Christmas is.....

Christmas is a time for family and friends.

Christmas is knowing your son is back in his own bed.

Christmas is slow dancing with your husband in the kitchen while dinner cooks.

Christmas is FaceTiming family in America and admiring the view of the snow capped mountains from their balcony.

Christmas is getting together with extended family and seeing children’s faces lit up with excitement.

Christmas is afternoons snuggled up on the sofa, watching classic movies like Elf, Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins.

Christmas is laughing at old favourites like Wayne’s World and Bill and Ted.

Christmas is walks at the shore, wrapped up and cuddled into the best husband in the world.

Christmas is meeting up with old friends and reminiscing about childhood fun times.

Christmas is exchanging gifts and enjoying the smiles on peoples’ faces.

Christmas is time off work.

Christmas is time on the Riverbank, with no need to visit the Wide World for a few days at least.

Christmas is for thanking friends that have stuck by you through difficult times.

Christmas is when Caledonia is sung specially to you.

Christmas is eating far too much.

Christmas is not caring that you’ve eaten far too much.

Merry Christmas. Here’s to 2019. Next scan on 11th January...... let’s keep kicking this thing’s ass!!

Xxx

Caledonia

“I don’t know if you can see

The changes that have come over me”

Caledonia by Dougie McClean

Last night we went out. Pat McManus is a local rock genius. He formed Mamas Boys with his brothers in Fermanagh at a very young age, and has been rocking out ever since. A hugely talented man, he’s a bit like the Eddie Van Halen of Derrylin...... except he’s better because he plays the fiddle too. There are clearly some blues influences and he smiles literally the whole time he’s on stage! 

Last night we went to see him play with his band, simply called The Pat McManus Band because nothing else needs said. He was very generous with auction prizes for Triciafest and I wanted to thank him personally. Not long after we arrived at the Diamond Rock Club, the guy who runs it and who’s a good friend, introduced me to Pat’s wife. She’s beautiful inside and out. Warm and sweet, I liked her instantly.

We started to watch and listen to the band and were loving them. Interspersed with his excellent own songs were covers of classics like Hendrix’s ‘All Along the Watchtower’ and Thin Lizzy’s ‘Don’t Believe a Word’. We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Imagine the wonderful surprise when he said “We’re going to play this one for Tricia.....” What?? I don’t know him, why would he want to play a song for me? Then he launched into the most beautiful and perfect song........ 

‘Caledonia’ by Dougie McClean. A Scottish anthem. What better choice for a wee Glaswegian?? Cue the tears...... How could I not?? A beautiful song made even more powerful through being given a rock twist. Loved it. I didn’t get footage of it because I was too busy enjoying it but I’m sure somebody did so I’ll keep an eye on YouTube. It’s on his new album, “Tattooed In Blue”, along with 11 other stonkers! I’m particularly loving ‘Mama Don’t Do It’.

Don’t you love it when hugely talented local people have enjoyed great success but stay true to their roots? Amazingly talented yet sweet and kind. Married to a beautiful and sweet lady. They say that Dave Grohl is the nicest man in rock. I’m sure he’s lovely but Pat McManus wins that award for me!  Xxx

Time.....

A year can change everything. Christmas is just days away. I feel like it’s kind of crept up on me this year. In fact I find it pretty difficult to believe that 2018 has almost passed. In the past week a few people have commented on how much better I look compared to this time last year. Chatting to my husband about that, we looked back at some photos from last year. I was horrified by how ill I look in them. I often complain about the weight I’ve gained through the long term use of steroid medication, but I can tell you without doubt that ‘slightly chubby me’ is a far better look than ‘heroin chic me’! The past few months have led to an levelling out of sorts.... there’s some ‘puppy fat’ to lose but I’m not bloated and uncomfortable like I was when I was on the steroid medication.

Christmas used to be my favourite time of year. Now it brings back some pretty nasty memories. This time last year I was being slowly poisoned...... I just didn’t know it until I literally fell over in January. The year before I was weeks away from the biggest shock of my life and everything changing forever. What few memories I have of the last two Christmas’s aren’t always the most pleasant, though I honestly hardly remember anything. I’ve absolutely zero memory of Christmas Day last year and was weeks away from hospitalisation and my poor family being told I had 4-5 days to live. The previous year was much the same.

Yet here I still am. I’m not 100% by any stretch of the imagination, but considering my experiences I think I’m doing pretty well. I work 4 days a week and feel I’m contributing something. I have gained a hugely increased love and appreciation of life and the special people in mine, a British Empire Medal, countless new friends, and strength. I’ve lost some angry bits of tumour, a bit of the steroid weight, some negative people from my life  and the constant feeling of insecurity that I had the last two Christmas’s. 

