Update 8 - Hogmanay 2011 (January 31st for you Sassenachs!),

When Santa got stuck up the chimney he began to shout "you girls and boys won't get any toys unless you pull me out".  I am struck by the outrageous nature of this blatant piece of blackmail from a morbidly obese old man with a beard and a nasty acrylic red and white suit.  When one looks at the facts it is really quite shocking at the number of pieces of European and British legislation this contravenes.  Parking a sleigh on a roof (damaging the solar panels in the process), wedging himself into the confined space of a chimney, stamping soot throughout the house, creeping into little children's bedrooms with 'presents', Rudolf pooing on the front lawn .......frankly it is a disgrace.  However, Happy Christmas from all of us to all of you.  We do hope you have had a wonderful and happy time and that Santa did not get soot on his sack or become wedged in your wood burning stove.

Apologies once again for being rather slow off the mark.  I was rather overtaken by events leading up to Christmas and have just realised that I have not blogged since Emma's last 3 week chemo cycle (hooray) on Monday 19th December.  Emma then switches to weekly chemo and daily radiotherapy (Monday to Friday) starting on the 9th January for 5 weeks.  So basically the worst of the chemo is now over and Emma was firing on most cylinders by Christmas day and was pretty much on top form. This despite her husband suffering from multiple ailments (full blown manthrax, sore foot, deflating inflatable bed etc etc .....).  She has continued to stay well after Christmas and has found that a diet of constant grazing of canapes and sparkling wine seems to be the best way for her to avoid any tummy aches.  Marks and Spencer will be reporting increased profits after Christmas and I will be making Father Christmas look like an emaciated Dr Gillian Keith (skinny veggie food and diet expert for those beyond these shores).  We had a wonderful Christmas just up the road with Emma's brother James, his wife Michelle and their two little girls Rachael and Charlotte.  We were also joined by Emma's Mum and Dad which was lovely.  We now have my sister Belinda staying with the lovely Horace (spaniel!).  She is catering for us this evening and we are being rather spoilt which is lovely.

As you can see from the funny syrup photos below Emma's hair has now departed this parish, although the wig is so good you would struggle to know.  Rebecca is auditioning as the new lead singer for Bon Jovi and Hannah is delighted to be touring with Depeche Mode in the spring as a backing singer.

Predictably I just looked like a particularly scary bouncer (how come our actor friend and friend to the stars Mr Dinsmore looks so attractive with a wig on when in panto!!)

In true Emma fashion she was baking James a birthday cake on Boxing Day and the results are detailed below complete with the birthday boy freshly turned 7 on the 27th December.  

Anyway, I am going to fly now and I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a fantastic happy and healthy New Year (beginning to sound like the Queen's speech).  Love to you all and God Bless.  AK xx

Update 7 - 5th December 2011

One week on from Emma's first new chemo and she is emerging slowly from the after effects.  It has been a different experience this time with the side effects creeping up on Emma as the week progressed.  She has been struggling to sleep soundly and has had pretty painful legs.  However, she has not felt sick and is feeling ok this morning so hopefully the worst is now over for this cycle.  The next session is booked for the 19th December so we will need to make sure Emma has plenty of rest after that session to ensure an energy filled Christmas.  That is easier said than done with my wife as you all know - "I'll just do a couple of dozen cup cakes for the Christmas Fair" whilst feeling pretty wiped out.

The school and the children are gearing up for Christmas now with two Nativity plays this week.  James has been chosen to play Joseph which he is very chuffed about.  He will be appearing in an adapted Japanese man's dressing gown with a tea towel on his head.  Hannah is singing with the choir and Rebecca is playing - what else - an ANGEL!!  I am afraid the irony of this is lost on her - shame really. Actually that is a bit unfair as her behaviour has got a lot better recently.

We have been pretty sociable recently with some of our best and lowest maintenance friends coming to see us for the last two weekends.  The first weekend was particularly exciting as Pete, Ruth and Daniel brought their lovely Labrador Ebbie with them.  We went for a walk and Ebbie proceeded to wade into a very deep bog and get stuck, James then tried to help her and sank up to his knees, leaving a wellie behind in the mud.  However, don't worry, Andrew to the rescue.  Like a gazelle I leapt down the bank ran across the bog for about three steps and sank up to above the knees, immediately grinding to a halt.  I eventually managed to reach James and helped him out and then turned to help Ebbie who by this time was trotting up the opposite bank quite happy, if a little muddy.

When we got back to the car I proceeded to take my shoes, socks and trousers off and we started to set-off home when Emma said, "can we just pop into Grayshott for some milk".  We drove in and parked up thinking it was quite busy for a Saturday evening.  Within 30 seconds of parking there was a knock on the window and our friend Sue and her children waved and stopped for a chat.  "Why are you wearing shorts?" enquired Sue.  I was in mid explanation, punctuated by Sue's guffaws of laughter when our friends Justin and Poppy stopped to say hello as well.  We ended up with quite a crowd of loudly laughing (at me not with me I hasten to add) friends gathered outside the car door which was nice.  The lesson of the day was don't go shopping in your boxer shorts on the day the Christmas lights get switched on in Grayshott.

I think that is most of our news now.  Apart from an explanation of the photo below - St Mary (Berry) came to talk in aid of the St Mary's Roof appeal - geddit!  She was fantastic and had 150 mainly ladies in the palm of her hand for an hour sharing stories, cooking tips and the fact the fact that she could only look at Jean Christophe Novelli's shoes or else she messed up her recipes.  Disappointingly, her eyes are not as blue as they are on the telly - you heard it here first!   I hope all your Christmas preparations are going well and we all send love in the meantime.  God Bless.  Andrew xx