All the world’s a stage…

So yesterday was one of those perfect days. It was the day after our 48th wedding anniversary which itself had been fun. Our very good friends Cindy and Keith visited us here for the first time and they were in great form. We prepared them a vegan brunch; Carol did the cold stuff and I did the hots. Though I say it myself, it was really pretty good.  By 12.30 we were finished and toddling off down to the RSC Theatre to see an outdoor performance of A Comedy of Errors. The main theatre hasn’t re-opened for performances as yet but this outdoor stage has been packing them in all summer. And this was one of the last few performances so we were pleased to get in.

Now it dawned on me that I hadn’t seen Shakespeare performed at Stratford for 50 years. I loved it when I came as a 6th former and was hoping it wouldn’t disappoint all these years later.  Caz had never seen Shakespeare performed so it was a first for her and again I was hoping she wouldn’t be disappointed by the theatricality and the sometimes dense old language. We shouldn’t have worried it was just brilliant; really funny and superbly acted. We all loved the tale of the two sets of twins separated by tragic circumstances and now causing unintentional mayhem for each other having been brought together by chance in a strange land. And the weather, given it was late September, was absolutely wonderful – we were bathed in sunshine throughout the performance. Perfect.

Afterwards we retired to the Arden Hotel terrace for a couple of cooling drinks. I had to leave them at one point as I had a call booked with my oncologist for my annual review. You’ll recall from a recent posting that I had a rather dramatic day last week at the hospital trying to get a blood test in preparation for this review. It’s always a nervy few days wondering how the test will come out. Will the markers show I’m still looking all clear of the big C or will it have returned? I’m feeling fine in myself but you just never know.

It was lovely to speak to my oncologist Pippa who I hadn’t spoken to in a couple of years. The review had been done by registrars in the recent past, and whilst they are very good, they have no deep insight into what I went through. I’m very fond of Pippa for pulling me through some difficult times during my chemo treatment. Anyway we had a nice catch up chat before she announced I was all clear and all my major organs were operating beautifully  and my markers bang on where they should be. Woo hoo. I rejoined the guys mightily relieved and took a couple of pics with our friends before they headed off back home. Everyone was pleased of course.

Caz and I stayed for a chat and one last sundowner before heading home. You’d think that’d be that wouldn’t you. It had already been a sublime day. But as we headed up the road towards our place we only went and bumped into Jonathan Broadbent, the actor who had been playing Dromio of Syracuse, one of the mistaken slave twins.  He had been the funniest guy onstage by a mile and we chatted with him for a while, applauding his performance. He was a really nice chap but we had to let him go because he only had a relatively short time before starting the evening performance. They must be drained at the end of the day.

I left Caz briefly to pop into the Giggling Squid Thai restaurant, possibly our favourite eaterie here, where we’d had an anniversary meal out the night before. I thought I might have left a top in there and would you believe it, they had found it and wrapped it nicely to preset it back to me. I was very  grateful of course and thanked them for saving it and for a superb meal the night before.

Blimey I wondered if I should pop into a local shop to go buy a lottery ticket as I just thought to myself what a bloody lucky fellah I am.

pp

 

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