1st year post-op anniversary!!

So, today is my 1-year post-op anniversary!  This time last year I had just undergone surgery to have my lung lining ripped out!  I never blogged about my time in hospital but a year on maybe now's the time to entertain you with my experience!

As some of you know, things didn't quite go to plan when it came to waking me up.  Over the following few days I suffered grand mal seizures and, what at the time was thought to be, a stroke causing left - sided hemiplegia.  When I did finally wake up I didn't notice any problems with my left side and was quite bewildered as to why I kept being asked to try using my left hand for things when I am right-handed!

Time lost meaning, I thought it was Wednesday and it was Sunday, presumably because I expected to have woken up the day after my op and had no idea of the events of the previous few days.  Although in saying that, from the dreams/hallucinations I had, I think I had known something was wrong. One minute I wad in critical care, but it was a weird high spec place, the staff were lovely but all sort of holographic, they moved really weird but really fast and their faces were odd, like caracatures with over large heads, mouths and teeth. Not scary, just strange! The next everything went brown and pixelated and wavy. If you've ever played a computer game where you're running past a brick wall and it all goes a bit blurry and weird, it was like I was in a room like that but I knew it was inside my body and something was wrong, the faster the waves moved, the more wrong things were and I would start to panic. I was convinced I was dying. Then I'd be back in critical care again. This happened a few times, alternating between CCU and this room, and then I started to change and I became 2d and I watched as my body started to disappear. I became like a curtain and the bottom was starting to tear as though it was going through a shredder. I got really upset and was sobbing because I didn't want to die. I didn't want to leave my loved ones, especially Faye and Billy. I kept telling the nurses and doctors to tell them I was so sorry. That I tried really hard to live but I wasn't strong enough....

Then I was really back in CCU and being moved to a bay. For the following few days I had no idea what was real and what wasn't. Although at the time everything felt really real, as I recovered I realised that 99% of it was in my head!! The 1% being that some of the stuff did happen but just not in the context I thought!

First off my hair was short, I could actually feel it being in a job and I couldn't remember having it cut (mainly because I hadn't and it was still the same length!). My fingers were wrong, they were spaced wrong and I had 6 on one hand.... I was firstly convinced that this was because I had heart failure and then somehow thought my fingers had been swooped with someone else's when I was under and thought this was a really cruel joke! Mum and Dad and Jay all had caracature faces like the staff in CCU and I kept wondering how I'd never noticed before but didn't say anything as I didn't want to offend them! Oddly the staff on the ward looked normal. The first night I couldn't sleep (or thought I couldn't but most likely was dreaming!) I was counting in my head to try and pretend to be asleep because staff kept coming in to check on us and kept stopping by me. I got the impression they thought I was faking the whole thing and there was nothing wrong with me and I was upset as I couldn't understand how they could think anyone would go through that op for no reason. More staff came and watched me for a bit then 'woke' me to do obs and inject me with something. They were really nice to me which I thought was really good of them if they didn't think I should be there. In hindsight it was probably more likely that I was just on more frequent obs than the others as I was still quite poorly!

There were several other things that I thought had happened and some things that I came to understand better as I got better ......

Firstly there was always a member of staff in the doorway of our bay at the bottom of our bed and they wouldn't leave unless someone else took over. To start with I thought this was just what they did, eventually I realised it was because I was on 1-to-1 obs because I waa acting so nuts!! 😂

There was a patient on the opposite side of the bay to me who passed away (apparently this bed was actually empty!) Anyhow, this lady, that only I could see, had her own special bed, zebra patterned too! She was very poorly and I could see the numbers on her monitor going down and down to - 1-1- then - - - - - at which point her bed, which was  slightly raised, automatically reclined back down to being flat as she passed away.

