This week's round-up

I thought I'd write one long post instead of several smaller ones.

D's last GCSE exam was on Thursday afternoon. Technically he is now finished with compulsory education, even though the official leaving date for Yr 11's is 30th June. He's planning to spend the next 3 months being lazy - apart from the two weeks work experience next month - but he can plan again. I've told him that he is going to be improving his domestic science skills.

Sea Scouts had invited D along last night to give it a go. I must stop calling it sea scouts though as it's really Explorers. During the day K decided she'd like to try to, so at 6.15 yesterday evening we were down at the quayside. I introduced the kids to one of the organisers and that was the last I had to do with it till they came back at 8.15 ish. K was ecstatic - she'd been allowed to helm the boat - and had a dreamy expression on her face. D came back with a broad grin. Malcolm (organiser) had taken them out in a Wayfarer and introduced them to the art of sails and rudder - many thanks Malcolm. K accidentally crashed into a wooden piling but blamed the boys for not telling her it was there. No damage was done. They both can't wait till next Friday evening.

The results of my patch-testing were a bit of an anti-climax. I reacted quite well to balsam of peru - no I'd never heard of it either - and fragrances. The suncream set were normal! So it seems I can slap it on with gay abandon, making sure it is fragrance-free - no more tacky coconut-smelling gunk. This morning I took the dog a walk and slapped some suncream on my face and arms. So far, so good. No redness, itching, runny eyes. Yet this same product (as in it's the same tube) made my face go all hot and red last year. Confused? Yeah, me too.

I have an appointment for January to see Mr Arden-Jones, my wonderful dermatologist, to schedule another session of 'medical microwaving'. A and I have discussed this and decided that, for now, the benefits outweigh the risks. I get a P(M)LE rash every year but I may never get malignant melanoma, even though my chances are somewhere around 1-30 to 1-40. Apart from a little outbreak in May my rash is behaving itself quite nicely this year. You watch, now I've jinxed msyelf and will look like a bad measles outbreak till October.

Almost forgot to tell you about the compliment I was paid by friends on Thursday. Bearing in mind my skin issues, particularly on my face, and the fact that only use water on it - no make-up, no cleanse/tone/moisturise - I was pleasantly surprised to be told my skin is looking really good. Apparently I am glowing with health and they can tell I've lost weight.