Visits from friends, to hospitals and round the bend

On Sunday we had invited Tania, Robert and Diane over hoping that the weather would be good enough to eat out in the garden, but it was cooler with a chilly breeze. Luckily the house was still fairly tidy so we could concentrate on preparing the food until they arrived.

This exotic huge flower, which Glen and Barry gave us last year, has flowered at last.

We had a nice afternoon with our friends, Mas cooking rather too much food. We managed to sit in the garden for some time, but it was a bit chilly. Later Robert and Tania gave Diane a lift to the station before going home themselves.

We went off to bed quite early as we were feeling tired after our marathon entertaining weekend.

On Monday we got up early as Mas had to go to the Royal Free Hospital for some tests. Salty was not to be seen, usually he is waiting for us to get up. We had breakfast, and I drove Mas to the station.

Salty had not eaten any food during the night, and had not slept at home. When it began raining quite heavily I became more concerned as I know if he was nearby he would come indoors to get out of the rain. I phoned Pete, telling him I thought someone may have stolen him as he is so handsome; Pete said he wasn't and that no one would want him as he has such an ugly tail!

I walked down to Edgware whistling as shrilly as I could looking for him, and getting some strange looks on the way.

Mas came home from the hospital happy to have got the tests over with, and relieved that there is nothing serious the matter, and went round the block looking for Salty without any luck.

When it began to get dark I walked in a different direction, whistling again. I could not see him, but walking past Margaret and John's house I spotted him and called. He gave me such an indifferent look that I had to look carefully at him to make sure it was him. He moved from front garden to front garden, then he sat down next to two small cats and they all looked at me! I got hold of him and marched round the bend to our house with him growling all the time, I had obviously shown him up in front of his friends!

I had an email from Joan. Spring has finally come to her part of Ontario and she sent these pictures of Wake Robins and Dog Toothed Violets growing in the woods

Harmony with Classic FM and hopeful dental result

This morning Mas went downstairs to make the breakfast coffee as usual while I finished dressing. As soon as he goes downstairs he turns on the radio and listens to Classic FM to keep him company; if he does not care for a piece of music he tunes it out and just does not hear it, and it does not matter how loud or big the orchestra is that is playing the music.

I came downstairs feeling rather chipper as I had not had any drastic effects from the pills I had been taking, and proceeded to pour out the coffees. I handed Mas his coffee, and whistled a couple of bars from the music that was playing so loudly. The effect was immediate, he looked as shocked as if a cobra had risen up and bit him, and gave a visible shudder. I believe he has strange bat like hearing and some frequencies seem to shred his nerves as he claims that I whistle shrilly, and off key, which is obviously unjust. As he complains about me whistling I usually do it from a distance, but I forgot today; the look on his face made me laugh so much that he had to laugh as well.

We went off to the dentist again and I saw the hygienist who is a beautiful young girl. I realised as I had this strange phenomena of pins and needles in my mouth, and that my throat would close if she used cold water, so she scaled and polished my teeth by hand. She also said that if we were careful she thought we could save my tooth, and she proceeded to carefully inject antibiotics into the gum, and told me to use salt and special mouth rinses. She could not have taken more care, and I am very grateful for her help. I was especially thankful as I had begun to visualise myself with no hair, a front tooth missing and all I would need would be an eye patch to complete the picture!

When we got home and after lunch, Mas cut the lawns and the hedge which is a lot in one day, and I was sorry I was not able to share it as usual. I do find that I have to take a rest during the day now which is something I do not usually do.

Mas then went off to get some shopping and Pete and I talked on the phone for a long time and I caught up with some e-mails.

We watched a little TV in the evening, but we were both tired and went to bed early.