Next thing, she'd gone and there was someone new there. (again I was later told that the bay was still empty!) The new lady, who again only I could see, was just there to annoy me!! She was the most irritating person ever! She had the curtain permanently closed around her bed  it kept putting her stuff just in view. First it was a flat screen TV (just to confirm I wasn't completely nuts, I did think this was very strange!), then another TV appeared as she was singing (badly!) about how rich she was. I did want to tell her to bugger off to a private hospital then if she was so rich and let the rest of us sleep but I just tried to ignore her instead. Then mannequin appeared next to her locker, and every time I looked up there was a different dress on it.... It sounded like she was shaving but the noise carried on and on so I went to the toilet and could see her sat on her bed laughing with her tablet just playing sound effects. She then started to play music too and put both TVs on. Eventually the nurse took her tablet off her and turned the TVs off. I gave up trying to sleep and read a magazine but she seemed to somehow grow to about 7' tall and started watching me from the top of her curtain rail, sliding along the top of it so I had to keep moving my magazine up higher to block her out. Thankfully she magically disappeared too 😂

Then came the paint.......

I was talking to a lovely nurse who was obviously on obs duty and she was upset (she wasn't but I could definitely see her crying! Which is nothing compared to what happened next!!) I asked what was wrong and she said nothing but was still crying so I gave her some tissues and asked if she was ok. She told me she had something wrong with her but she was on meds and they mainly controlled it so noone knew apart from a few other members of staff who covered for her if need be. She pulled her hair back and showed me how she had lizard type skin patterning on her face but her hair covered it so you couldn't see it normally. I  tried to reassure her that it was OK as you couldn't see it but even if you did it didn't look horrible but then it started to spread and she cried even more and told that once it started to spread it wouldn't stop. It spread down her arms and legs but carried on along the chair arms, the floor, the walls but it was like orange and white paint running everywhere. It carried on throughout the hospital, it was 'raining' inside and even spread outside. I was mortified and so guilty that if I had left her alone none of this would have happened and now I'd let her secret out too. Lots of people were walking past the bay and seemed to know it was my fault, talking over-loud at the doorway about all the operations that had had to be cancelled because all the equipment was ruined by the paint and how many millions of pounds it was going to cost to put everything right...... All the staff and patients were getting covered in it, their hair frizzing up on end, their clothes getting ruined. And they all knew it was my fault. I started trying to clean the locker next to me so it wasn't dirty for the next person and the staff were trying to humour me and stop me at the same time!  I really did go to the reception desk to ring Jay completely beside myself coz I didn't know what to do! After the initial shock of me telling him I'd painted the hospital and everyone hated me, he humoured me and told me not to worry, he'd look when he came it and would sort it. The lovely man behind the desk asked me why I was so upset and I keep apologising, told him what happened and that I hadn't meant for it to happen but I didn't know... He came round and gave me a big hug and said "there ain't no paint", he told me to look around to see that there was no paint running anywhere and if there was the ward would have been closed, it was just because of all the drugs I'd had and I wasn't to worry as I hadn't done anything and noone hated me. He gave me a big smile and told me to trust him. And I did! The paint disappeared from everywhere apart from our bay but now I knew it wasn't real, it didn't bother me! After that, every time this man started work he would come in to see me, give me a hug, ask how I was doing and repeat "there ain't no paint" with a big smile!

There was a nurse I was convinced was fake and was bumping people off, I didn't want her anywhere near me and was horrible to and about her (she was actually really lovely!).

There were 'leaf bugs' that kept appearing but if you hit them they disappeared. Even though I knew they weren't really there, I could still see them so mum and dad and Jay were still concerned that I kept hitting them, even though I told them I knew they weren't real.

A tree branch also used to come through the window.  I learnt how to tell the difference between the things that were real and the things that weren't, ene though this didn't make the things that weren't real go away. The fans used to have a tune playing constantly that drove me mad. Again I was the only one who could hear it. I had to keep unplugging mine just to dull it enough to sleep. I could see my obs on everyone's monitors as well as my own, and the numbers kept going down and I would get really stressed out, convinced I was going to die if I stayed in that place. The nurse turned my monitor around so I couldn't see it and turned the other patients' monitors around or off, although I could still see the numbers even when the monitors were off! As I got more stressed, the numbers I could see appeared on the walls and scrolled faster, the leaf bugs increased in number, the paint spread wider and faster, and the tree branch got longer and came further I to the room.  As I got more used to this I started to use these signs to recognise and judge how stressed I was getting and then concentrate on making them reduce/slow down to help calm myself.

