In 14 days, I will be on a plane to Scotland.  

In my last post, I wrote why I am going and tomorrow, Mike goes into Aberdeen where he will check-in, settle into his room and get his first radiation treatment.

Back in June Bunny Bravehart and Claymore posted a video (here) about going to Scotland. We have just entered the 30 day window until I leave.

So I will now tell you why I am going.

I am going to visit my very good friends Elisa and Mike because Mike will be in the hospital for 7 weeks and Elisa will be home alone.  Now that you know the "why" let me explain it in further detail.

Mike is to be in the hospital for radiation treatment of prostrate cancer. This has been caught very early but it still must be done. Elisa has Fibromyalgia AND Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and only drives when it is an emergency since the effort puts her into bed for several days. [We have known each other for almost 10 years and she is doing much better but when we first met, even talking on the phone would make her tired].  

The hospital where Mike will be having his treatment is over an hour drive from where they live and since the radiation treatment is progressive at one point Mike would not be well enough to drive to and fro every few days.  Because of this treatment and others and the distances to get to the hospital in Northern Scotland, the hospital has a facility set up where the patients can stay during long treatments or family member who are visiting can use at a very reasonable cost. Think of a Ronald McDonald House for Adults.   There is also nursing care for the patients, a small kitchen for making some food or you can order a meal from the hospital and a living room where you can go to get out of your room.  This is where Mike will stay during his treatment though between the fist and second week he should be fine to go home over the weekend.

As you can see, Mike will be away and Elisa will be alone and not able to visit Mike during those 7 weeks. This made me think that she needed someone to visit who would provide company, do chores around the house and not be a guest but a helper (let's not go into the dynamics of family doing this, ok). I began to ponder the idea of ME going over to help out (it has been 5 years since I have visited).  I then floated the thought to my husband who thought it was a good idea and then I called Elisa and Mike and asked them if they would like me to come over.

It was a resounding double YES! But since the date of the treatment was not book yet, we would have to wait a bit before I could make travel plans.  The idea is for me to visit for two weeks smack dab in the middle of Mikes treatment thus breaking up Elisa's alone time.

And here we are - I book my flight in July and we just have to wait for September 2 and then I will be on my way.   I will fly to Frankfurt and then over to Aberdeen (avoid London at all costs this summer) and once there I will be able to visit Mike at the care facility. Since I will have been traveling for almost 24 hours by the time see him, I will be able to stay the night. This will give me a chance to visit with Mike and rest before heading out the next day to the Kirkton of Auchterless. That will require a train from Aberdeen to Inverurie (20-30 minute travel time) and then a lay over for at least an hour until I can catch the bus to the bump in the road (45 minute travel time) where they live. The bus will drop me at the local school and it will be a few minute walk up the road to the house.  Going home, I will revers the process.

Elisa and I have been making plans since then. This really won't be a touristy trip but that does not matter. We are planning on me doing a bit of cooking and restocking of the freezer so when I am gone, Elisa will have some great meals to eat. I will do some sewing, Elisa has asked me to make a pillow for a chair and since she is not that skilled in sewing, there will be a few beginner lessons as well and maybe another bunny to join the clan. We will watch lots of movies and WWF too. AND REST, which we both will need.

Go over to the Views of Scotland page to see new pictures too.

IT was so much fun.

I arrived early to get some stretching in and during this time, there was a children's class. They were sooo small and cute playing with nerf tubes as their weapons. Then after some time, they did switch to foils – which in a few cases were longer than they were tall.

I signed up for class one day per week plus some extra floor time for $80 for the month – that’s a steal. Just the class would be $60 for the month. For the extra $20 per month I can show up other days and use the studio for practice or spar with others that are there.  NEXT week I might go Wednesday and Friday. Or Monday/Wednesday.  I could have also signed up for a Saturday lesson but I am already over committed on weekends, Maybe later.

The class started at 7:30. We started off with foot work (15min), then did some controlled practice moves (30min) also using the nerf tubes, and then we did some sparing in 4 person groups – 2 fencers, a judge and referee.  There were 16 people in the class so in groups of 4 so we had 4 bouts going. We did 3 point matches in a round robin.

It really was a good evening and workout. Remember those workout where you are having fun and not thinking about how hard it is and when you stop you find that you have soaked your clothing with sweat…. well I was dripping! Even my glasses fogged up.  YES, there were times that I got winded – did I think of giving up, NO. During the warm ups I did have to sit down at one point and catch my breath and then I did realize I was not 20 anymore but in fencing age is not so much a factor , yes it can be one but not like in gymnastics or running. When I get more in shape which will take a few month, it will be even more fun. Also, fencing is a mental game beside the physical and right now most of the people I was fencing with don’t know as much as me \0/ so my game was better YET while sparing I would give them feedback about extending their leg better, not stopping and following through, where they hit me and such.

I am only slightly sore today which is a good thing.  At the end of the class (7:30 – 9pm) I was dripping sweat !  I  remembered more than I thought I would- which is good. The coach said my form was very good.  Things I noticed is that my point control is a bit off and I am not as flexible as I use to be and I need to work on stretching.   

On a side note, having not fenced for 30 years… there are some interesting changes to the scoring and equipment but most of my equipment was fine for practice.  The scoring has reversed, it is not a touch against you anymore, now when you hit someone, you get the point - everyone has always confused about that because when you HAD 5 points, you lost, it was a negative thing. So now you score the touch against someone, you get the point for making the hit. The lower neck in foil is now target; saber is electronic now; and there is a plastic/Kevlar chest guard to be worn by men and women (not just the boob protectors for women) and a few other things.  Then the way you are rated is slightly different – and that allows you to move up in the standings.

Erich and I were talking when I got home – of course I had to tell him everything but he said something that is so true. When  you go for a walk/run etc.. just to work out and there is no purpose behind it, or no purpose that you enjoy. It is not fun and so you think why am I doing this. With the Fencing, I really enjoy doing it so when I am at practice the exercise does not seem like a chore.  And now I want to go for those walks at lunch or lift weights because in the long run that will also help me in this sport.

In a few weeks, I hope to ask someone to video me sparing and I will post that. In the mean time here is a picture of me during a break. Elisa of Scotland has used a Photoshop filter on it and turned it into a painting.