I haven't been around much lately as I've been in hospital for my second hip replacement operation. It's four weeks now and I am doing nicely.

The operation all went well and I was only in for three days. The programme is supposed to be an "Enhanced Recovery" if you are reasonably fit and healthy you are put on this. The problem I have found is that you are given really strong medication in hospital so that you can get up and walk almost immediately but this stops when you come home, so the pain etc., catches up with you a bit.

Once homeI was great during the day able to potter about on crutches but night time was a real problem. You are only allowed to sleep on your back for the first six weeks and that's not easy for me. Anyway I had a big problem with my ankle and foot which were both swollen and very bruised and I couldn't put my heel down in bed without really bad pain so I sat up half the night. This went on for a couple of nights and I thought enough is enough, so I called the doctor and she gave me morphine to take at night which helped with the pain and I did get some sleep, though not much. The turning point came at about three weeks when it all began to settle down and I've been much better since.

I went out walking today without any crutches and it was ok. I now feel I can do more things and am nearly back to normal (ha ha!!). I see the consultant in two weeks and hope to get the OK to drive again. I have no hip pain now and am looking forward to getting back to walking and cycling again it's been too long, but I am confident it is the beginning of a new me and I'm going to make the most of it.

Just thought I give a little update on what I have been up to recently.
I have recovered well from my hip operation but still have a lot of pain at the other side, so much so, that I can only sleep for about two hours at a time before I wake and have to move. This has been ongoing since the beginning of the year and was really getting me down. So I went back to the GP and he sent me to see the consultant again. Well, in short, I have to have my other hip replaced. It’s going to be on the 12th August, so I might not be around for a while at that time (online only of course!!!). I did ask if it was the best option and he just said to me, your young (ha, ha), have it done and then you can just get on with your life, so hey, its here I go again. At least I know what to expect this time around. So come August I can look forward to being Bionic Woman.

For anyone in the UK on All Four there is a box set of the medical drama St Elsewhere with all six series available free. I used to watch this religiously each week and I see it was first aired in 1983 (yes I am OLD) and I loved it. Actually it not a million miles away from House in its format. Anyway I had forgotten that a very young David Morse (Tritter in House) was in it and also Denzel Washington. Still find it enjoyable.

During the last year, just because I had time to do it I have been using my sewing/embroidery machine to make a number of different things. Here are some recent creations.









For srsly_yes
David Lee with RSL what a turn up!!
He plays the character well in The Good Wife.
Have you seen the final episode? There are four more to go here so don't tell me the end. I just hope it not one of those neatly tied up affairs they don't ring true and i would rather have a fade away sort of end with things left to the imagination. It did say I read somewhere that there was to be a follow on with Christine Baranski in the pipeline. That would be interesting I do enjoy her performances. I found thatI lost interest in the Good Wife, despite some great performances from Christine and Alan Cumming (recently read his autobiography, a very good read, very tough upbringing), however, I still kept watching and will see it to the end now.

Hope you are well and still running........

Tuesday 19th January 2016

I thought I would just give a little update following my recent hip replacement operation. It's now six weeks post op and I can't believe it's all gone so well. I don't need crutches anymore and can walk for miles with no pain, It's wonderful. I know there's still a lot of healing to carry on but the consultant said he no longer needed to see me as I was doing so well. Also have seen physio and no longer have to go. So fingers crossed its all going the right way. Really glad I decided to have it done.

Still not driving yet I thought I would leave it a bit longer. In fact I thought I have a good excuse here to get a new car. I drive a manual gear mini (for US friends, most people in UK drive manual gears (stick) not automatic. I thought I'd get an automatic because I would save on changing gear and wear and tear on the new hip. Thought I'd get a Mini Countryman they are a bit higher up and better for me.

I have been walking daily but woke up to this today



I thought give it a miss I don't want to tempt fate!!!!!!

A little diversion here - during my time after the operation the part of the UK I live in north of England (East Lancashire) had really bad floods over Christmas and New Year and lots of houses and businesses were ruined. The clean up is still ongoing and will be for a long time yet. Fortunately I wasn't affected apart from the water gushing through the garage but thankfully my bungalow is on quite high ground so it just flowed downhill and away. I have since driven (not me driving) through some of the areas affected and it's still evident the effect the weather had on those areas.



Whalley Arches before the rain and after

I know I haven't been posting anything just recently but I am still here and following RSL fans page. Thought I would let friends know what I have been up to, or not, at this time in my journal.

