Bye For A While!

[Smith1942]

So, tomorrow I have family houseguests from the UK arriving for almost a month...the elderly type who need to be cooked for and entertained and taken out and laundered for. Can't wait to see them, but the headless-chicken act of home/guest prep starts today for me, and also the computer is in their room, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post.

But I'll see you soon, everyone!

 

[Cozystitches]

Enjoy your guests! I'm not a fan of the panic cleaning (however I seem to do it more frequently as I detest cleaning anyway ) so I hope it goes quickly and easily.

 

[AGBF]

Well, I'll miss you!!!

Deb

 

[Rosebloom]

I'll miss you too! Grab a trash bag and toss all the clutter in there. Hide it in the back of your closet. Cleaning done!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Have fun, if you can!

 

[JewelFreak]

Hey, Smith, I'll miss you too -- you're fun to "talk" to. BTW, since you won't see any answer -- loved the photo of your dad, handsome dude, and further seafaring tales. More when you're back. Hope you enjoy your visitors -- but be sure & return here!

--- Laurie

 

[VRBeauty]

Good luck with the prep and visit - hope to see you back soon!

 

[movie zombie]

enjoy the visit!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

See you soon. Enjoy your company.

Annette

 

[LLJsmom]

Bye Smith, have fun with your guests. Doesn't hurt to take break now and then. . Helps Calm the DSS beast for a while. . See you when school starts, the calendar around which my life revolves.

 

[LaraOnline]

I hope you survive - and even ENJOY! - your guests!
See you on 'the other side'.

 

[woofmama]

Awwww! Wish I could give you a big hug good-bye Smith

Enjoy your houseguests!

 

[Smith1942]

Thank you, everyone!

Woofmama, out of all the potential huggers on Pricescope, YOU are the one who worries me the most! (To anyone reading this, if that sounds an odd thing to say, see this thread about hugging, which culminated in many threats of physical attacks on my person! [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/are-people-too-touchy-feely-these-days.188662/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/are-people-too-touchy-feely-these-days.188662/[/URL])

So, the guests have gone. It was lovely to see them and give them a break; however things were very difficult because true to form, I received a bad medical diagnosis in the middle of their three-week trip. This is the THIRD time that's happened. When we have guests, I either get a medical diagnosis or someone close to me does. In 2010 I was told I needed my gallbladder removed when I was hosting guests, which was my first ever surgery - it's awful trying to make small talk and cook dinner and carry on when your head's spinning with medical news - and then I was hosting a houseful of guests Dec 20th last year when I was told my mother's breast cancer had returned and there was nothing to be done, and I had to carry on hosting and cooking and being cheerful for two weeks after getting the news, and now it's happened again! Am afraid to have guests at this point!

It is lifelong, but not life-threatening or life-shortening, just intensely embarrassing and very occasionally uncomfortable, and will need extra attention if childbearing. I was shocked beyond belief when I found out, but tried to carry on, which didn't work very well. We were all together in this city-central small flat, and I was cooking dinner for everyone, completely stunned, as it was the day I found out. The guests are sitting in the living room, and I'm cooking, feeling terrible, and I hit the pan with the wooden spoon a couple of times, which didn't work, and then I threw the spoon at the wall, which didn't work. Had my husband and I been alone, I would have been able to let it all out and just raged, but I couldn't as we had elderly houseguests sitting right in the next room. As it was, in a moment of sheer anger and frustration and disbelief, which I wasn't able to express, I took the kitchen scissors and hacked my ponytail off. I realised, at that point, that I couldn't carry on that day. I called my husband, he finished the cooking and I went to bed for the evening and the next day. I had to go to the hairdresser's and get the hair fixed. She did a decent job, and it looks rather nice. But it was about elbow length and now it's a shoulder length layered bob! It was such a drastic thing to do, though, that it did release the tension a bit. Altogether I've lost about 15 inches from the length. It'll grow back though - hey, it's only hair.

I've had a number of medical appointments since then and am feeling a million times better. It was mainly shock, and the fact the condition is lifelong and miles too embarrassing to tell anyone except my husband about. After that, it was suspected I had a second, related condition but I was cleared of that today, so am feeling much, much brighter and happier.

Am having guests again in November - feeling a certain amount of trepidation!

Onto the good news - the bling news! - the double drop diamond marquise earrings that I have loved for a long time at Blue Nile suddenly went on sale, from $1,390 to $943! So I just received those today, and will be posting them in SMTB. I also have my Tiffany spoils to post from the tax-free weekend.

With the conclusion of the medical appointments today, and the guests gone home, and the new bling, I am feeling much more like myself again.

And, I'm going home next week to see my niece dance. She is ten, and has won a place in the English Youth Ballet. It will be such a nice trip, after all the stress, and I might even treat myself to those amazing double-diamond flower drop earrings that I posted about a while ago. Or maybe a wee Cartier item, who knows!


