advice and heartfelt emails, chats and Facebook messages received, I am very lucky to have such wonderful friends.
Thank you xxxx
Comments
Post a Comment