A short while ago J was up, showered and breakfasted without assistance, and awaiting with resignation the arrival of the PFH and a compulsory trip to the gymnasium. The traditional attachment to this email celebrates her improvement with a return to Portrait from Landscape mode, and incidentally captures for the first time on film an exchange of girl-substance :)
Joc thus fortified, Leah and I will take most of the day off so as not to
dilute the pleasure of Joc's encounter with eldest son Simon, who returned
yesterday from a couple of week's holiday, a day's drive to the North. I
for one will use this fine Spring day to catch up on the washing and ponder
life's mysteries - such as how it is possible to live with someone for 20
years, and not know that they own 285 pairs of underpants...
I guess it will shortly be open season on visitors, or at least those who can cope with the vagaries of Joc's digestion, and the fact that her right arm is the colour of an aubergine and looks like something recently dug up in Bosnia. These medical procedures still obviously need some work.
Unfortunately an influx of Joc's relatives has already penetrated the defences last night - unfortunately because yesterday's soup of the day was Pea and Ham, and was about to afford me the opportunity to formulate cultural and dietary theories of my own, with which to annoy them. Needless to say they came bearing improbable quantities of chicken soup, and refused to leave until Joc had ingested it.
I on the other hand had come bearing fresh lemon tart from the patisserie, coincidentally a favourite of mine as well as Joc's, but to no avail and was forced with much protestation to eat it myself. If that works again tomorrow, I shall start to worry about side effects from her drugs. She did however sample some gift chocolates with our assistance - needless to say the staff here have necessarily had to develop various survival strategies to avoid gross dietary imbalances.
But enough of this. J continues to appreciate your good wishes and support, and is looking forward to returning home and getting stuck into the backlog of emails. On the other hand she is not interested in breaking any records, and will not be leaving until she feels 100% ready. At the present rate, she should be home for her 55th birthday, which 11 years ago she was told that she might not see - so all you PBCers out there, don't you believe that stuff. It's all bullshit.
Love, JH.