Friday morning and I wake up again in a hotel room. I have a shower and then pack my worldly goods before going for breakfast. Last night I spent a bit of time going over the exhibiters at the Christas fair on the racecourse. There were four jewellers and two of those I knew from previous visits to York. One of the others focused on “bold ceramics” so I was not tempted to go as all the other stuff was either local food produce, at lot of which was alcohol, and knitted or crafted stuff. I thought I would save the £6 entry fee. Instead, I went to see a friend for coffee and chatted while she waited for the delivery of a new bathroom, which when arrived sat like a modern art instillation on the roadside until the builder arrived to break the pallet down and move it onto the property. I said farewell and drove home via a service station for a sandwich.

It was a good drive and I arrived home safe and sound with one thought in my head: drugs. I dumped my bags and went straight to the chemist in the village to collect my drugs, including the injection for Monday. It will be a week late, but it’s been nice to have made the visit to York without a hen’s egg lump in my gut. I return home just as my partner returns from the gym. In my post I find two blood forms and an appointment letter for my next oncology review. It’s not going to be early November at all but on the 24th, the 3rd anniversary of me and my partners civil partnership anniversary. So, I will get my face to face at 9:15 in the morning and have the rest of the day to get off my face if necessary. I pack my clothes away and then check the garden and deduce by the lack of leaves that the garden guy has been and tidied up for us. I also ascertain that Fort Hog has had its food eaten so take the time to replenish it. Its time my hedgehog went to sleep I think, hopefully the colder coming weather next week might do the trick. Back to the chores, I empty the dishwasher and stow things away before realising that it has gone dark. I do a bit of quick Christmas Shopping online and then I settle down to start the blog.

Tonight, I am anticipating the arrival of my youngest daughter so tonight we might be a full family house. Hopefully I will still get to see the England women’s football team play Japan before I have an early night, as tomorrow morning at 6:30 the English women’s rugby team play New Zealand in the final of the world cup. A good excuse for bacon sandwiches.

I always return from my trips to York to see my mentor and catch up with friends and colleagues feeling more balanced and clearer about moving forward. This time has been particularly helpful as it is the first thinking space I’ve had about me since I fully retired in mid-June. I’ve adjusted well and do not miss anything this time and I have also been able to plan for the future. There are still elements of battling with cancer that will crop up, but I have a better grip on them now and feel less deterred by them. I think I feel in less of a hurry in some strange way.