Anyway, so that's my news from the last month. Things are much, much better now.

 

[Enerchi]

Welcome back!!

Wow - I'd be a tad nervous about those November guests as well!! I'm very happy that now -> YOU are happy! YAY for better medical news ... AND Tiffany treasures... AND Blue Nile marquis earrings.... and ...if you wanted to post a pic of your new 'do, we'd love to see it!! I'm sure its a fantastic cut, however it happened to appear on your head!! All to say, glad things are looking a bit brighter for you!

(and someday, we *will* hit up EB Horn on my next Boston trip!! )

 

[Smith1942]

Thanks Enerchi! Here is a pic of the bottom part of the hair cut. I'm too shy to do the full monty, but if you've ever seen my other pics on here you'll know it used to be really long. Oh - I also had it highlighted, in an attempt to feel better!

Pix of the Magic Marquises coming up in SMTB! In this shot I'm wearing the earrings and my James Allen 0.52 D Si2 AGS triple 000 pendant.

 

[rosetta]

Ok now I'm wondering what this mystery illness is....piles? Incontinence? A full beard?

I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Don't answer!

Glad you're back, I'm off to see the new spoils on SMTB!

 

[Smith1942]

Rosetta, the mystery illness is....everything I touch turns to diamond!

 

[rosetta]

Rosetta, the mystery illness is....everything I touch turns to diamond!

OMG. Come cough on me so I can contract said disease.

 

[Smith1942]

 

[Enerchi]

Rosetta, the mystery illness is....everything I touch turns to diamond!

OMG!!! slap me around, spit on me... whatever it takes... I *SOOOOOOO* Want that illness!! please please please??

Your hair looks STUNNING!! I think that was the best angry thing you've done!! (not that I know all your angry actions, but I love how this one turned out! )

 

[Smith1942]

Rosetta, the mystery illness is....everything I touch turns to diamond!

OMG!!! slap me around, spit on me... whatever it takes... I *SOOOOOOO* Want that illness!! please please please??

Your hair looks STUNNING!! I think that was the best angry thing you've done!! (not that I know all your angry actions, but I love how this one turned out! )

Thanks Enerchi, that was sweet. I then had further urges to cut more off but I managed to resist. And yeah, my disease is good. My fridge is now made of diamond, my table, my TV - everything!

 

[movie zombie]

ah, the power of venting on pricescope!
good for the soul and the cobwebs in the head as well.
welcome back!
and your hair is gorgeous!
at that length it will grow out quickly......I do not consider shoulder length to be short....above the shoulders is a yes. you can still put it up if you want.
and the jewelry looks divine on you!
again, welcome back and I hope your health condition evens out.

 

[woofmama]

So glad your back Smith! Sorry to learn you're going through a health issue. I hope that you only hear good news moving forward
Your hair looks fabulous, still long and pretty, great color, too!

And if it's true everything you touch turns to diamonds, I Won't hug you, love diamonds but not enough to want to become one

 

[Smith1942]

ah, the power of venting on pricescope!
good for the soul and the cobwebs in the head as well.
welcome back!
and your hair is gorgeous!
at that length it will grow out quickly......I do not consider shoulder length to be short....above the shoulders is a yes. you can still put it up if you want.
and the jewelry looks divine on you!
again, welcome back and I hope your health condition evens out.

Thanks, Movie Zombie! My hair is naturally mid-brown and frizzy. It's amazing what a packet of hair dye, a blow-dryer, and a round brush can achieve!

My health condition has already evened out, thank goodness. It will bother me only very occasionally. It's a condition which is associated with isolation and depression, but I don't feel any of those things. But for the first time, I'm not telling my BFF of 34 years about my latest news. And that is unprecedented, but that's how embarrassing it is. I am lucky to have my family. I feel much happier now that the shock has gone, and I was cleared of the second thing. It was mainly the shock that affected me. I had a zero risk of this condition and it usually affects people who have a completely different medical profile from me. There was nothing in the environment or context of my life to ever suggest I would get this. When you swim in the sea, you know that sharks live there too, however unlikely it is that you'd get bitten. When you swim in the hotel pool, you know without a doubt that there are no sharks in the pool. This was the equivalent of a small reef shark turning up in your bath. An indescribable shock and something you could never have predicted in a month of Sundays.

It's amazing how much better I feel now, compared to 2-3 weeks ago.

 

[Smith1942]

So glad your back Smith! Sorry to learn you're going through a health issue. I hope that you only hear good news moving forward
Your hair looks fabulous, still long and pretty, great color, too!

And if it's true everything you touch turns to diamonds, I Won't hug you, love diamonds but not enough to want to become one

Thanks for the good wishes, Woofie! I'm feeling back to my old self now.