S.A.D.?.....Not since I've discovered Minley Wood

"It's two in the morning and once more the dawning has brought out the wanting in me!" to misquote Faron Young's hit of 1971. The dilemma though is that I can't work out why exactly it is that  I am suddenly feeling so flat after what has been a very good few days. To my nearest and dearest and even the most casual observer of this recent interlude it would, I have no doubt, be a no brainer: Today's lack of exercise; drop dead tireness; stress; lousy weather; over eating later than usual; excess alcohol;  propensity to sink emotionally at this particular time of year; irregular bowel movements making me feel bloated and uncomfortable with painful wind; thoughts about a lot of friends and acquaintances going through a rough patch at the moment; and an abortive 100 mile drive round trip to Winchester. Oh and possibly, just by the way, would a little light-headedness from anemia brought about by a reduction in the platelet count in the bone marrow as a result of chemotherapy treatment for cancer have anything to do with it? Now let me just think about all that for a nano second; and there you are, problem sorted. So all I need to do is have a good sh-1-t and go back to bed - Simples! If only it were that straight forward.

"The Long and Winding Road (thro' Minley Woood, where....) You Left Me Standing Here!"

A fresh brew of green tea with lemon and ginger, a couple of dunking biscuits and we are set to review the weekend's activities which paradoxically, as will be blatantly evident, gave me every good reason to be feeling on top of the world. Surely it would make more sense to write up my blog installments whilst in that earlier frame of mind at a time other than now when feeling at a low ebb; but I'll try not to let it taint the experience.

Penny Lane, Minley Wood, Hampshire - 2nd October 2010

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All in all it was a relaxing weekend with nothing especially planned, though there were some options if feeling up to it.

At this point I would like to take the opportunity to thank Lisa and Nick Yates from Fleet who ran the Cancer Research 10k Run at Hampton Court on Sunday and included my name on their 'Running for...' vest label. I congratulate and sponsor you both for a very fine effort indeed, especially Lisa who beat her best time by 3 minutes* 

Please sponsor Lisa and Nick

After a complete rest day throughout Friday's non-stop rain, which proved most beneficial because it was not enforced by, or executed in the face of discomfort from the symptoms of the disease or its treatment, and during which Nikky treated me to the first in a series of haircuts planned to ease the transition to baldness, it started out with an early outing on Saturday to Minley Wood with Chaka to take advantage of the glorious weather.  Gary came round for a bacon sandwich at lunch time while Geraldine went on a shopping expedition, not only to enable us to offer a more substantial repast to any other guests but also to stock up on ingredients for my newly delivered juicer, destined to become the most utilised gadget in the kitchen replacing the now redundant bread maker. The main purpose of Gary's visit was a tutorial on Photoshop techniques which produced the composite photo of Alfie and Chaka in the previous posting. I was particularly impressed with the latest cloning technique which actually predicts appropriate infill from the overall content of the image - how sophisticated is that? Before dozing through an exciting Currie Cup match between the Blue Bulls and Western Province I knocked up a batch of Delia's Authentic Ragu Bolognese Sauce; a task previously postponed on the grounds of apathy.Sunday's total washout weather wise, which witnessed my aforementioned abortive attempt to join the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group's foray at Northington Grange near New Alresford, was brightened up on my return by a pleasant intermission when briefly visiting Tim and Caroline on the occasion of Caroline's 31st birthday and meeting her charming mum into the bargain. After whiling away the rest of the afternoon on the computer or dozing I prepared a luxury fish pie using cod, haddock, salmon, prawns and scallops topped off with a creamy cheese mash, washed down with a white Rioja from M&S. Dessert was a Tesco's Finest Champagne Rhubarb Yogurt and a liberal helping of Exloda, that well known ingredient used in combination chemotherapy for advanced oesophageal cancer and which apparently does just what it says on the packet!

So now you know why my mind is somewhat confused by the contradictory outcome  of this weekend's events. There's nothing like a portion of self pity to ruin your appetite so my advice is to  keep it off the menu permanently. 

"We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun. But the wine and the song, like the seasons, all have gone."

Rod McKuen and Jaqcues Brel may have lost the seasons according to the words in the above song,  a dying protagonist's farewell to relatives and friends, but on a decidely joyful note I eventually rediscovered them as a celebration of life with this series of photographs taken in the same location of Minley Wood, Hampshire during 2006-7 (the bonus was the winter scene shot taken after the first significant overnight snow fall in the area for ten years and when, apart from those of the wildlife, mine and Chaka's were the only other prints in the snow very early the following morning - mission to complete the set accomplished as well as laying a few ghosts to rest!)

Summer Rain

Autumn Cathedral

Winter Palace

Spring Grove

*Sponsor Lisa and Nick