As for my physical health, I was doing ok! I was getting up and moving about, my left side was fine, I was eating like I hadn't seen food for days (which in fact I hadn't! 😂) . I started chatting to the other ladies in the bay. I got on really well with the lady next to me, who always calmed me down when I started to stress out. I gave the lady opposite her a manicure and sat with her when she was feeling poorly and sick. We all got on well, had lots of laughs and kept each other going when things for tough. I spent the last couple of days, apologising to the staff for having been so horrible and such a pain, even though I was still being a pain by being convinced I was going to die and trying to unplug anything and everything electrical to stop it singing at me! They were so patient and tolerant of me and my paranoia/hallucinations! As were Jay and mum and dad every time they visited me! Our bay all got discharged on the same day so we met up again in the discharge lounge! The lady from opposite told her son how, as she came round from her op, there was a nutty woman opposite her wittering on about painting the hospital, then gave me a big wink! 😂 I finally got my tablets and was free to go! I was so pleased to get out of that place as, as soon as I left, the auditory hallucinations stopped and the peace and quiet was absolute bliss! The leaf bugs hung around for a week or so still, but they didn't make a noise so they didn't bother me. I still woke up in a panic a few times when I'd still see my numbers going down and down when I closed my eyes / dreamt. My wound got infected and opened up needing 1 or 2 trips a week for several weeks to my GP nurse for dressing. Overall though, I got back to my version of normal fairly quickly and I am forever thankful to the skilled surgeon and staff at Papworth for the treatment and care I received whilst I was there.

After reading all the above, and there are possibly many other things I did or said that aren't here, you will understand how I couldn't blog from hospital as I wasn't deemed mentally stable enough to be trusted with my phone, no matter how much I begged pleaded, and promised to be good!! 😂 😂 😂

I feel very lucky to live near to the only hospital in the UK to offer the specialist surgery I had done and I have therefore decided to challenge myself a year post-op, as a thank you to go the staff who cared for me, to doing something to raise money for Papworth Hospital Charity and have signed up for the Asda 10k Leicester on 9th September.

There is a link at the top of my page to my Just Giving site if anyone is in a position to be able to make a donation to this fantastic charity.

Night night everyone, I'm off to dream of leaf bugs....... 😂

The fitness regime has started! 🏃‍♀️🚣‍♀️

Well I'm coming up to 1 year post op, what better time to start a new fitness regime!

This time last year I could barely get up the stairs. Now I'm looking at registering for a 10k!! I'm not completely mad, I have no grand delusions of running it in a record time, or even running it at all come to that! I would just like to take part, finish the course and ideally get a medal as a momento of still being alive and kicking a year on! 😂

So, to start, the rowing machine came out last night. I only did 5 reps of 20 whilst watching the footy, but it's a start!

I also plan to start walking home from work twice a week (5k) and maybe try a few park runs. Then hopefully start swimming again once I can fit in my cozzie and get into the pool without all the water getting out!

Anyway, you know those people who go to the gym or running, even a marathon, and finish looking as fresh a daisy as though they hadn't done anything? Yeah, well it turns out I'm NOT one of them!!!

I did my first 5k walk home from work tonight, in the sweltering heat! I started off quite well until I got stuck behind someone walking very slightly slower than me. It was like when you're driving fractionally faster than the car in front of you and you have to keep taking your foot off the accelerator/braking so you don't get too close, but they're still going too fast for you to overtake. Annoying. In the end I decided to do the slow overtake, meaning I would be walking next to him for a while, hoping that would make him feel uncomfortable enough to slow down and let me pass! Obviously, it worked! 😂

