Holloa boys, holloa boys!

Picture of Health

And I'm back!

Finished my last dose of coartem on Wednesday 30th October, exactly one month after starting the first round. This was me the next day, out at Khazana with Harris. I felt a million dollars. Still do. Made me realise that the first round really hadn't worked. In 2015, when I had malaria the first time, I felt this good after taking coartem, but back in October, I was still really tired and under the weather after the first round.

Fingers crossed, that's an end to it. I took my last dose of antibiotics this morning. I'll give it a couple of weeks, then head to the clinic to check everything has cleared up and no symptoms return, but I'm feeling hopeful. My appetite has definitely returned, and I've been really enjoying food.

Spoilt rotten with a huge selection of chocolate, whiskey and pesto from Harris. They're still charging £7 a pot of pesto in the shops, so I'm super grateful. Been off alcohol since Gisenyi, so almost three weeks, but had a small G&T last night at the bonfire. All meds finished this morning, so I can slowly work back up to it. Looking forward to going out and having some fun.

Though absolutely and completely off the cigarettes now. I did enjoy smoking, but it's been a month of torture health-wise and I have no desire to start again. Thankfully, any nicotine withdrawal I suffered was totally eclipsed by the crappiness of malaria. Might as well just keep going.

Artistic Shot Taken by Sameer

Also taking precautions not to reinfect myself. Realised my house is swarming with mosquitoes since the wet season started. Females can apparently live indoors for up to a month! If one bit me when I had malaria and is still flying around the house, then bites me again... I have no idea about the logistics of this, but I'm taking no chances. I have bought a ton of spray and plug-in electric cocks. A veritable fortress of cock.

 

I went to a wonderful bonfire party last night, and the hostess, my friend Jo, came running up to spray me down with DEET the moment it started to get dark. 

It really was a lovely party, about sixty adults and children gathered around a bonfire for a night of thorough Britishness.

    Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder Treason
    Should ever be forgot.
    Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
    To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
    Three-score barrels of powder below
    To prove old England's overthrow;
    By God's providence he was catch'd
    With a dark lantern and burning match.
    Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
    Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
    And what should we do with him? Burn him! 

It was a really wonderful night, full of sticky toffee pudding, mulled wine, baked potatoes and cheer. Though you do have to wonder about a nation whose main autumn festival involves gathering a group of children together to throw an effigy of a man onto a fire. My special appreciation goes out to the kid who yelled, 'Look, his arm's fallen off!' and another who wandered off to find more marshmallows. Nothing says quintessentially British quite like setting fire to stuff and screaming for a public execution...

When I got home, something about the size of my fist plopped past me on the drive. I was just quick enough to grab my camera and found a huge, fat toad. I've heard them many times, but never seen one.

Also saw this amazing caterpillar the other day, but sadly I think the cats found it before I did.

 

Entertainingly, when I woke up the other day, my cats had created a little toad hole of their own on the front porch. I was quite impressed by this. Looks comfy.

In not-so entertaining news, as I've been fairly house-bound for a while, I decided to use my time constructively and put my accounts in order. Like most people, I put all my receipts in a bag and then panic a couple of days before the deadline and try to stick them  into some kind of order. So, being sick has been stressful, but it's removed the stress of the financial year. Everything is neatly filed and up to date. Silver lining, I suppose.