Almost Xmas Day

There used to be a television programme called That Was the Week That Was. I feel for me that 2015 was the year that was. An unusual year to say the least,  difficult in the extreme. This time last year I had serious doubts about my capacity to survive another year, let alone continue to enjoy life.  I'm very happy, beyond dreams,  to be sitting here still writing my blog and now looking forward, a little apprehensively perhaps, to 2016. Life has rarely felt so intense or so worth living.

I shall shortly go for a walk to the Pond to see how our geese and ducks and all their friends are getting on. It looks as though I'm going to live to see another brood of cygnets next year. The heron has been back. I saw it couple of weeks ago, so hopefully he or she is around today. A couple of cormorants have been spotted by my friend John, so maybe they will still be there.

After that I'm going to meet Kieran and Kerry for a little Xmas outing. Tomorrow I go to Cupar to enjoy the festivities with Coinneach and co. Fortunately the Scottish government heard I was going to Fife on Xmas day so they've arranged for the Forth bridge to be re-opened for my passage across. Thanks to Nicola our esteemed leader.

I have finished my first cycle of chemo and now have a break for a week before I start the next cycle. I've not suffered any major side effects from the chemo drugs so far, which I'm pleased about. The only problem is the tiredness and constant feeling of exhaustion. But I've got so used to that now that it feels almost normal.

I've not been to any more movies since we last spoke but I'm planning to go to see Carol Emer on Monday. I'm enjoying reading  Sentenced to Life by Clive James, who is surprised to be still around to entertain and delight us. I've got Donald Maciver Paterson's new book of poems called 40 Sonnets as well, which I've been dipping into. He's one of my favourite modern poets and Scottish to boot. I hope you all managed to read Carol Ann Duffy's xmas poem Wren-Boys in the Guardian at the weekend. If not you can find it in the paper online, apart from the BBC one of the best sites around.

All for now. Must empty my washing machine and then head off out to enjoy the winter sunshine.