Any news?

A lot! Half of it I already don't remember ;) We spent part of last week in Poland. I had my hair cut (a success) and tried to figure out how to change my diet (less so). I’ve been having some stomach issues which is a bit worrying, especially as coeliac disease runs in my Dad’s side of the family. At first, I thought soft cheese might be the culprit, so I cut down on lactose. That hasn’t been easy, as I love cheesecake, flat white, and yoghurt. Well, it had to be done, and it helped a bit, but now, when I’m paying more attention, I can see things haven’t improved as much as I’d hoped. I’ve booked a GP appointment, we'll see if they can shed some light on it.

After getting back from Poland, and sleeping through most of St Patrick's Day, we had Fred’s appointment at the oncology clinic. The news here is good: whatever the shadow in his lungs is, it's not growing, and it may be something as simple as scar tissue from dust. I’m very happy to accept that kind of diagnosis.

A few weeks ago I wanted to buy some woollen yarn in Poland, but the yarn I chose for my jumper isn’t available at the moment. Patience is a virtue, I mumble to myself.

Before my short holiday I decided to change my iPhone 13 to a Samsung S25. It was a good swap, I wasn’t interested in fixing an issue with the old phone, and I also wanted to change my internet provider (that turned out well too, Eir is much more reliable than Tesco Mobile). And ... a while ago iPhones stopped being cool anyway.

In the meantime, the Orange idiot has managed to stir things up again, this time involving Iran. Petrol prices are soaring, because apparently we can’t have just one problem at a time.

Below, some random photos from the time I wasn’t posting: the last day of February, first hours in Poland and Warsaw block of flats in the middle of the night, Mruczysław the Cat, empty grave in a forgotten evangelical cemetery, Jelenia Góra, and blooming Rip van Winkles.

Not set in stone

A lot has happened since the last post. 

The Saturday before last, we went to a concert at the National Concert Hall. It was called Viva Verdi, Viva Wagner; a very nice evening for us both. And this is an unexpected piece of art I created on the way back home, at 22:36 (I think, I was trying to take a photo of the moon hiding in the woods):

On Monday, I became my own boss. I signed a new contract this week (Thursday, to be exact), not very exciting, but it was what was offered, and I took it. Once again in my life, I feel I can change my mind at any time. It's not set in stone, and I like it that way.

Our little ones are bigger and bigger. That same Monday afternoon, we went to the vet for a check-up. Little Mary is 2.5 kg now, and Bron just a bit less, 2.3 kg. Nothing has changed with Little Mary's peeing issue. We'll have to come to terms with it, I suppose.

Then on Wednesday, my husband had his post-CT scan visit with his oncologist. It's always been fine, fine for the past eight years. But this time was a bit different. They've found a tiny nodule in his lungs, too tiny to biopsy or remove in any other way. And that means only one thing: waiting. Fred's doctor was optimistic, he told my husband that the nodule had already been there in the previous scan, back at the beginning of the year, and they've spotted it only now. According to the doctor, it hasn't grown in the last six months. We shouldn't worry. We try not to worry. Waiting is a cruel game.
That day, the sea was quiet.

I came across an old piece about Eileen in the Irish Times. I liked it.

Family home

From Monday afternoon to Friday morning with my parents in a family home surrounded by the forests of Lower Silesia. I had the whole bed to myself (though the cats might argue otherwise, especially Wojtuś), took a peek at old series, like Kojak (episodes from the best year 1975), visited cemetry twice and bonded with Rozalka, who loved me more every day.

During my stay discovered that I was invited for the second interview (actually, the invitation was sent on Friday, but I hadn't checked that email account until last Wednesday, hope it won’t affect the whole process), and an hour later Fred got feedback about his CT scan: clear, no changes. Great news! The same day I took my parents for lunch in an Italian restaurant. I had better culinary experience, but Ma & Pa were happy.

On Thursday we went to Magnolia Park, the largest shopping centre in Lower Silesia; first we had lunch in Lepione, than a solid cup of coffee & a crusty croissant with carmel dip in Karmello Chocolatier. Pure satisfaction. The only thing that got me concerned was how quick Mum wore out, we hadn't even walked that much. 

Overall, I had a great time, and felt the stay was much too short. That said, I wouldn't want to live there for good. More than ever I need my own space, my own pace, my own ways of doing things.

Below: Wrocław Główny railway station, always the best first coffee in my grandma's glass cup, Gosia (Little Raspberry's sister), a good girl greeting me cheerfully, Rozalka, Wojtuś sitting with Maksio (the dog) and Rózia in the backgroud (minding her own business), coffee and croissants in Karmello with Mum & Dad.

A week of staying positive

On Monday I finished listening to Keegan's Foster read by Aoife McMahon.

On Tuesday we watched My Left Foot with Daniel Day-Lewis. Still, not too bad. 

On Wednesday my husband booked two plane tickets to Frankfurt-Hahn. It will be a short, March weekend visit to one of the wee towns am Rhein in western Germany. I can hardly wait, a little hotel has also been booked by now.

On Thursday I borrowed Spare, an ebook by Harry Mountbatten-Windsor. It will be an easy read.

Today, a lovely Valentine's lunch in Da Mimmo, a tiny Italian restaurant in Northside Dublin. It was my present for us, as I tend to forget special occasions like this, and Fred gave me a lot of presents in the morning (Polo Ralph Lauren striped cable-knit pull-on sweater skirt, Sprayway Era Gore-Tex Jacket, Majestic Filatures linen coat). Staying positive, trying not to dwell on my husband's two recent hospital visits (a CT scan on Tuesday and a blood test today), there isn't really much to discuss: we were in Beaumont Hospital for an hour altogether, our lunches following both visits were far more interesting and uplifting.