It was soooo hot (have I already mentioned that?!) and some passers-by looked slightly concerned by the no doubt fetching shade of puce that was my face. I was just feeling reassured by the fact that there is a defibrillator on the wall of the Coop Funeral Services half way home so, in the event of any problems, I'd be in the right place to get sorted either way! 😂 😂

However, I made it past the point of no return and was feeling quite pleased with myself (especially as it was 30°! Have I mentioned how hot it was??😂), but as I crossed the last main road and onto the home stretch, I got overtaken by an old man on a mobility scooter....... 😒  I was too hot to push him off but put on an extra spurt and overtook him back as he slowed down to have an argument with his daughter..... I finally got home, 52 minutes after leaving work, to be greeted by Jay and the kids with bottles of cold water which they squirted all over me! I was soaked but it was lovely and so refreshing!! Faye wasn't quite as amused when I gave her a big, cold, wet, hug though!! 🤗

So, that was my first 5k!

I have now just registered for the park run. I've got my barcodes and everything. I guess there's no backing out now!!

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I'm a complete mess..... And I'm loving it!!

What can I say?

The evening started early with afternoon tea at the Belmont Hotel in Leicester for a friend finishing work on maternity leave.  It was all really nice and the cakes were luurvely! We then made our way to The Lansdowne for cocktails (2 for 1 for NHS staff - it really would be rude not to!). Our party gradually dwindled down then as people started to leave to catch trains.

The sun was setting, it was still warm, a really lovely night. Which was when I made my decision. I was going to walk home.

One friend went into town to catch the bus and the remaining two of set of in the opposite direction. It was just starting to spit with rain but still nice. We walked and chatted  until we reached Queen's Road and decided to stop off in Babelas for a glass of wine. Or two. It was here I embarrassingly forget about the cakes I'd got for the kids in my bag and, as I delved into my bag for my purse, my hand came out with, not my purse, but buttercream covered fingers 😳

It was properly raining when we left. We walked to my friend's house and, after meeting hubby and dog, and turning down the offer of calling a cab, I set off for home. I checked and it was only 2.2 miles. I could do this!

Thankfully there weren't many people about at that time of night. In the rain. Surprising really....... If there had have been, I think I may have been reported as the mad woman laughing to herself, walking in the rain, getting soaked!

This will be hard for many people, who maybe take their health and fitness for granted, to understand but the exhilaration I felt walking home is indescribable.

When you have been in a position of genuinely believing you are going to die, just that simple act of walking home made me feel more alive than I have felt for a very long time. By the time I got up the hill to the top of Welford Road I was grinning from ear to ear, possibly looking slightly manic and scary! The rain got heavier, my clothes were stuck to me, my hair was plastered to my face, my shoes were filling with water and squelching and I was loving it!! As I reached Palmerston Way I was laughing and crying at the same time so pleased with myself! Again I realise this would be no boggy for most people, but for me it was such an accomplishment. I reached home just after midnight, also discovering , contrary to my previous belief , that a lot of our streetlights DO go off at midnight!. I was soaked to the skin but soooo happy! I DID IT!! I walked home.

Some may think I was stupid, stubborn, recklessa.  I may have blisters in the morning, I may feel exhausted, tired, and achy in the morning, but you know what? I DON'T CARE!!!  Because at least I'M ALIVE to grimace at those blisters when I try to put my shoes on, I'M ALIVE to feel tired, I'M ALIVE to feel my bones Aching.  I may wake up and berate myself for being maybe very slightly stupid, but I do not and will not regret a thing. I'm alive and kicking. That's a feeling that nothing else can beat and no-one can take that away from me.

So thank you to my friend for not forcing me to get a cab. Thank you lousy British weather for helping me to feel so alive.Thank you for helping me to feel like me again!

I'M ALIVE AND KICKING!!

My journey has just begun........

Training Day

When I say training, I mean I'm getting the train... to Nottingham.... and I have just  realised that I don't think I have ever caught the train to Nottingham before!

