Friends

Hello again.

I went to visit my friend Vina on Saturday. She has been having chemo and radiation treatment for lung cancer and at the moment is looking very gaunt, and is unable to swallow more than two or three mouthfuls of soft food at each meal. She's been in and out of hospital but is at home just now, sometimes able to get up and get dressed, and other times too tired to get out of bed. However she's still full of spirit, and is even talking about booking a holiday, so at least she's being positive. I reckon it will be some time before she's able to take a holiday, but it will be something for her to look forward to.

She has a visit to the oncologist on Thursday, so we are all hoping for some good news. This layout was done about autumn time last year before she started the therapy. She's thinner than usual here but is even thinner now.

I'm so hoping she's going to be OK. We've been friends for 20 years and I can't bear the thought of losing her. And if I feel like this, I can't begin to think how Willie, her husband, and the rest of her family feel.

On Sunday night I went up to Edinburgh to meet up with my "oldest" friend Linda, and have a meal. When I say "oldest" I should really add "in terms of time". We met at nursery school 50+ years ago, and have remained friends throughout the years. She lives in Edinburgh and is still in teaching, but going to retire at the end of this year's summer term, a year early! I don't blame her. It isn't the job now that we both went into, and thankfully I got out of! Listening to her stories, I can't imagine how I would cope with all the problems and the admin stuff teachers have to do these days! Let me just continue trotting off to the Co-op, working my shift, then coming home to forget about work till the next shift!

And that is coming up shortly! I'm off to work in a while, doing a few extra hours today as someone is off sick. Talk to you again soon.