Well thank goodness I got to see RSL in TKMB this summer if it had been now I wouldn't have made it.

Here's the story:

In 2007 I was diagnosed with something called Hereditary Haemochromatosis. This is something I have had from birth and it means that I never process iron in my body so it just builds up over the years. If it is allowed to get to very high levels it deposits on major organ e.g liver, heart etc., and it is very serious then. Iron levels should be about 200 and mine were 2000. The only solution is venesection, that is, to lose the blood like donors do, but mine is not usable so disposed of. In order to get my blood iron levels down at first I had to lose a pint of blood a week for 24 weeks and then to maintain an acceptable level I have to have blood taken out 3 or 4 times each year for life.

Well it's all under control now but one of the side effects can be arthritis and this has been building up over time but I have managed this with meds until this last year when things got worse. By August I was in a lot of pain and saw the orthopaedic consultant. He confirmed that I had arthritis in both hips and knees but that the left hip was particularly bad. He said the only real answer was a total hip replacement and explained that he would give me a ceramic marathon hip which would last for years. As I was younger he would not cement it in which would allow me to retain full motion. Well it comes as a bit of a shock to hear all this but there was no doubt in my mind because I didn't want to be in constant pain and I wanted to remain independent, so I went ahead and had the operation on the 30th November 2015!!!! I was only in hospital for 4 days then home. I have no pain in my hip or knee which is wonderful. I am hopping around on crutches and I feel fine. I know it's going to take some time to get back to normal (if I ever was that ), but I have no regrets about taking that decision. It may well be that I will need to have a right hip replacement in the future but that not yet so we'll just have to wait and see.

Anyway that's where I've been and I just wanted friends to know because I would never abandon this group of RSL friends it's the best. So, if you don't see me posting I am still here reading it all might just be that I am tired or have appointments etc.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas and best wishes for 2016. Let's hope it's another brilliant RSL year with everything we all wish for. Mary xx

I went to see To Kill a Mockingbird on Tuesday 30th June 2015. A night to remember.

To Kill Mockingbird
Tuesday 30th June 2015

I can't believe it's today and tomorrow I will have seen Robert Sean Leonard at the Barbican Theatre in To Kill a Mockingbird. I am going with a friend I worked with for years and we still go out together. She doesn't know who RSL is and she's never watched House, so she's the voice of reason to my total euphoric state. The journey to London was relatively uneventful except for the last 45 mins when I developed serious motion sickness. The train was a Virgin Pendolino and they tilt a lot. I've since read lots of people feel nauseous but it's never happened to me before.

If you really only want to know about the play, just scroll down to where it says - it begins.

Anyway no trouble getting to the Barbican City Thistle Hotel where were staying the night. It was HOT in the 90s. We are having a mini heatwave in the UK, but I live in the North of England and it never gets quite as hot as the South. After a bit of recovery time we decided we would get ready and go down to the Barbican (neither of us had been before) and stay there until it was time to go into the theatre. We had a good look around, found the theatre entrance and I saw a shop and I bought a CD of the Mockingbird music performed by Phil King. Time goes by so fast when you want things to slow down but it was getting later and we decided to have a drink or two and something to eat. It was lovely we sat outside by the water but as I said seriously hot. The place began to fill up with theatre goers and in what seemed like no time they opened the theatre doors.

It begins here:
We entered theatre left although we were in the middle really. There is no centre aisle just left and right entrances. After sitting down I took this pic of the stage. It's was dark so not very clear. I also took a pic from where we sat to the stage and it gives some idea of how near we were. A lot of dialogue and action does
take place on the steps. Then I got scared and thought I'd better not take anymore just in case I got into trouble.





Suddenly from either side came all the actors carrying their copies of the book and they went up the steps and began reading from the book. Phil King sang and the children came on stage and it began. They all draw the map, with chalk, on the stage floor showing where everyone lives. I know the play quite well and of course I have read what others have said about the play. I knew RSL would enter left side and I knew it was further on in the play. That said, I just caught this shadowy figure with a trilby hat emerge and I knew he was about to come on stage. I heard this deep familiar voice shout "Jem" and up the steps and onto the stage came Robert.

