10 lengths, 1 manicure, and another lovely lunch :)

Things are definitely on the up again. (Thank Christ for that I hear you cry! Well, I'm crying it at any rate!) Can I just say, that it is so lovely to be able to log on and read all your comments - and emails that come even though it's taking me ages to reply to some of them (some days I blog and then that's all she wrote I'm afraid!). (Gosh what a mass of brackets and dashes this is turning out to be!).

Right. Went swimming and did 10 whole lengths. Good good. I am pleased. For the first time since this all began, I swam, and jacuzzied without going all grey and strange and throwing up in the changing rooms! Most excellent. Also, everyone who goes on a Friday (mostly OAPs doing aqua aerobics) knows about the tumour and all that now, so lots of lovely people ask me how I am, and tell me one day I'll be just as wrinkly as they are! I'm not going to say I can't wait, because I am learning to live every day as it comes, but it's definitely a goal to still be swimming (and riding) at their age! I took my eldest daughter with me and embarrassed her suitably in the changing rooms as she ran off into a cubicle, and the rest of us 'biddies' bared all! *huge grins at the everyone's looking at my bum attitude of the 15 yr old*

Afterwards I had my first ever manicure. It was very nice - hand massage and then all shaped beautiful, capped off by a French Polish. Only I'm obviously not cut out for manicures because by the time I'd got the money out of my purse to pay for it, I'd all but wrecked the polish! Ho hum.

And then... in this exciting off work sick lifestyle of the cancer patient, I went for lunch with my mother in law. We had Italian - ciabatta chicken club sandwich for me which luckily did not set of the gallstones, followed by a caramelised fruit and marscapone cream/Amaretto dessert - come to think of it, I should have taken a pic but ate it before I remembered! Conversation was good, food was excellent, and all in all, it was bloody good to get out.

And then I phoned the research office to say, "Excuse me, but I like told you nearly 2 months ago that I've got lung cancer and need to intercollate or whatever you call it, and no b**** has bothered to call me back?!" Hopefully I will hear something soon - and no I didn't really swear at them, and yes, I was very polite. Still going to keep writing the book though - she says, not having written a blinkin' word for what feels like forever...

What else? Erm... Oh YES! I know! Couldn't ride this week at all, because the chemo didn't wear off till today (and still a bit throwy-uppy, though the pain seems to be much diminished (?!), so I have been like totally decadent dude, and booked 2 lessons, and a hack, for next week! Every other day! Flat work on Monday, Jumping on Wednesday, and hacking on Friday! Soooo excited! The only horse fix I've had in the last two weeks was making a friend (yes, making them!), take me to my old riding school so I could hug (yes hug) Molly the mare (who is very cuddly and doesn't try to bite or knock your head off your shoulders with her own massive head). I came home in the car with the biggest grin on my face, that lasted the entire evening. You see - horses are good for me!

I need a horse - do you hear me mrs universe? A nice little share - say three days a week and local would be spot on...

And given that I want to get old one day, here's some "old" facts nicked from Horse & Rider Magazine (April 08 issue) - hope they don't sue me! (Can you be sued for copyright for facts?!)

Oldest horse to win the Grand National:
Peter Simple in 1853 aged 15. (Average lifespan of a horse is 20 to 30 years, and over 15 years they are considered Veterans (which changes insurance policies/cover and all that).

Oldest pony:
A stallion in France died in 1919 aged 54. (So that's like really old!)

Oldest horse:
Old Billy (a part bred Cleveland Bay) lived till he was 62. (And even older - like a human making it their 140s!)

Oldest Riding School:
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna (founded 1572). (These horses and riders really rock!)

Oldest Rider to win Badminton:
Chris Bartle, aged 46 in 1998, riding Word Perfect II. (So I have erm... 8 years to get good enough. Hmm.)

Oldest Horse to win Badminton:
Horton Point (ridden by Mark Todd in 1994) was aged 16. (Again, not bad for an old man, eh!)

Oldest Chalk Figure:
Uffington White Horse on the Berkshire Downs thought to be around 3,000 years old.

Oldest horse to compete in a race:
Creggmore Boy, at Cartmel races 1962, aged 22. (I ride Henry, and he's 19 I think, and he goes like the wind... so I'm not madly surprised at this one!)

Oldest horse to give birth:
a 42 yr old Australian mare. (Now that's just ridiculous!)

Oldest female Olympic competitor:
A dressage rider called Lorraine Johnson, rode in 1972 Munich Olympics, aged 70. (Oh goody! My favourite fact! I have loads of time to make it!!!)
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If you have 5 minutes, you could do worse than to have a look at this video on The Secret
This link was sent to me by my auntie Marion in BC, and it is lovely. I've downloaded it to my desk top and am going to watch it everyday, to remind me that life is precious and good, and starts anew today - everyday!!!

Wishing you all a fabulous day, weekend, and life :)