Back from Cuba

No, not me - I didn't go. Did you miss that?
But Vicky, Debby and all the others came back safely just after my last post. Vicky came to visit with 1700 photos and this:

personalised certificate!

So, its official - I WAS there. Well, I did raise the money for the school (thanks to all you good people out there, no-one has yet demanded their money back) so I guess that's what I got the certificate for. 

Vicky brought lots of other goodies back, apparently having left any surplus cycle stuff,  pump etc, she had plenty of room in her bag, so there was a wonderful basket (yes, I DO need another basket), a shirt for John, coffee from the mountains, a plastic bottle of honey, cinnamon, and a bottle of cuban rum. So we have moved into the cocktail crowd, having rum and coke every evening. Is that a cocktail? I think John adds other things to his, lime etc, but I'm a simpler soul.

The photos were great, gave me a real feel for the trip, and Vicky says someone is putting a video together so eventually I shall feel as if I really did go.

The saga of my broken leg drags on and on. I went to the fracture clinic on the 15th, had the plaster off and found out that I will need another operation to take out some of the screws again. Apparently those that are holding the tibia together will stay there unless excess sport (cycling???) causes them to work their way out - ouch- but they also put other screws in to hold the fibula in place and those need to come out now. Pity no-one thought to tell me that at the time. So, I'm still on crutches and not to put weight on my right leg. After waiting a week I heard from the hospital yesterday that they would operate on June 19th. WHAT? That's another month away. Really, my life has been on hold for long enough. I think the woman on the phone understood that I wasn't happy and thankfully phoned back  today with a revised date of May 30th. Big sigh, that's next Friday. Fingers crossed that's the end of the road.

So, what can you do on one leg? Last Friday, I ventured to London by train for a hertfordshire basketry committee meeting, forcing John to come too to carry my stuff. Luckily Angie was free so she could entertain him (I think they went to the pub) while I 'committee-d' and then we took 2 buses to Clerkenwell as a friend was exhibiting in 'Made in Clerkenwell' When we got there we found she was on the third floor, and there was no lift. Stairs are nightmare, on crutches but eventually I got up there, and it was well worth it. Maggie makes the most amazing items entirely from willow using every part of the plant, which she deconstructs, stripping off the bark, hammering out the fibres, shaving down the wood and then builds back up by every process imaginable, including knitting! The other exhibitors seemed mostly to be jewellers, along with some amazing pop-up cards, illustration, printing, and an installation consisting of a bit of turf erupting through the floor. Hmmm. Thankfully getting down the stairs was much easier than I'd feared, leaning on John and the bannister rather than trusting my crutches.

Sorry there aren't any photos this time. My camera has gone off to be mended, the camera on my phone doesn't seem to be working properly either, and anyway the cable to download the photos has also gone walkabout. will try harder next time.