I can't really describe what I felt. It sort of took my breath away. I remember thinking this is a real person and I am so near to him. I couldn't take my eyes off him and it was like there was only this one person in the midst of the others and although the play carried on I was totally mesmerised by Atticus. Note, I say Atticus because Robert was Atticus, I believed that from the very first moment. He plays that part for real and I'm sure he is able to do so with such feeling is in no small part due to having his own daughters. As I watched him I found myself, in my mind, going through the most weird scenarios.......what size of shoes is he wearing?......carrying his briefcase left-handed (I am too).......listening to that southern drawl........and even more bizarre ( apologies in advance to Discofunction), who in recalling the Open Air Theatre production said his bum was in her face where she sat in the front of the steps, well I thought I'll check that out!!....... could go on and on. The children really feature in this first act and they were brilliant. At the interval my friend remarked on how good the children were and Atticus as well she added. I should think so!

The second act is mostly the courtroom scene and the one I think RSL really shows what a terrific actor he is. You can feel his emotions palpably and when he gives his closing speech, summing up in defence of Tom Robinson he walked down a couple of the steps and faced the audience as we were the jury. It's a very powerful moment one of those times when hairs stand up on the back of your neck. I love that he took off his jacket and rolled his sleeves up to make this speech. You could almost feel the passion in his words tinged with a sort of weariness with way of things.

At one point after the verdict Bob Ewell walked right up to him and spat in his face and there was a huge gasp from the audience. It looked real to me but that's acting!

The ends scenes were very moving and you could feel the love he had for his children and Boo. When he says "thank you for my children" there were tears in his eyes and in everyone else's.I knew that it was nearly ending and I didn't want it too. There was a standing ovation and RSL looked really happy. I have to say it's something that will live with me forever. I am suffering from acute RLS post dramatic stress disorder. I keep having flashbacks of scenes and RSL creeping in from the side of the theatre. And, yes to all of you who follow on this site, he is everything you think he is and more. It's been one of the most exciting and fulfilling times in my life (honest), something I will always remember. The day Robert Sean Leonard was only that far away from me and I loved it.

After

We went back the hotel. Shattered because it had been a long day. I couldn't sleep my mind was full of RSL and everything that had happened that night. It played over and over in my mind. He was exactly what I thought he would be. The hair is OK too for those concerned. I never thought I would see him and I have.

The following day we got the train from London and I was still excited about it all. It was still hot in the 90s and I again felt terrible motion sickness and the air conditioning packed in. It was like being in a glass box. No windows to open. So Robert I'd like you to know I suffered for you but it was worth every moment and I hope I get to do it again in the future.

I think the play will be a great success it's very topical with the follow up book out this month and I hope RSL is recognised for his role as Atticus Finch in something like the Olivier Awards. He deserves to be acknowledged in the UK for his stage work.

I didn't see the production at the Open Air venue but I image it's possibly a different atmosphere to it but I loved this and my friend thought it was brilliant too and she agreed with me that RSL a great actor and she praised the whole cast but especially the children. So I don't think my account is too biased, it was the opinion of another as well.

This was the write up in the programme.
This was my ticket. Yes I really did go.

Here are the photos I was looking at of the Lake District. Thought I'd share them as part of the meme positivity even though its finished.





These were the photos I was looking at of Lake District holiday

1. It's a lovely sunny day again and I'm going to mow the lawns. I overlook farmland at the back and the fields have been empty for the last two years but now their are cows and sheep. Feels like I'm in the countryside when really I'm not.

2. Have recently been in touch with someone I worked with ages ago. It was great to catch up on each other's lives.

3. Looking at some old photos of a walking holiday in the Lake District. Realised how lucky I am to live within easy reach of such beautiful scenery.

1. My next door neighbour is disabled and is in Hampshire meeting his new assistance dog at Cannine Partners. He keeps messaging me with updates and pics of her. She's a black Labrador with "If I look at you you will not refuse me anything" eyes. Can't wait to meet her next week.

2. Nearly finished a cushion I've made for my brothers wedding anniversary. I digitized a picture of their wedding day and embroidered on my machine. Really pleased with how it's turning out.

3. At last went through my wardrobe and forced myself to get rid of unwanted item and take them to the Charity Shop. Now need to go shopping to fill the "empty" spaces!

Sorry for late posting. I missed seeing it.
Day Three

1. My great niece in Australia has just had a baby boy. I am now a Great Great Aunt.

2.A robin keeps visiting my bird table. I'm sure it looks at me and says hello every morning.

3.It's such a nice sunny day today I have decided to go to the seaside and have fun doing nothing really.

I have quite a few pics and article about RSLs brother Sean. They all all from sites that can be accessed by anyone but I thought I would put them in my journal for anyone who wanted to see. I know its not what everybody would want so I thought here would be the best place.