Ron,

That is a beautiful scene.  Did you ever post any of your Welsh photographs?  (I was the third sheep on the left - heavily disguised as a Sherpa - on your Cader Idris shot!)

By all rights, I should be grumpy......

Last night I got home very late from playing in a cramped orchestral pit, with tunes from Carousel etched firmly in my mind.  Having sat badly, I had a back ache which mean I didn't sleep well.

I had to get up early to get my son ready for school, and actually got up just at the time which meant a) I hadn't had enough sleep but b) I was massively rushed to get us out on time

The little cherub didn't make it easy by arguing when I asked him to get dressed

The car was iced up, so that made us later still.  And then the sun was so bright and low we had to wait unti the windscreen had warmed up and didn't obscure vision with mist.

Finally got to school on time (just) and then had to go to catch a flight to Scotland for a stupid meeting.  I had questioned several times whether it was really necessary for me to get there, and if I could do it by phone, but the project manager insisted.  Bugger the environment.

But my flight was delayed, so I was late.  And when I did arrive, it turned out that a) the project manager wasn't there and b) I could have done all of this over the phone, and there was no real need to see people face to face.

Having tried to make the most of the day in our northern offices by booking a late flight home, I found that the two other people I would have found it useful to talk to had gone home.  So I was left twiddling my thumbs.

I got a huge headache in the cab to the airport.  And there I had to buy some really expensive nurofen, cos that's all there was on sale.

And then my flight home was delayed by 45 mins.

And my iriver's batteries ran out, so I had nothing to listen to.

And through all this, I had managed to only grab a few sarnies in the meeting and a poor toastie on the flight up.  The prospect of another on the way down meant I forwent that option....

And my flight landed nearer to 1 hr late.

.....but strangely, I'm really happy.  It was a lovely sunny day.  The countryside alongside the M9, whilst not as impressive a the highlands, is a whole load better than that alongside the M4.  And I've just found a bit of joy in the waffle about vases.  And I am now back in my lovely home with my family.

I refer members to the original post of this thread, by his Lordship.

Tommo

Some of you will remember the story of my friend's son, who was in intensive care with brain damage after what did, in the end, prove to be a hypoglycaemic attack. After 6 weeks in hospital in London, he is now coming back here with his parents, to live with them for the time being, and go to the Outpatients at the nearest brain injury unit. He is very much improved, but still has short term memory problems - obviously a dire problem for a diabetic - and is rather confused. It will be much more convenient for them all, but a bit alarming, too, as the not-at-all-young-parents are now responsible for him. Both her sons are now back in the district (the other because he couldn't afford to stay in London once he had a child and needed a proper house), which isn't at all what was planned. Still, it's basically good news.

Good news Mary.  Thank heavens it's no worse. Thanks for letting us know.

It is good news indeed, Mary: not a perfect situation, but compared to most other possible outcomes, it's a blessing.

It is good to hear that the outcome has been relatively good considering the fright that must have been experienced by all concerned. Like Mort, I hope that his parents will be able to find additional help in providing the care that he will need now.

Thank you, everybody, for your kind comments. There is a feeling that life is in some way returning to something resembling normality.


Simon Knott's websites are a real labour of love. I spend quite a bit of time looking at them, too, when I'm not looking at this one.