The Crash

It’s been a hard week. A double whammy really. I’ve been really poorly. A virus I am told, and the doctor has told me I must rest and I have been in bed for most of the week so far. My lovely day out in Bath last week seems like such a long time ago.

Now that Prepped is done. I suppose it was inevitable that after working hard for so long I would crash. I remember telling Giles my publisher, that it’s been a pattern for much of my life, after my A levels I had a virus, after my degree was finished and a week after I sold my business I went down with a bug that had me bedridden for a fortnight.

Still my illness has certainly been put into perspective because this same week has seen a close family member go from a visit to the doctors they were sent straight to a consultants and then in days flat to hospital with such speed and urgency. I’ve not seen the NHS move at speed before. Ever. So now we are awaiting test results. I’m in bits at this possibility that it is serious. I can hardly breath.

So here I am sitting worrying to death about letting people down and the threat of cancer in the background menacing. I have a wrenched throbbing headache and a mouth full of ulcers which makes it so much worse. So it is with great reluctance that I have held my hands up and admitted that it is highly unlikely that I will be attending to help with the auction for the charity Kaiwecare supper in London. It’s not that I don’t want to go. My goodness it will be the food event of the year, but I am so poorly, and it hurts to speak, swallow or just sit. I now have family commitments that are over and above all other things so last week I had to admit that it was just too much work for me to do and just this morning I’ve turned the final arrangements back over to the amazing Kaiwecare team.

Even so, I feel so guilty. I know that's not rational because I really am in no fit state to help anyone - but I feel the guilt all the same.

Heading up the evening event is the exceptionally talented Mat Follas previous winner of Masterchef and owner of the Wild garlic. He is just amazing. Chef hero Dave Ahern and his sidekick @CityJohn and of course the ever calm and professional Grant Hawthorne who is the head chef. They are also joined by the passionate Persian food blogger Sabrina Ghayour, Anny Murphy and Angharad Davies and a troop of Burlesque dancers. They are a tremendous team who have worked tirelessly to pull off this amazing even and so I offer my sincere apologies to you all and wish you all every success on Monday.It will be a fabulous evening and I know that all the generous people I have roped in to contribute will be looked after by the team above.

Have a wonderful evening and raise plenty of money.

Vanessa

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