I think I need to start this blog with an apology for being so tardy with my responses to your comments! Thanks as always for bringing me up to speed with what’s going on in your world, and also for the book and TV recommendations. I’m sorry to know that some of you have been struggling with Covid and other viruses. They really seem to have taken a stranglehold this time around! I wish you better very soon. So glad that you, Merche, enjoyed The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes – it got better and better and I couldn’t quite believe I’d listened to a whole 15 hours of it – which is testament to how many miles I’m covering in the car these days – more on that in a moment. I’m now listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, as it’s read by Meryl Streep whom I admire hugely, and Kathy Tayler was singing her praises when we last went for a walk together ☺️
So, it seems as though our lives are running somewhat parallel at present, with retirement looming for some, and holidays planned for others. Sardinia is beautiful I know, as is Corfu – thanks Sue! Colin and I are still weighing up the cruise option, but we have plumped last minute, for a week in Morocco as my birthday treat and will be flying out to what appears to be 30 degree sunshine next Monday! That’s after most of the family celebrate with us on Sunday lunchtime – very much looking forward to that ☺️ My son Sam spent his 35th birthday on a beach in the Phillipines with Elilse as they continue their travels, and although I missed him, I know how lucky we all are to have the chance to travel and explore the world.
Thanks for your support and consideration re my recent consultation with the breast surgeon. He was absolutely charming and ironically had trained at the Royal Free with Mr Ravichandran who performed both my mastectomies. There are several options on the table, some far more invasive than others and so I have been booked in to see him again the day before we fly to France to make a decision. I think I already know in my heart that the path of least resistance will be my way, but it’s always good to have a choice. I was so pleased to see photos of lovely Amy Dowden who was recently given the All Clear from breast cancer, with the first growth of her new hair. It looks exactly as mine did all those years ago, and the icing on the cake was that my eyelashes were like brooms! I wish her all the luck with her continued recovery.
I think it was probably my recent hospital visit and Amy’s story that led me to my decision to take a 31day Skipping Challenge set by Cancer Research UK for the month of March. You have to do 100 skips a day with a skipping rope, so I signed up, got my Just Giving page set up, my calendar to mark off the days skipping, and an e mail that told me it would be 15 days before my skipping rope turned up! Luckily I already had one – a WEIGHTED jump rope that is 10 feet long and very heavy! Not want to be thwarted, I began my challenge with that, but was very relieved when my lightweight wooden handled rope turned up some days later. I’ll be honest, I haven’t skipped since I was at primary school and it’s pretty heavy going on the knees and shoulders but now, 12 days in, I can skip up to 50 without stopping and am beyond grateful to everyone who has donated so far. I made this little film of some of the places I’d been skipping in the first week.
I set my target at £150 but have already raised £510, which is amazing! Unfortunately I left my skipping rope at my daughter’s after spending Mother’s Day with her, but I am seeing her on Sunday for my birthday when she will bring it back. I will have to take it with me to Morocco of course but will make do with a heavy one in the meantime! I am putting the link here for you in case you would like to give:
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/alisons-giving-page-3175
My last update from Cancer Research told me that £500 could fund a clinical research bursary for one week that supports doctors and nurses to carry out pioneering work in the lab to find new ways to beat cancer… and let’s pray that one day they do that. Thank you very much as always for your support.
I have certainly been putting some miles on my car over the last month or so but it’s meant I’ve spent time with some very special people. I was in Ditchling Common with my Godmother Edna last week where we celebrated her 85th birthday together, and then I drove to Dorset and had a very relaxing couple of days with Roz and Chris. Sadly Roz’s mum had died the week before: She was 92 and had contracted double pneumonia. I helped Roz to write the eulogy and we talked a great deal about the past and how lucky we are to now have grandchildren and so much of a future. Her daughters and her grandson Gus are now with her, and I hope that if you, like us, weren’t able to spend Mother’s Day with your mum, that you had time with those who love you. I spent my day with Lucy and Honey and felt very blessed. The icing on the cake though had to be last Saturday night when my oldest friend Jo took me to see Sarah Millican at the Apollo in Hammersmith. We’ve been best friends since we were 11 years old and have always laughed at the same things, and this was her birthday gift to me. I have to say Sarah was outrageous but hysterically funny and we loved every minute of it – I’ll never look at my underwear drawer in the same way again! ☺️
I’d better sign off now, but in keeping with tradition, I’d like to recommend something to watch – Ex Pats starring Nicole Kidman on Prime Video – superb, and also a beautiful film called Evening with Vanessa Redgrave, Eileen Atkins and the late Natasha Richardson. Nikki Collette also stars along with Glenn Close. It’s essentially a story about families and relationships. I think you’d enjoy it. I’ll make sure I take plenty of photos while I’m in Morocco and you can keep in touch with my skipping progress in the meantime by following me on Instagram and Facebook. Take care, and I look forward to hearing from you when you have a moment.
With my love,
Ali xxx
Roz says
Hi Alison. Good to read your blog and again keeping busy. Pleased you got on ok at the hospital and have time to decide your next step. I am sure it will be right for you. Morocco looks exciting and if the weather stays kind, what a great break to take. We are off to our beautiful caravan this Saturday for around 8/10 days so looking forward to walking etc. I too have read Someone Else’s Shoes and enjoyed it too. I am wading through lots of books at the moment so will send through recommendations. As I have said before, recovering from a hip replacement and have started driving again which is great. My husband has been fantastic in caring for me and you sometimes do not realise how lucky you are to have the support. Your skipping looks fun! Yes , Mothers Day was just lovely but it comes round very quickly. Hope you enjoy your break. Until
the next time – bye for now.
