Emotional day

After another rubbish night of sleep (you would think it would be improving by now, right?), I slept in till mid morning. Corin had popped out to work, but the job didn't take too long, so he rang and asked if I still wanted to go out to Liverpool to the Walker Art Gallery to see Alive: In the face of death - Photographs by Rankin. I did, so I dragged myself out of bed.

My lack of sleep is caused by some problems that I think that the surgery has perhaps created. Night sweats are a terrible thing, as are daytime hot flushes. That, along with insomnia and still with the fidgety, restless legs and some aching in my left side still are combining to create the right circumstances for me to be annoyed and to worry...and so the cycle begins. I am hoping that a return to normality and routine when the new term starts will help. Essentially, I suspect that more blood tests and potentially the need to fill myself with chemicals is on the cards, but hey its better than the last 2 years so I just need to man up.

So, we went to Liverpool to the gallery. As I was on a mission to get to the Rankin exhibit, I initially scooted through the remainder of the gallery, although I did return with a particular interest in the 18th century art (magnificent).

To see Rankin's work up close is, in itself, a priviledge. However, to see this particular exhibition and to read the stories and look into the eyes of his subjects was really emotional. It wasn't just hormones that caused me to walk around looking at these beautiful portraits with tears in my eyes.

The exhibition was featured in a BBC Culture Show episode which I recorded - I intend to watch it again. If you are able to view the clips on the BBC site, I recommend that you do. Louise Page's story is particularly poignant in my opinion and it was in front of her portraits that I did indeed weep today.

If you get a chance before 15th September, get over there...

Beyond that, we wandered to St George's Hall - a place that despite having visited Liverpool so many times I have never been in. I found myself close to tears again as we were leaving as I had a fleeting thought that I would ring Nana and tell her that I had finally visited the hall. Then I remembered that she was gone...

Poor Corin must think that he has the worst luck in the world to be married to such a physical and emotional wreck. AND he had to drive. Poor thing :-)