Oscar has settled in with us and has opened me up to the world of doggy shopping. He has needed more than my darling daughter needed as a baby.Travel crate, home crate, puppy gate, pet insurance, basket, collars ( several as they were all too big) dog gate,microchip, toys, food and the list goes on; Luckily I love to shop!

He is cute and energetic and a real ankle snapper at the moment. Please allow me to show you our new addition:

This is Oscar just about to go home with us. Now we can’t imagine being without him. There will be an Oscar pup in a story one day.

My other new shopping experience has been to venture into the wig shop. It can only be compared to shoe shopping. All colours, all styles, lots unsuitable, lots don’t fit but great fun to try on. In fact it is too much like shoe shopping, who ever just bought one pair? Not me, so I left with two; one for everyday and a ‘best’ that was long and more like my own.

The hair had fallen out you see, very rapidly over two days in long strands and I was left with a fine, blonde downy coating like baby hair. My shock was that it hurt! I felt like I had left my hair in a too-tight ponytail for a month and that my head was sunburnt. It was a relief it all went so quickly and I didn’t have aching follicles anymore. My pleasant surprise was that I have a nicely-shaped skull that I didn’t know about and the baby hair is definitely blonde not grey, for now.  I’d been eyeing up bald men and seeing some frightening skull shapes. What if I had one of those fat rolls at the back of my neck? I’ve spent ages admiring my neck and skull and sighing with relief.

As you can see, I was feeling  rather OK that my new head wasn’t the nightmare I’d imagined and asked OH whether he thought it was similar to  Sinead O’Connor or more Annie Lenox. He looked at me and with a genuine smile said, ‘I think it is more Jo Brand.’  Jo Brand! I like Jo brand, I really do, but she isn’t bald and that wasn’t the look I was going for! A hasty trip to the wig shop was planned.

 OH really did think he was giving me a complement, but then he often likens me to Alison Steadman who he dotes on and who I admire  as an actress but can’t see any resemblance. Funnily enough, he never mentions my resemblance to his other ‘female fancy’ Elle – the body – McPherson. I wonder about that!  I also learned long ago never to ask the ‘does my bum?’ question to OH.

I’m going to try to go to a long awaited Festival of Writing next week. I need to have chemo 2 and see if I’m OK and to test try my wig out and about to see if I have the confidence to venture alone into the company of strangers, but I booked so long ago and need a writing boost.

I am writing lots, but I’ve stalled with self-editing my WIP. I just can’t face the novel. This novel was started over a year ago and one of my favourite main characters is facing terminal cancer. Now, while editing, I have a less dramatic cancer, but I still can’t put my character through the mill. I’ll have to leave it and get back to it later or I’ll have to give her a better prognosis. It is far too close to home. What would other writers do? I’d love any opinions on this.