I started this month by winning a prize! This is very unusual for me-I almost never win anything, but I entered a twitter competition and won a copy of the new edition of Jo Nesbo's first book, the Bat. Other books I have read this month include some science fiction and some crime (and one both, the Night Sesdions, which will go on my read-again list, I enjoyed it so much).
I have kept up my resolution of going out and doing something at least once every week- see my Musings blog for weekly progress- with four live theatrical performances, (Gorky and Chekhov at the Arcola; a strange psychological experiment at Goldsmiths; a brilliant performance of Frankenstein at Greenwich). I went to the cinema twice for live screenings: The Tempest (from Stratford on Avon), and Rusalka (from the Met Opera in New York), both wonderful productions. There was a broadcast of Ooera North's Ring Cycle that I watched over four days, and I bought a video of Written on Skin because I couldn't get to see it any other way. Both of these were brilliant, even on the small screen.
I went out on a shopping trip (something I almost never do nowadays, but it was B's birthday, and we went on a hunt for diamond earrings, finding some finally on the oldest, mankiest pawn shop in Woolwich. We had dinner in the Wimpy Bar (classy), and I started a new thread of appalling street art on my Musings blog.
Medically, I'm ticking over. My COPD is classed as "moderate", but I discovered why people with it are advised not to go out in the cold when I went out on the coldest night of the year. I got really frightened when I couldn't catch my breath on what should have been a gentle, downhill stroll to the bus stop from Goldsmiths. Wont do that again.
My cardiac specialist told me to lose weight (of course), and advised a low carb diet, so no more bread or potatoes for me. Sigh.
I continue to lose teeth (down to twelve and a half now), and now have to do odd things like peel cucumber to make it edible.
The month ended with storm Doris, and we lost the last part of the ceanothus. Maybe this year I'll get someone in to sort out the garden properly.
