I have a busy life and the way I maintain my sanity is to compartmentalise my life. So when at work, I fully focus on my job, at home its family life etc.. Generally this works and helps to manage my time, there is a time and place for everything. In the run up to my operation, I have continued this strategy but this week, as I have finished things off at work and delegated jobs in my absence the reality of the operation and recovery period is beginning to feel real. I have tried to distract myself with practical matters, all birthday cards and presents for the next 6 weeks are written, wrapped and posted, house admin is all prepped in advance and all the decorations and nice things for Halloween and Bonfire Night are all ready to go.

We have also transformed our dining room into my room for the next few weeks so there are no stairs to go up and down. I’m really pleased how this has turned out and has definitely inspired us to think of it as a potential guest room. I love that the French doors lead to a hidden courtyard and so even if I can’t go out I can open the doors and feel the air. I have a pile of books and magazines to read and a play list of podcasts in my room, I can’t imagine how its going to feel to have this time to pause.

With the upcoming operation, this week was all about work and there was no sparkles in the working week, apart from starting the book An American Marriage as part of the girls’ daily sofa reading time. This is when my daughter and I sit down together and read as part of her daily homework schedule. This was a book which grabbed me from page 1 and is one I think about when I’m not reading it, the injustice leaves you seething and I’m not sure there’s going to be a happy ending.

I had a lovely surprise in the post this week as my dad sent me a Fortnum and Mason recipe book for afternoon tea as a thank you for my gift of afternoon tea for his 75th birthday. Its a beautiful book with recipes I’m looking forward to trying.

Saturday was the highlight of the week for its simple pleasures. Our son was at scout camp, his first for nearly two years due to Covid, so we had a relaxed day at home following my Covid test as I needed to self isolate. My Covid test was first thing in a town 20 miles away so it was an early start with no time for my Saturday morning run. I arrived in the town early and was able to pop into Waitrose to pick up a few things, all the essentials, my Saturday newspaper, felt pumpkins, NYR moisturiser, the new Christmas Cath Kisdton Roses tin etc. before the isolation began. The test itself was easy and quick and I was home before 10am. Little Miss and I enjoyed a kitchen day, making a delicious butternut squash and sweet potato soup accompanied by home made cheese scones for lunch and mini Victoria sponges for an afternoon treat. We then settled down to watch Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, I loved it but I bet its even better on the stage as a musical. With Strictly finishing our day, it was my kind of day.

I’m now on the final countdown to the operation and hopefully by the next time I write all will have passed smoothly and I will be happily settled in my room recovering.