Doesn't look a day over 39

Saturday July 15th 2017

So as part of the latest Mrs Marsh's significant birthday celebrations (her age being the significant part), we have come away for a two night break in the luxurious surrounds of Whatley Manor near Malmesbury. 

Apart from the extra crows feet appearing around Emma's eyes another significant fact is that it is our first night away without George, who has been left at home in the capable care of her aunties, aided by her sisters Megan and Milly

When saying capable, in describing George's Aunties Rachel and Sarah, capable of what has to be the question. On our first night away we get some much appreciated photos of our baby girl enjoying quality time with Aunty Rachel as she gets her first visit to a drinking establishment - The Bounty public house. 

 

Given that normally at that time she is being prepared for bed, I watch with anticipation to see if Emma's blood pressure rises, but no, not at all. I suspect that George, as 50% Townend blood stock, will soon enough find pubs a real home from home.  In fact having subsequently learnt that George enjoyed her first visit to the pub so much that Aunty Sarah repeated the trip to The Bounty on Sunday that I suspect it may be a lot sooner than I might hope!

On arrival at the hotel, having just enjoyed a really delicious fish and chip lunch at a local pub, we checked in and promptly collapsed into bed for an afternoon nap. The prospect of a couple of hours uninterrupted sleep before our evening dinner in the Brasserie restaurant was too much to resist. We slept deep and sound and on awaking, I announced to Emma that, before dinner, we are going to the 6.30 showing of a film at the in-house cinema.

Ever the obedient wife, Emma readied herself and we arrived on time to be shown to our front row seats where a table with popcorn, drinks and a remote control were neatly set out. 

The lights go down and the movie starts and to Emma's surprise, complete with some lovely backing music a selection of our wedding photographs is played, followed by highlights from our wedding video, which neither of us had actually watch since we walked down the aisle in July last year. 

Since becoming a mother Emma has discovered a softer side which must have been buried deep beneath her hardened exterior. The ice maiden was in tears after about 10 seconds and so I trotted to the gents and returned with a box of tissues, enabling the main attraction to continue. 

Much thanks must go to my eldest daughter, Megan, who spent many hours over the previous weeks making the montage which was appreciate by the entire audience ! 

After dinner we return to our room in eager anticipation of our first full nights sleep without twitching every time the baby monitor crackles. 

However if the truth be known, our first night without George was a little disappointing for Emma. I'm not referring to my performance in the bedroom department (let's just say what goes on tour stays on tour!). Whilst I slept like a log Emma woke several times feeling certain that she could hear a baby crying in another room. Now as we had seen a tot being pushed around the grounds in a buggy earlier that evening, it is impossible to tell if this was the cause of Emma's disturbance (as she would have us believe) or if it was the neurotic mind of a new super sensitive mother. I will let you be the judges here.

 

Sunday 16th July 

After a hearty breakfast we prepared ourselves for a bike ride in the lovely surrounding lanes. 

Emma had meticulously planned the ride from the hotel down to Chippenham where a rest stop would be taken and from there an option to take a long or short route back.  

This was to be my first meaningful ride since recovering from treatment. The complete loss of fitness that had ensued due to 8 months of zero exercise had left me a little nervous. Please Lord tell me she is not going to be stronger than me on the hills! My inner self reassured me that I was being ridiculous, oh course she won't, she had a baby in January for goodness sake.

My concerns were well founded. Whilst the early hills passed without incident, halfway through the outward leg, Emma powered past me on a hill which was met with some suitable grumbles from me, "how can you be so cruel, don't you know that I'm recovering from cancer". Not sure how much longer I can use the cancer ticket, I suspect it is coming to its end of life.

I dug deep for the next few hills and made it to Chippenham without further distress. 

A hot chocolate stop sat by the river was a welcome break as Emma spelt out the options for the return journey.  It was simple, an additional 15 or 30 miles back to the hotel.

At this point the legs were shot to bits and so I made some feeble excuses about not wanting to tire ourselves out before our meal in the Michelin starred restaurant that evening and how we should make use of the lovely Spa and a match on the croquet lawn also beckoned. 

The Simple fact was we had riden 15miles already and the prospect of doing that distance twice more would have quite possibly killed me. 

Decision made and without rubbing my nose in it too much, Emma agreed it was sensible to take the short route home.

After Emma had broken me on a few more hills on the homeward leg I needed something to lift my spirits and the much anticipated croquet match did just that. After a bit of lunch on the terrace, the match commenced and despite her clearly making up some rules to try and pin back my run away lead, it was all to no avail and a comfortable 2-0 victory was achieved, thus allowing me to regain a little of my lost pride following the cycling debacle. 

 

Emma learning from The Swede's school of navigation

 

Some late afternoon pampering in the spa prepared us for the main event of the day, a 14 course extravaganza in The Dining Room. 

 

The food, as you would expect was impressive and Emma elected to have the "wine flight" menu to accompany the delicious food. This entailed 7 different wines from around the world. Me for one, would have been giggling like a school girl after 2 glasses but Emma managed to hold herself together very well, however the snoring later was an unwelcomed side effect, though it didn’t seem to bother her too much.

 

Monday 17^th July

After tea and the opening of presents in bed, a lovely full English breakfast was taken sat outside overlooking the vegetable garden.

Desperate to avenge the trouncing on the croquet lawn the day before, Emma insisted on a return match before we headed home. For a brief moment, I thought that as it was her birthday I should let her win, but that crazy thought was quickly dismissed once we got started and whilst an improved performance was given by the birthday girl, the result was never really in doubt.

 

Let the battle commence

 

An uneventful drive home led to continued celebrations for Emma with friends and family and provided the perfect end to a fantastic weekend.

Foot note on treatment: The decision has been made to have the neck dissection and get rid of the string of Lymph nodes on the right hand side of my neck, taking away with it any doubt as to whether the cancer has gone.  The last step on my trip down cancer lane is on Tuesday 25th July - in hospital for 2 nights and recovery of 2 weeks.