Importantly, with the help of family and friends, I've helped raise money to make things a bit easier for local cancer patients, I’ve tried to give some hope to others going through a tough time, and I’ve hopefully done my tiny bit to help aid change within the Health Service. The detail of the last bit isn’t suitable for blogging, but I’ve been vocal (‘not like you’ I hear you cry!) and there have been a few small changes made that should improve things for brain tumour patients. 

One person can’t fix the Health Service. Even a group of like minded people can’t do that. But if everyone does their wee bit then, through time, things should improve. Stand up and be counted. Speak up if things have gone wrong. Be strong and hold them to account. Just as important, praise the ones that get it right. Sing their praises, fundraise, whatever you can do to ensure they stay motivated through a lack of staff, poor pay and budget cuts. The system might be broken and we can’t rely on politicians to help, but we can each make our own choices, and speak out to help get changes made.

This time last year I was horribly ill and things could’ve gone either way. This year I’ve been taking part in Santa Splash’s in the freezing cold Atlantic and enjoying quality time with those I hold most dear. A year can change everything. Xxx

Light up, light up

We had plans for this weekend and I’m damned sure sore muscles weren’t standing in my way!! I was just right. We’ve spent the past few days enjoying quality time together, singing and dancing and meeting the most lovely people.

It started on Friday. We headed down to Dublin to go to a gig. Country band Midland are so cheesy they’re awesome! Fantastic night, made even better by a chance meeting with another couple who were full of chat and fun. Plus we stayed at an Airbnb run by a wonderful couple from Brazil. She used to be a professional volleyball player and was gorgeous, about 6 foot tall and a figure to die for! On top of that she was a complete sweetheart, as was her partner. We left with hugs, feeling like we’d stayed with friends. 

Yesterday we headed from Dublin up to Belfast. Another Airbnb, another success. Absolutely beautiful house. Last night we went to see Snow Patrol. They were brilliant and more new friends were made. The young couple sitting beside us were lovely and we enjoyed their company. The night was only marred by a fairly vicious fight that broke out in the standing area right in front of our seats. I’ll admit to being pretty scared by it...... it was violent and in amongst a crowd of people very near the front of the arena. I’m sure there’s a few people who woke up with fist and shoe prints on them today...... unfortunately some may have been innocent bystanders. Over 20 years ago I was injured in a similar fashion.... standing at a bar, watching a band, fight broke out beside me and I didn’t move fast enough.... a few minutes later I’m lying on the floor with a broken nose, after being used as a human shield by one of the offending parties and subsequently kicked in the face by the other. I experienced ongoing sinus problems from then on and ended up having surgery...... part of the reason why I dismissed the terrible headaches caused by my brain tumour.....I thought they were sinus headaches. So I was very nervous when the fight kicked off at the gig..... All the half drunk drinks sitting on top of the divider between seated and standing were coped over us and I was expecting a person to follow them...... either someone jumping over to get away from the melee, or someone being thrown over.... thankfully that didn’t happen and those involved were removed from the venue. 

Of all the gigs I’ve been to, I would never have thought Snow Patrol would be the one where I’d witness a pretty nasty fight. Slipknot  was safer!! Thankfully the band were great so the idiots didn’t ruin it for us. Hopefully there weren’t too many people who got caught like I did all those years ago and didn’t move fast enough. I did see at least one young member of security getting a significant thumping. 

After another good night’s sleep, we got up this morning and slowly worked our way home via St George’s Market and the shores of Belfast Lough. 

At St George’s we met a lovely Spanish family who were visiting their daughter who’s working here. The market was buzzing and full of people Christmas shopping. 

Home early afternoon, content and having had a great weekend. On the road up I had a sudden premonition..... I turned to hubby and said “Wait til you see. We’ll go home to a letter with an appointment date for January.” Sure enough...... waiting for me was a letter with my next scan date. This is a good thing because it provides reassurance. I don’t believe things have deteriorated and am even cautiously hopeful of further improvement..... I’m enjoying life and I’m carried through the hard bits by family and friends, especially my amazing hubby. I’ll admit to shedding a few tears at some of music over the weekend. But overwhelmed in a good way.  Living with...... xxx

“What if it hurts like hell

Then it'll hurt like hell

Come on over

Come on over here”

What if this is all the love you ever get 

by Snow Patrol 

Take a look at me now......

Yet another totally random happenstance......

A while ago I was interviewed by Local Women magazine. 

Completely unrelated, I am currently reading Phil Collins’ autobiography. The night before last I was reading about how he had originally thought Against All Odds wasn’t destined to be any more than s B Side. It went on to become his first US #1.......

Imagine my surprise when this evening I see the cover of the Local Women magazine which will be in local shops tomorrow.......

I’m very far from singing songs about heartbreak, but the title and some of the lyrics still seem fitting...

“Take a good look at me now...”

Phil Collins