Funny old week – there’s life in the old nag yet! #117

Some weeks seem glamorous. Some weeks less so. Last week was a week of two, not necessarily linear or chronological, halves. One was about health. The other arts and culture – ish.

Let’s get the health stuff out of the way.

M-O-T

After years of becoming increasingly ‘mutton’ I decided to have a hearing test. Turns out, the test was only possible after a serious de-wax! Sorry I know that’s a bit grim; Hopefully you’re not eating as you read this. Let’s just say, no wonder I was having difficulty hearing. Turns out my hearing is normal.

Ears, closely followed by teeth. My annual dental check and six-monthly hygienist. I’m all for people learning on the job but blimey, my young hygienist seemed to be excavating for gold. She’s certainly a completer finisher. And yes, I do drink coffee and red wine. I cherish my teeth but those habits? Keepers. And, after years of ‘watching’ its curtains for that old amalgam filling still hanging on in there; it owes me nothing and has done me proud.

Rounded off, and totally out of the blue, I found myself in Moorfields A&E on Bank Holiday Friday afternoon. A scratch to my cornea or the beginnings of an ulcer (WTF!) - the doctor was unsure so decided an aggressive treatment strategy was needed. Hourly, night and day, eye drops for forty-eight hours, followed by five days waking hours, then four hourly for seven! And no contact lenses for a month. Blimey. I think most likely an abundance of caution but I’m not going to argue with my sight. In and out within two and a half hours, not bad, thank you NHS!

The joys of ageing…

Fun

Now for the fun stuff.

Two great films, one incredible play, a daytime ‘disco’ and a Norf London party.

The films were a contrast. Both at The Rio, my local cinema I mentioned in week #114-115

The first – The Christophers. A masterclass in acting from Ian McKellen, playing an ageing, once acclaimed, now cancelled and cantankerous artist. His rehabilitation, made possible by the appearance of the object of his scathing scorn, Michaela Cole. Set up by his less than scrupulous son and daughter (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) Michaela becomes Ian’s assistant. Beautifully shot and acted, well worth a watch.

The second, the 1996 film, Bound. Starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly the film is a classy, sexy, gangster movie. Unusual in having two leading women who start an affair then take on the mob. A cult film much loved by fans of film noir and lesbians in equal measure. The diverse audience at my cinema certainly had a good time.

The play, Mass at the Donmar. Set seven years after a school shooting in the USA, the parents of the shooter, Hayden, meet face to face with the parents of one of the victims, 14 year old Evan. The acting is sublime, tense, charged, heartbreaking. All four have lost so much. All struggling to move on. The play’s central themes - forgiveness and restorative justice. So raw, so tough, yet for the parents perhaps the only way to move forward after experiencing such violence and grief.

On Saturday I met a group of women from Noon to dance our hearts out at an ‘over 30s’ afternoon disco at Scala in Kings Cross. Two rooms to choose from – Indie or Club de Fromage. I floated between the two settling mainly for cheese, gotta love a Club Tropicana vibe on perhaps the hottest day of the year. And the best part? I was done by 5pm, leaving time to escape the heat of London for the rest of the bank holiday in the country.

And to top it all, Arsenal, my local team (and one of the three teams I support which I appreciate is not allowed…), won the Premiership after 22 years. North London, well half of it anyway, erupted when Bournemouth held Man City to a 1-1 draw.

All in all quite a week.

Soul

I’ve certainly been busy.

And I’ve had fun.

Spent some time with friends. Some time alone.

But have I fed my soul? I’m not so sure. Fortunately, as I write this, I’m on my way to see good friends in the country to just be. Good food, good wine, good chats. Nurturing, restorative, soulful calm time. Exactly what the soul ordered.

The thing is, it’s easy to be busy. That’s what I do.

And the world keeps on spinning.

And I’m another week older.

You

A slightly strange end to this post I know. A glimpse into my life. The fluff, froth and underbelly. Happy, yet slightly off par. It’ll pass. It always does.

Enough about me. As ever I’m interested in you. It’s easy to be busy isn’t it.

How do you ground yourself and make sure your soul is fed?

Pour yourself your favourite tipple and drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

And remember, you’re never going to be any younger than you are today, accept not every day, week or month is perfect, just live them anyway.

Until next week my friends,

Ruth x

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