So far so good, got to the station in plenty of time, bought (the right!) ticket and got to the right platform, I even managed to get on the right train! I've not forgotten anything or if I have, I haven't remembered I've forgotten it yet! The sun is shining.....  Also, unlike many previous train journeys, I'm not sat next to, or even near, a nutter!! It's already promising to be a good day!😂 😎

So, what's happened since my last blog? I've been busy, which is why I've not been blogging. Unfortunately I've not been busy with anything particularly interesting!!

We did go out from work last week to celebrate someone finishing her exams, time to relax and enjoy a night out after their hard work studying! We started at The Distillery for cocktails (always a must!). No night out can EVER start right without a porn star martini (or two)! We were booked in at Crafty Burgers to eat, which was entertaining from deciding on burgers, the slightly scary waitress, to setting fire to the table! At this point I feel it is vital to clarify that it was not me who set fire to the table, the fire was just in front of me, and the blame went entirely to the person day opposite me!  I do have to say that he was also completely blameless, but it was just too much to blame him! He is now know as The Firestarter, and The Prodigy was quickly found and played on a phone. Once the fire was out, obviously! It was only a small fire - a paper napkin fell on to a tealight candle. Quite big flames though! The waitress blew it (?!) which obviously just made it worse and blew bits of still-burning napkin at me and someone else! My neighbour chucked water on it and I doused the rest of with another scrunched up, wet napkin. The table was a bit black and wet but otherwise no damage done!! The rest of the evening was quite sedate in comparison!

My train is now arriving at Nottingham, so time to go!

Pamper Day & Treat Weekend!!!

Part of my Christmas present from my lovely other half was vouchers for the beauticians and hairdressers so I could have a pamper day!

We were also given a 'Time Together' voucher by his daughter and her boyfriend so the two have been combined to follow my pamper day with a night away in the Cotswolds tomorrow night (the place we wanted to go to being completely booked every Fri and Sat for the foreseeable future!) It meant having to take Monday off from work, a great shame I know, but what can you do?! 😂

I've been looking forward to this day since booking it and although the snow finally hit us last night, no amount of the white stuff was going to stop me getting here!!  To be honest, we didn't actually have all that much snow and the beautician's and hairdresser are right next to each other. At the bottom of my road! The lovely ladies working there would have had more trouble getting in than me - assuch, I am very grateful that they made it!

My first treatment was for a deluxe facial, an hour of having so many lotions and potions massaged into my face I lost count.... Oh OK, I admit it.... I wasn't counting. I was far too relaxed for that! The only time I was slightly less relaxed was when the steamer was on. Now, I've never had this before so I didn't know what they used and I had pads on my eyes so I couldn't see. It sounded suspiciously like a wallpaper steamer so I was half expecting it to splatter boiling water over me at any given time, hence feeling slightly tense at this point!! I did manage to relax again though, but it was the first thing I looked for when the treatment was over. It wasn't a wallpaper steamer. At least now I know.

I then nipped next door to get my hair done. I'm currently sat looking like some sort of mad alien with could all over my head and the rest of my mad frizzy hair sticking out all over the place. It's not the most attractive look, but necessary!  The hairdressers are annoyed with the bloke in the flat upstairs keep turning his music up REALLY LOUD! I did let to go up and see him as, once I was fully foiled and with no makeup on I would've scared the living daylights out of him! 😂👹

Time to chill...... Be back later.......

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Hair done, light and bright again, it feels so much better!

Went back to the beautician's for a manicure, which was also lovely and relaxing, especially the part where I had to put my arms in heat pads for a while. Toasty and warm! My only slight disappointment was that it wasn't gel nails, I guess I just sort of assumed they would be. Never mind. Still never than when I do them myself but, typically, still managed to catch one whilst putting my coat on!

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All in all it was a lovely few hours and I feel nice and refreshed now, looking forward to our trip to the Cotswolds 😊

Going A. W. O. L.

I don't know - give a girl a bit of freedom......... and she will find shops!! 😂

So Saturday provided me with the exciting prospect of doing the grocery shopping. On my own!! I also had something to pick something up from town... it seemed sensible to get that first than go and get the shopping. I was under strict instructions to text when I arrived everywhere to confirm I was ok.

