Plus ça change . . .

After a week of no newspapers, no television, no internet I get back to Merrie England to find . . .

• there are still problems in vast areas of the Middle East and, despite another beheading of a news reporter, nobody seems to have agreed on further action;
• the problems in the Ukraine are still there, with the Russian bear throwing his weight about possibly even more;
• the debate in and about Scotland continues - but that's exactly as I would have expected, given that the referendum is not due to take place for a couple of weeks;
• and so on and so on.

It's much the same on a personal level . . .

• a Lions problem to which I alluded some three or so weeks' ago is still there - and I am still not able to say any more so I don't really know why I mentioned it, except I will say that it involves a vulnerable person;
• the Old Bat is suffering what seems to be a recurrence of the problem she has been suffering on and off for several months, having spent most of the last three days of our French trip in bed.  I had the doctor in to her this morning and was mightily glad to see our preferred GP on the doorstep.  He is thorough, listens and explains.  Now for urine and blood samples to be tested.

We had a great time across the water.  Well, I did.  The weather was fantastic and although I did do some work I took pains not to overdo it.  Even so, I have felt twinges in a shoulder so I know I was close to the max.  Otherwise, I spent a lot of time simply sitting in the sun and reading.  Unfortunately, the Old Bat was taken unwell on Saturday evening.  We were in the village restaurant and she managed only two-thirds of the stater before I had to help her outside and into a seat while I brought the car down the path to the restaurant, the path fortunately being sufficiently wide for a car - just.  Then a gallant Frenchman carried her to the car.  She spent to best part of the next three days in bed, only to travel back yesterday and collapse into a different bed.

As I said, plus ça change . . .