For the love of Cornwall - In the name of Thiago - Day 50

I love this bloody place. Cornwall is a county determined to do things at its own pace. Yes it can be frustrating, I tried to plan a few things while we were there and one thing that really hit home on this visit is that there is never really a timetable. It’s more a rough idea of when things might happen if say the weather’s not too bad or if anyone can be arsed. Suffice to say they definitely tend to be more arsed in the summer months when there’s money to be made!

Cornish people are incredibly proud, proud of their beautiful landscape, their astonishing coastline, their rich fishing and mining heritage. Proud of their language, proud of their flag. With perhaps the exception of the red and white rose of Lancashire and Yorkshire respectively, is there a more easily identifiable county flag than Cornwall’s? And even the Yorkies and Lankies don't have their own language!

  

I sense if I lived in Cornwall though, I would get frustrated so perhaps it is a place for me just to be a perennial visitor. I feel comfortable that way and there is so much to see whenever I come down. Angelica loves it here and so does Elisa. And for as long as my wonderful auntie Diane and Uncle Harry are happy for me to get down there then I’ll continue to do it. You pissed down all week and were broadly closed but gees you know what, I love you Cornwall!

But it is now back to reality. Angelica starts back at work tomorrow and I know she’s a little nervous about it and that’s perfectly understandable. December 26, 2018 was her last day at the hospital, I remember it well as I was away with Elisa and slightly nervous when she rang me to say she’d been sent home by work as she was feeling unwell. That then became the start of her maternity leave.

When women return to work from maternity leave, they are usually full of conflicted feelings about leaving their little one and simply not being around them all the time. Christ only knows what Angelica must be feeling. My pain is real and constant and there are still things which I can’t quite bring myself to do. As a mum, that feeling must be even more intense.

In many ways throwing myself so wholeheartedly at my fundraising, though it is a wonderful thing to be doing as I’m continuously reminded, it is perhaps keeping me from addressing other things. Maybe it is but perhaps it’s just good for me and it’s that simple. I guess I’ll know when it starts to become too much.

One man who always helps me when it starts to become too much is this big lovely fella, Jamie Hickey. We had a lovely little catch up today as he was passing through on his way back to the south coast from Manchester. I filled him with oatcakes and he filled me with fundraising ideas. It seemed like a damn fine swap to me.

As if any further reminder of monotony setting in was needed, I do now need to go off and make the sandwiches for tomorrow. Thanks for reading folks and keep donating and sharing with your friends and contacts.