A couple of things . . .

I'm going to cheat by using a post to thank all those who have sent their best wishes for the poor old dear.  I, too, hope that she will be up and about again very soon: I'm getting a little fed up of eating beans on toast for dinner every evening!  On the plus side, I did manage to get the kitchen floor washed this morning.  I've been wanting to get it done...  No, the truth is not that I've been wanting to do it, it's more that I knew there were floor tiles but I couldn't quite recall exactly what colour they are.  But now I know.

And yes, our doctors' practice does do home visits and it is all on the NHS.  We must be incredibly lucky with our practice.  I hear so often of people complaining that they can't get an appointment with the doctor for four days and all sorts of things like that.  If it's urgent, we can usually get to see one of the doctors that day.  It's only if we insist on seeing a particular doctor that we might have to wait a few days.  And as for home visits, well, yesterday I was asked which doctor my wife preferred - not that it was guaranteed he would be available, but I was promised that one doctor or another would call at lunch time.

I have no complaints, either, with our local hospital.  Well, I do, but not about the treatment or care provided.  In my experience, it is first class.  I know the ambulance service is a separate entity, but a couple of years ago the Old Bat needed to call an ambulance for me.  The first paramedic turned up on the doorstep while she was still on the phone explaining the problem!  As the Old Bat let him in, we heard the two-tone horns of the ambulance as it approached.  You can't get quicker than that.

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I've sent off the order for a 2015 calendar for my brother.  This is an illustrated thing using my pictures of Sussex scenes - a bit of a cop out as a (whisper it softly) Christmas present.  This picture of Brighton's Royal Pavilion is the front cover.