There was no writing group yesterday as it’s the Christmas break. There is however a festive get together today and it’ll be a good way to end another year of writing creatively. It’ll also help take my mind off this week’s appointments – a phone appointment with a consultant rheumatologist this morning followed by another appointment with the musculoskeletal practitioner at midday, then x-rays on Friday. I rarely used to visit my GP, now it seems I’ve got a season ticket.

I’m feeling far calmer about my health this week but last week I was having phantom symptoms. My shoulders were slumping forward echoing Mum’s kyphosis, and every joint and muscle ached. I had a few days to process the information. I remembered that the mind is a powerful tool. I’ve realised I’m unlikely to break any bones for at least 20 years.

The Festive do was a bit flat. It seemed like most people had SAD. Town was drab and dreary and when I caught my reflection in the mirror, I looked as grey and sun deprived as the skies outside. I stayed for a while. It’s a good feeling to belong somewhere.

Then I treated myself to a Thai special:

I’ve promised myself these small indulgences for some time, so now that I don’t have any food restrictions as such, I’m just eating the foods I’ve wanted for a while. Interestingly, I’m not craving chocolate or sweets.

The food was excellent but the atmosphere was terrible. The Thai place is located in a small food hall in a shopping centre in town. There were plenty of tables big and small. I chose a small table. There was a big TV screen showing an action film featuring The Rock and Ryan Reynolds which was very distracting, there was pop music playing in the background, then a guy came to sit directly in my sight line. He spent his entire meal watching something on his mobile with the volume on, sans earbuds. Sensory overload! It was an exercise in nom om 🍱 🧘‍♀️