I drove into town and parked, the shop I needed was only over the road from the car park so a nice, quick and easy trip. Until I left the car and started to make my way out through the shopping centre.... Then it hit me. I was in town. On my own. No kids. No Jay. Just me........ and oh soooo many shops!!!

Well..... What would you do?!

I decided I'd got enough time to just pop into one shop and have a casual look around without constantly having to turn my head full circle to watch the kids before giving up trying to look at anything, which is what usually happens.

Next I went across the road to collect my parcel from Waterstones... But at the last minute walked straight by Waterstones to have a nice relaxed stroll through the Highcross... Tiger caught my eye so I had to go in, it would have been rude not to! I love that shop!! Then, as I was already halfway there by now anyway, I thought I might as well go and have a look around Paperchase too, another favourite of mine!

I eventually meandered my way back to the only shop I came to town for, picked up my parcel and started to make my way back to the car.

Via TK Maxx 😁.

I did find a better backpack for Faye for school in there though so it was a good job I called in! I did then get a text checking I was ok as I'd been gone for over 2 hours and not text to say I'd  made it to Asda. Oooops! What can I say? Time flies when you're having fun!!

I then had a similar problem in Asda, looking around the aisles I didn't need before realising I'd been there for about 15 mins and not got one thing off the list!! I just whizzed around quickly to get everything, and only went 'off list' a couple of times, which I thought was really good!

I wonder if I'll be allowed to do the shopping again next week......... 🤔

It's soooooooooo exciting!!!

Finally! After 6 loooooooooong months, I'm driving again!!!

I can't even begin to express how happy I am! It felt so good to get in the car and drive the kids to school this morning before driving to work! I thought it would be a bit weird and I would feel nervous but it was like I'd never stopped!!

It was just like old times.... grumbling about other 'drivers' (using the term loosely!) within about 10 minutes of being back behind the wheel! 😂

There'll be no stopping me now! I can go anywhere, anytime, without having to rely on anyone else or put anyone else out. It feels so good!! 😊

I am, once again, Little Miss Independent
and I'm loving it!!!

Only a short blog but I am so excited I just wanted to share it with you!!

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Bus journey #4 - Passenger's Log, busdate 220218.1

I'm so cold!! My hands are freezing so excuse any typos!!

I not-so-merrily watched my bus go driving off as I was stuck in the middle of the road waiting to cross! 😡

Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long for the next one! Just long enough to become a viable study for cryogenics......

You can tell its nearing the end of the week as its very quiet on the bus, apart from one little old lady who's happily telling her friend (and the rest of the bus) the state of another friend's house and health 😂 She does seem to have a better social life than me and her weekend is taking a lot of planning!

Anyway my bus journeys may be short lived. Last night I got home to a letter from the DVLA saying they were renewing my licence, which should arrive within 14 days!  Today I got home to my licence!! 😁

It might take me a few trips to brave it on my own but it's only been 6 months.... What could go wrong??!

Bus journey #3 - Passenger's Log, busdate 210218.1

What timing! I'm getting the knack of this now! Although it's still far too early in my opinion, and only necessary because I have a course today . Hopefully I won't injure anyone on this one like I almost did on the last one which, ironically, was a first aider course! That, however, is an entirely different story!

Got to the bus stop as the bus came down the road and got straight on. To be fair I wasn't sure if it was my bus at first as I couldn't see the number, and I didn't want to stop it if it wasn't. Luckily another lady arrived just before the ideal 'stick your arm out to stop the bus' time, but she didn't make any move to stop the bus. Panicking so I ended up having  to ask her! I really should remember my glasses, it makes the whole waiting-to-see-what-number-the-bus-is-without-jumping-out-infront-of-it  far less stressful! Catching the bus at the end of the day, however, holds the risk of jumping in front of it for an entirely different reason, depending on how crap the day has been!

I've decided my bus journeys are in fact really boring! Or maybe it's just too early for the characters to be out and about!

Short and sweet but I'm now arriving at work so logging off......

