My new book

When I look back, one of the interesting things about my dance with cancer has been the different ways that my friends and family have supported me. Some people have chosen to keep me occupied; some have offered practical help; some have invited me to talk to them about cancer; some have encouraged or tried to distract me. Closer to home, Alan has stood, safe and strong, at my shoulder through everything, and has enabled me to do everything I have needed to do. Ned is one of the most emotionally intelligent people I know, and has been patient and kind and calmly helpful. Joy’s way of supporting is to show, with hugs and gifts, how she feels. (You may remember the box and the penguin.)

Yesterday, she gave me a book. It’s called ‘Nine things my fabulous Mummy should do’.

The first is to eat more cherries.

(That’s me standing on a pile of individually drawn cherries, next to a tree made with thread.)

The second is to spend more summer evenings in the garden.

(I love the little pair of butterflies on a night time adventure. )

The third is to grow my hair really, really long.

(In this picture my dress is made from a square of wrapping paper and my hair is studded with blue bead hair slides.)

The fourth is to ‘paint my own rainbow even when the sky is grey’.

The fifth is to make sure my shoes are always fabulous.

(Those are my Sketchers going in the bin. Joy does not approve of Sketchers. I think we an safely assume that my Birkenstocks are already in that rubbish sack.)

The sixth is to ‘get a gold medal in blogging’.

(I’d love that. And I love that Joy’s put that on my list of things to do.)

The seventh is to go for lots of long walks along the beach.

The eighth: make sure I have a good chat with Ned when I feel down.

And finally…. to always remember that my daughter loves me.

I don’t think I’ll forget.