D Day + 46: Monday 27 September 2010 - An Uphill Struggle

Bit of a dip in mood today.  Mornings are a bit of a struggle for C - when he's asleep he's obviously not thinking about how ill he is, but once the morning comes and he wakes up it hits him that he has cancer, and it can be a tough time to get positive and motivated - not every morning, some are worse than others, but we get there.
Jill and Arth popped in for a cup of tea - Jill brought over a book she'd found that C would enjoy, by a guy who was in Genesis before they were famous and who moved to a run down farm in Andalucia; it's the story of how he and his wife did the farm up, met the locals etc...something I'm sure lots of us dream about, an alternative lifestyle.  (Especially right now).
Today we needed to get out and about - we'd spent too much time sitting around yesterday afternoon and evening, which doesn't do either of us any good mentally or physically - so an easy solution was to get a car picnic organised and get out.  We took the mutts and all piled in the Land Rover.  Luccombe Down (which I have called Ventnor Down previously but found out today I'd been wrong!) is a beautiful spot with fab views, so we headed that way.  I got C to drop me and the mutts off at the car park by the Landslip tea rooms, and we marched across the road and up the near vertical slope; amazing views the higher you get up, but a lot less breath and energy with every step!!!  My leg muscles got the workout of their life going up there...Sidney was charging around with his usual manic energy and disappeared ahead of me at one point - I whistled him back and he came charging out of the undergrowth at the top of the slope, only to realise that he was going downhill so fast he couldn't stop and skidded past me at a rate of knots...mad dog, but it made me hoot!!
On the topic of Landslip...there's a rock formation down there through which the footpath runs, which is called the Devil's Chimney.  No 2 renamed this for eternity when he was younger however, as we used to go there with both boys quite a lot - the tea room was always a nice place to stop for ice cream etc, so No 2 would always ask if we could go back to the 'Devil's Nostril' if he was ever asked what he wanted to do.  So, the Devil's Nostril it will remain!!!!  Bit apt really, as it's very damp and green.....
Anyhow, we made it up to the top of the Down to find C parked up waiting for us - we had a wander along the top (it's easier for C to do level walking so he doesn't get too puffed) where Sidney had great fun darting about in the heather and bracken...he was pretty well camouflaged so see if you can spot him - 

and then back for a car picnic - sandwiches made with the Briddlesford Bread, the pickled onions, and flask tea.  Marvellous stuff - simple things really are the best, aren't they?

Rom was back tonight, so while C watched a film he'd recorded I spent an hour or so up with her doing girlie stuff.  It's been a lovely day; C is happiest when he's doing something simple and it's enough of a distraction without being too tiring.  I just hope I can manage to keep thinking of things like this to do so we can keep going.