By Jupiter!

As we walked home this evening from an afternoon’s natter at Pete and Dawn’s we noticed a nearly-full Moon and a sparklingly white star nearby. Of course, we knew what it was! “Erm… is that the North Star?” I wondered. “Nah, don’t be daft,” said John. “North is the other way.” Oh yes! Silly me! “Maybe Venus? Or Sirius?” Well, it was none of those, was it? It was Jupiter. And gosh, isn’t it splendid? Clear sky; luminous Moon; and a glistening Jupiter. Made our walk home something very special.

By then, though, John was beginning to tire. The end of a busy day and with his afternoon nap interrupted, he felt weary as he put one foot in front of the other. Unlike his activity yesterday when he seemed to be on top form.

He has been invited to join in on a pulmonary rehabilitation course and the assessment was yesterday. Like every self-respecting physical assessment, he did a bleep test, much to his delight. And he came out of it quite well, so he’s really looking forward to settling into the course which starts next week. Fingers crossed it ups his fitness levels, and with it his breathing levels. We’d like to hear less Darth Vader and more Luke Skywalker please.

The busy day today, however, had involved John taking a trip into Solihull all by himself. I had waved him goodbye at 9 o’clock as I toddled off to yoga. “Are you sure I don’t need to come back early from yoga and take you?” I’d asked. No, he was fine. He would manage OK, thank you very much.

And he did, of course – except that he couldn’t find his disabled badge. He phoned me. And phoned me again – because naturally, being the keeper of said badge normally, I’d know where it was. Being at yoga however, I didn’t have my phone with me. Anyway, he had to set off without it. And then had to walk from the Mell Square car park to Boots Hearing Centre in Mill Lane as a result. Not far, but an effort.

Made me laugh when he got home. “Why did you phone me?” I asked. “I couldn’t find my badge,” John replied. “Oh…..” I gazed around the room. There it was, on the little table by John’s chair! Grrr…… how irritating not to have noticed it! Ah well, I am sure the exercise did him good!!

Take care everyone. God bless.

Oh, and by the way, Susie Dent’s Word of the Day is: ‘huff-cap’ (1600s): a headstrong swaggerer; one who blusters into situations and frequently creates chaos. Can’t think who she might be thinking of?