Day 42: Sunday 21st April

So - today is London Marathon Day.

Good luck to all the runners. And a pause for remembrance of the tragic end to the Boston Marathon last week.


Yesterday was 'worry about BFF Jill's son who is working in Szechuan, and a stone's throw away from the earthquake that happened on Friday day'. After some urgent texting and FB messaging, it was clear that he and his partner were OK. Worst nightmare dissipated for another day. BFFJ has had several of these moments, with a son who loves to be in the thick of some really tricky parts of the world, and a lust for dangerous activities!

My body feels like it has done it's own personal marathon this morning, after the trip into Birmingham yesterday. Forgot to take painkillers, which wasn't a problem at first.....

We parked a little way down the road, with a small walk to the theatre. Paused to allow BFF Sally to nip into Tesco to buy a bottle of pop for the performance. I was prepared with C1's school water bottle (note to self - wash it twice next time - water tasted old and nasty!) - Mr 1957's instructions to 'take your water with you' were heeded, even though it took the poor man 5 text messages from the coast to get the brain to remember!

The Phantom of the Opera was outstanding. Such fabulous music - as I said to BFFS - I have accompanied many soloists on stage 'doing' the songs, over many years, but it was amazing to hear it all in one show! Why I haven't seen it before, God knows. Hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Good job.

Now, we sat in our seats during the interlude. 
At the end of the performance, I realised that my knee had locked, and walking was going to be a painful return to the world outside Lloyd-Webber! 

Luckily I had my little telescopic walking stick (purple flowers - much nicer than grey NHS elbow crutches). I followed BFFS to the fresh air. We both gulped in fresh air, not realising how hot and stuffy it had been in the Stalls. It was still gloriously sunny, so we decided to have a little walk into the Bullring for a novelty mooch.

Pause, while self starts to realised the true meaning of 'don't run before you can walk' and my staggering in the wake of BFFS becomes slower and more painful. Putting on a brave face, I go into TKM while BFFS nips up to swap her Swatch. I was looking for bargain walking poles. I am intercepted at the homewares section by BFFS, who suggests that we have a little look around, then hightail it across the road to the famous chemists to purchase strong painkillers and a bottle of water to dissolve them in. Good plan.

While BFFS took the nasty water and tipped it down the drain outside, I remained in the queue to buy new water and a pack of mega-drugs. Under the watchful (and slightly bemused) eye of the handsome security guard, BFFS sorted me out, swapped water from one bottle to another, administered the drugs, while I sat meekly on the chair intended for 'confidential advice' in the main aisle next to the incontinence aids. Ironic!

Further wanderings around the chemist allowed me to buy a mascara. Not an earth-shattering purchase, but I am starting to feel the need to take more care of my appearance, and C1 seems to have taken ownership of my old one. 

The drugs were slow to act, so after a little further wanderings, it was decided that we should make our way back to the car. 

Slowly.

Thankfully, we got there in the end. A short while later, back at the homestead, the kettle was on, bra off (habit I have as soon as the coast is clear and I know that I don't have to go out again!), chicken jalfrezi soup warming up, and BFFS nipped 2 doors up to buy herself some fish and chips. They don't get F&C in her neck of the woods. I buttered a slice of thick white for her, to maximise the experience (butty-time), and we settled down to recharge. 

Unfortunately, once we had eaten, the yawning commenced. BFFS had to lie prone on the sofa due to the intake of a whale-sized piece of fish. This position is not a good one when one is trying to stay awake.

9:30pm and we called it a night. Hugs and thank-yous, and off she went back to her Pile where the two men in her life were hopefully fed, and had managed to perform laundry duties in her absence. 

Bed for me. Another lovely undisturbed sleep. 

And yes, The Phantom of the Opera was still there, inside my mind! 

Thank you, Sal. A wonderful birthday treat. xx

Today is now to be spent on gentle chores, before popping to visit my parents, and collecting C1 and C2 from their weekend with BabyDaddy.