Pizza and Pimm’s

I know I can get a bit flowery with my style of writing. I can go overboard with metaphor. But today I have no need of such devices. Today I go floury instead. Sorry, just couldn’t resist that one.

Yesterday I went to London to take part in the Big Sing, a peaceful protest at Westminster to highlight Parkinson’s’ patients concerns about their care in the UK. Others will no doubt give chapter and verse on the proceedings. Suffice to say it was brilliant and, I hope, effective. My post today however, was about What Happened Next.

Reader, we went for lunch. We had pizza. It was good, very good. Now, if I told you the facts you’d wonder why this was good. I mean, there were 8 of us, some with Parkinson’s, some not. We’d all travelled in to the capital for this event. Some of us are old hands at Parkinson’s. Some not so long in the tooth. So, the decision to walk to find some food was not one to be taken lightly. I ended up pseudo navigator which is always dangerous if Google maps is the only tool available. For some reason all sense of logic and direction escapes me when I open the app. I much prefer landmark navigation, my preferred landmarks being shops. As an aside, I can navigate around the most intricate allies of Venice by shop location alone. I am quite proud of that!

We eventually struggled (well, i was feeling it) to a floating bar on the Thames, had a delicious Pimm’s and then went the Pizza Express at Charing Cross. The staff were lovely, the food just right (oh how I love dough balls) and the company cracking. And that’s it.

Normal. Fun. Sociable.

If you are unaffected by Parkinson’s or any similar complex condition you may well see that as an unremarkable meal out. For me achieving those three characteristics means so much now. Im not complaining. Im not feeling sorry for myself. I am appreciating the greatness in the everyday and normal. These are the good times indeed. Here’s a poem…

Today I went for a pizza

I went for a meal with some friends

And Parkinson’s came along with us

But didn’t disrupt or offend

This is not his usual manner

He’s normally causing a stir

But yesterday he was quite peaceful

Guess which version I prefer!

So this rhyme is just to say thankyou

To all who came out for our lunch

I really enjoyed chatting with you

Next time, let’s risk bottomless brunch?