Eye, Aye!

We were up early again today – it was a trip to the Dudley Road Eye Hospital for a check-up. Poor Chester had a short-ish walk and I could certainly tell that he was puzzled as we turned round to come back home having set the time for a half-hour walk. The fields were beckoning but we stayed in the park and did a U-turn halfway round. He gave me a hard stare but obediently trotted along beside me. I think the treats I kept feeding him all the way home did the trick.

Our trip into Birmingham was a smooth one – the traffic was flowing quite freely – even though some of it slow-moving on the motorway – and we arrived fifteen minutes before we needed to. No worries though, reception was a smooth operation and we were allowed to sit indoors until it was time to go up to the clinic. I even managed to find a parking space nearby. *Does a little dance*

The doctor who saw John was a very nice man and he explained everything very well. “Oh, you’re not using the preparations we suggested last December?” Er… no… hadn’t realised which items were long term and which were short-term, so had treated everything as to be finished after a few weeks. Ah-ha!! Well, here you go, here’s the letter in which it’s all detailed. Please use this, this and this long-term. “It will improve your eyes – they won’t be so sore and you will see better.” Well, that’ll be a bonus.

On the way home, I had an idea that we might stop off at Sainsburys and buy a nice cake to eat with a nice cup of tea when we got home. “You can,” said John, “But I won’t. I’m starting my diet.” Oh…. I gave it a second thought and decided against it – quite a good idea to start a diet, I concluded. However, I found myself eating a bit of malt loaf this evening……… what diet? Maybe tomorrow?

On a very different topic, we are expecting to take delivery of new worksurfaces sometime in June. However, a chappie is coming next week to do a template. He has asked if we can remove everything from the top of the counters. Yes, no problem. Oh, hang on! We’ve got a dirty great big dresser on top of one of them, full of crockery. I know it’s a week away, but we thought we ought to start the clear-out/break down now. It might take us days to sort it out, given our current decrepitude. Watch this space…… how many days will it take us, I wonder?

On the family front, Paul texted us today to let us know he’d had the first of his COVID vaccinations. I am delighted that the vaccination programme has reached his age group. I do hope he doesn’t have a horrible reaction though – fingers crossed he takes after John and the symptoms are all mild.

Michael and Danielle phoned this evening, as they sat port-side waiting to board the overnight ferry from Jersey. They will be home tomorrow morning and we will be saying ‘hello’ to them, but ‘goodbye’ to Chester. We have enjoyed Chester’s company and he’s been very well-behaved. Apart from the woofing, of course, which I am sure you can hear across the whole village, it’s so loud.

ON the COVID front, there is good news, isn’t there? We are going to be allowed to hug. Charlie Mackesey prophesied it in this poignant drawing months ago…….. I really can’t wait. Will I remember how to do it, I wonder?

The news on the COVID numbers continues to be positive. However, the scientists are still alarmed at how quickly the Indian variant spreads, so they continue to urge caution.

People with positive tests today were 2,357; the people who died in the community numbered 4; and the data for those who died in hospitals is not up-to-date and a bit sketchy.

Take care everyone. It’s still not over, even though we’re relaxing the rules. Enjoy looking forward to the hugs next week. I’m going to!!