It’s always a sad day when we leave Ullapool to head south. Especially on such a fine spring day as yesterday. However we are quite good at the routine; tidying and cleaning the cottage so that it is ready for our next visit. By 11 o’clock we were on our way, with the cats safely if unhappily in their basket, and some new scratches on my arms to show for it. I caught Tom first, put him in the basket, zipped it up and went to find Flora. When I arrived back Tom had cleverly unzipped the carrier and was nowhere to be seen! I found him strolling down the lane beside the cottage and he was not a happy boy to be taken back to the car. Half way through the journey, when James took over the driving, I had the idea of taking Flora out of the basket to give Tom more room (sometimes we hear them having a quick fight in the carrier) and to keep her calm by holding her and patting her. This worked very well for Flora, she seemed a lot happier on my knee and looked out of the window some of the time. However Tom must have missed her company because he then did a bit of panting and whining in his wee scratchy voice.
They were both very happy to arrive home and reacquainted themselves with their house and garden.
Meanwhile, I had to go almost straight back out again because I had not one but two medical appointments to attend. The first was the one I dreaded most, my three yearly mammogram appointment. How quickly that three years goes by. Last time was horrendously painful so I spoke to the nurse and she did her best to put me at ease. She was really nice but it was still very painful. I am however grateful to get these tests, much better than missing any signs of breast cancer. I went straight into the Starbucks next door and was so stressed that I initially forgot to order coffee with my cake! I relaxed and was very glad that my ordeal was over. Next I went to Ross Hall to see a dermatologist about my increasingly rashy and sometimes spotty face. Except that I didn’t realise that Ross Hall has opened a brand new facility at Braehead, so I turned up at the usual place in plenty of time, only to be sent onwards, arriving slightly late. The consultant seemed a bit frosty; I don’t know if he’s just like that or whether he was furious to be kept late on a Friday evening. However he was quite helpful, prescribed a couple of things and I’m to go back in three months.
I got home exhausted to find that James had not only done some grocery shopping and processed several loads of washing, he was cooking a lovely meal for me to cheer me up after my mammogram. It was from the Jamie Oliver Veg cookbook, and was called Mighty Mushroom Pasta. It was absolutely delicious, with lots of mushrooms and a wee chilli kick, and it was topped with garlicky hazelnut breadcrumbs. I was really touched at the effort he had gone to, and it really did cheer me up.
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