Bus journey #2 - Passenger's Log, busdate 200218.1

Well that started well! Maybe it wasn't the best idea to start a bus log on my last bus journey before half term!

Well the good news is that I caught an even earlier bus than I intended to, AND I've treated myself to a yummy breakfast for my efforts. The bad news is the lady in sainsbury doesn't like me anymore!

But why?! I hear you ask. It appears I am perfectly capable of upsetting people before I've even had my first cup of coffee (but counting my family of course)!

Basically I didn't have any change for the bus and I can't use my pass before 9.30. So I didn't have any choice! Sainsbury's it was to buy something to get some change. The first thing I saw was a maple and pecan plait. Mmmmm mmmmm. My favourite! Off I went to Mrs Grumpy Pants on the till with, what I thought was, a suitably apologetic expression and grimace when I handed her my £10 for my 80p year with a "I'm really sorry, it's all I have" (which was true, apart from a 2p). Needless to say, she wasn't impressed as she huffed, puffed and grumbled due to me presumably emptying her till of the entire float for my change which, for the record, consisted of one note and three coins! So I thanked her, flashed her my best smile, and left. Quickly. Just in time to see my bus making its way down the road 😊

It was one of my favourite friendly drivers so things started to look up! It was surprisingly full for the time of morning, most of the passengers getting off with me at the hospital, which just shows how much earlier than me most people here start work, even when I think I'm really early!

A pretty uneventful journey!!

Bus journey #1 - Passenger's Log, busdate 090218.1

Hmmmmm so how do I do this?!

My bus journey only lasts 10-15 minutes and is usually relatively boring....

So I could start with the boring stuff, like whether the bus was on time or not, afterall this is likely to affect my mood and could colour my perception of the rest of the journey! The bus drivers obviously vary too from happy and friendly, through uninterested to downright grumpy and rude. The same also applies to passengers of course!

To kick-start, for my first logged journey, the bus was 5 mins late. "What?! No way!!" I hear you all cry in shock and horror. I know, I know, unbelievable as it is, it's true! Now, this was an early bus for me so, having dragged myself out of bed, in what to me felt like the middle of the night, to get showered, ready for work and run out of the house (ok, slight exaggeration, everyone knows I don't run. Ever. 😂) with just enough time to make it to the bus stop, I have to admit I was slightly irked that it was late. It couldn't even blame the traffic, there wasn't any, it was too damn early!!

Anyway, as I never dry my hair, unless I have the urge to spend the day looking like Crystal Tips, or have a couple of free hours to straighten it only to walk out of the door and end up with the same result within 5 mins of being outside, by the time the bus arrived my still-wet hair had frozen. I'm talking icicles! If I'd spun around quickly I could have accidentally decapitated at least three people with it! In my defence, they shouldn't have been standing so close, I mean 'personal space' people, come on!!!

I digress, so...... the bus driver was a youngish pleasant man so that was a good start. I settled into my seat, as did other passengers, then I heard the most vigorous page turning of a newspaper I think I've ever heard! To begin with I thought the pages were being ripped out but no, the man in question was just flicking through the paper. He didn't look to be grumpy, maybe he just didn't like the articles.... This continued for most of the journey, occasionally drowning out the conversation of the couple behind him, one of whom appeared to have recently found out that someone they both knew had died, leading to a lengthy discussion about, and breakdown of, the deceased acquaintance's smoking habits. Not in a sense of whether it was bad for him or contributed to his demise, but very specific details of when and where he smoked and even down to how much he would smoke of a cigarette, depending on the previous two factors. Oh how they laughed!! 😕

By that time I had reached work and paper destroying man was confirmed to not be at all grumpy as the bus came to a stop and he gave me a lovely smile, indicating for me to get off first.....

Marks out of 10? That's up to you, let me know what you think!!

Back in the blog

So I haven't blogged since my op.... I keep wanting to but struggling to get back into it! Now I'm back on the bus to or from work most days I'm thinking of starting a bus journey Blog to get me started again 🤔#buspeoplewatching