Monday 22nd Apr

A bright enough start to the week, and we’re off to the supermarket. Mrs P is driving as she wants the air in her tyres checking. When we get there the queue for the petrol station reflects the recent decrease in prices, and people’s desire to fuel up their internal combustion engines. We decide to shop first and bump into a friend when we get in. This allows Mrs P to shop in peace while I have a chat, comparing stories from the weekend. When I catch up with Mrs P she is well through and I’m in time to help with the packing, the one point where I actually come in handy. We’ve over spent again, which seems to coincide with me being there!

As we come out the queue for the petrol station has gone down so we get in the queue for air, and watch as the people in front of us demonstrate various ways to make this seemingly simple task look difficult. I blow the tyres up although they are pretty close to where they need to be anyway.

After returning home and a cuppa I sort out the additional orders I took at my talk last Thursday which have arrived, and contact the three people I need to deliver to. You would not believe how difficult it is to get hold of three people and co-ordinate dropping off to them. I’m one short and need to sort it later.

Then we’re off back to look at carpets for the lounge. None of the five samples we’ve had for a week now are quite right and so it’s back to the shop to pick up four more. Once home we drop them on the floor, walk around, look at them and hmmmmm. I think I might just leave it up to Mrs P and the eldest to decide.

Late afternoon I get a call telling me a close relative is in hospital with a suspected heart attack. This is new territory for us so off I go to the hospital to see what’s going on. Once there I manage to get a parking space in the free car park, which is a bonus. To be fair when I find him, after a couple of wrong turns, he’s in decent spirits, and hooked up to various monitors. After a while the lady with the tea trolley comes by and we get a cuppa, which is much appreciated. The staff are very friendly and a doctor comes by and having listened to what happened, “from the horse’s mouth” so to speak, tells us it was a heart attack and clearly explains what will happen next, and what the possible outcomes might be. Having been thus informed we take a collective deep breath and look forward. Given the patient will be in for at least five days I expect to be spending some time at the hospital this week.

When I get home later I find my “one short” has called to say tomorrow is fine to deliver which helps. I then call family in Australia to let them know what’s happening. Just because they’re on the other side of the world, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t suffer with the rest of us.

Yours the professional visitor

Jay