Alison Keenan says
Hi Roz, good to hear from you and I’m very glad to know that you are driving again. Even happy to know that your husband has done such a great job of caring for you. We have been to Morocco and returned and the weather was for the most part sunny which was delightful. I hope you enjoyed your time in your caravan and the weather held off so you could get out for a few walks. I will have a new blog for you in the next few days. Take care and thanks for keeping in touch, love Ali xx
Merche Gardiner says
Hi Ali, , sure you will make the right decision . Have a wonderful holiday and relax, look forward to seeing some of the photos of your travels. We celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary on the 9th and Mothers Day was spent with afternoon tea at my daughters, it was a perfect end to a wonderful weekend. Take care. Love Merchexx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Merche, Congratulations for your 56th wedding anniversary earlier on in the month I’m so glad you were able to spend Mother’s Day with your daughters. We had a good time in Morocco and the weather for the most part was sunny – I will be posting up photographs on social media but also on the new blog in the next few days. Have a very happy Easter, love Ali xx
Sue Radford says
Hi Ali,
Glad all went well at the hospital. I’m sure you will make the best decision for you, and that’s what matters most.
Good luck with your fundraising, but do take care. Hope you’ll have a fab holiday.
Love & Best wishes,
Sue Radford
Alison Keenan says
Hi Sue, and thank you… It’s best to have time to think about these things, and to have the chance to make the right choice. I’ve been blown away by people’s generosity with my fundraising and only have three more days to go! The holiday was fun and the weather for the most part was kind – I hope all is well with you and yours. Have a very happy Easter, with love, Ali xx
Mary Morphy says
Hi Ali, I am writing this early morning (Saturday) with the sun trying to peak through my blinds, my dog olly in his bed, on my bed, snoring next to me..hopefully a sunny day! I visited a cousin yesterday who was only an hour away and left Westgate in sunshine and drove through all weathers on my journey..absolutely bonkers!
Well done on the skipping challenge and for raising so much money..kept going..love the video!
My friend saw Sarah Millican in Southend..she said she was hilarious…sadly her tickets had all sold out extremely quickly for the theatre nearest to me in Canterbury but I’m hoping it will be on the tv at some point..and definitely after the watershed!
I hope you enjoy a wonderful birthday gathering with your family and you will love Morocco.. I know you like the warmth of the sun.. my daughter and her boyfriend loved it when they went last year.
I have a 40 year hockey tour reunion next Saturday; our school hockey team went to the East Coast of America September 1983 for 2 weeks playing hockey against colleges and schools; we had an outstanding team..5 of us were County players including me and my twin sister..we had the most amazing time! ( we couldny meet up ladt year so jusy over the 40 years! )We trained all summer to be as fit as we could to cope with the heat and humidity…we all had training programmes and were doing sprints on the beach ( I hate sand), squats, swimming, all sorts. It’s wierd isn’t it that I always thought of myself as being huge..and one half of the fat twins..always being bullied and judged even now as an adult. Hockey and sport were my joy and I was good at it but looking back on the photos I was just a normal teenager with a body that as an adult, I would give anything for..I was not fat..just not skinny..and as an adult I strive to get back to my fat teenage years..which in fact were not fat years at all..but it’s how I was led to perceive them.
Anyway, 9 players out of 14 are able to attend with our PE teacher who came so it should be amazing. That was a really happy time for me..so looking forward to reminiscing.
Right, I’m off to the dog park soon with Olly and my sister and her dog Erik. Have a fabulous birthday..its mine on 26th..58 and counting down to leaving my school job at 60!
Love Mary xx
Alison Keenan says
Dear Mary, lovely to hear from you and I hope you had a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY on the 26th of March! It was the day after we got back from Morocco and if my memory serves me correctly the sun was shining in the UK! You’ll be pleased to know that Sarah Millican is on TV with this show which is called Late Bloomers – I know you’d love it! We had a good time in Morocco and at least half of our holiday was in bright and warm sunshine so I managed to get a bit of a tan. Taghazout is a very quiet resort but they’re doing a great deal of building there in time for the World Cup in 2030! How was the Hockey reunion? I bet you had a wonderful time, although I thought your comments about your body image were very poignant. It’s so sad how we succumb to peer pressure and believe what we’re told, when in truth it is just someone else’s opinion. I’m even sorrier that even now you are judged for your body shape. There is so much more to you as a person and how you believe you look, and over the years I’ve think I’ve come to know you quite well. You should be incredibly proud of the home you run, the children you have brought up, the family you support and hold together, your never ending energy and your inordinate skill when it comes to working on your home and garden. Oh, and did I mention cakes??! I’ll look forward to hearing about reunion next time, and there will a new blog mid-week. I took a bit of a break what with going away and my skipping! Thanks for your kind words – I’m delighted to say that I’d raised £820 by midnight on the 31st March. Dead chuffed 🙂 Take care and remember, you’ve now got less than two years before you retire! Love Ali xx