Telling and hearing

Not the worst weekend of my life. Laughed a lot, cried a little, there may have been a little alcohol.
I also spoke to most of my favourite people, this could never be an unpleasant way to spend a few hours, even if the news I had to pass on was not good.
I haven't has much practice either at the passing on of bad news or of receiving it. I know a little more now. I know mostly that the closer people are in your life the closer you should have to have them when you pass on the news. Poor James was on the Seychelles, getting to know his dream job. Our phone call had us both in tears. Not that I am against tears, but they do bugger up the conversation if everyone is at it.
Highlight of the weekend would be lunch for 7 at Craig Millar @ 16 West End. Clare and I, Ben, Nikki and Elt. Prosecco, lots of laughs and truly delicious food. I highly recommend it for any celebration or displacement activity. Craig is a lovely man and a brilliant chef and his staff are as relaxed yet efficient as he is.
Slap up meals in the face of adversity are a bit of a Peddie family tradition. Almost exactly 30 years ago after a disastrous harvest when Peddie Inc lost over £150k Dad took us all to the Cellar for our tea. It was my first visit. I hadn't heard of Peter Jukes or Vivian or Alan Lunn. Or of the front of house person who would introduce all of them to me over the next 18 months. Clare was her name.
But back to the passing on of the news.
I very quickly learned that this sort of news is at least as hard to hear as it is to tell. I find it easier to chat in a pretty lighthearted way, dredge up old stories and giggle a bit. People being nice to me are a bit harder to take.
I spent quite a long conversation talking about Shiela.
Shiela Pollock was my cousin, a year older than me. Clever, beautiful and with a gift for making people happy. On Boxing Day 1986 she stole me away from a rather dull family party at Coal Farm with the suggestion that we have a drink or two at the 19th Hole in Elie.
She didn't mention that she had arranged to meet Clare (yes, still working at the Cellar) there. There is still some doubt as to whether she was setting us up for romance or whether she had agreed to bring a man with a van who would undoubtedly help to move house.
30 years later we are still happy, and I helped her flit at least twice that year.

This has been a difficult few days. We still have very little information. We have an appointment for a full body CT scan next Wednesday (25th) in Dunfermline. This should tell us exactly what we are up against and how we are going to combat it.
Meantime I am a bit under the weather, although whether it is the tumours, the steroids I am taking to reduce their swelling, the antacid I am taking to reduce gut rot or the carefully balanced intake of craft ale and red wine I am taking to induce a feeling of gentle euphoria which are causing this isn't exactly clear.
While I wish I hadn't had this happen it is a huge relief to know that I have exactly the right people around me family and friends have been equally generous in offers of help and beer. Good people.