Autumn stroke winter and a visit to Lincolnshire

The frosts of the last few days have almost succeeded in stripping the last of the leaves from the trees and compared to last year, when we were iced in and under a blanket of winter snow, the autumn has been long and glorious.

Dog walking territory

Today I am off to Lincolnshire to play Nursy.  My friend of too many years to count (38+) is going into hospital today for a shoulder replacement operation and I am going over to be housekeeper, nurse and general factotum.  I have been joking with  Val that I will come armed with laptop, clipboard and phone and spend most of my day on the laptop and talking to friends on the phone, rehashing TV programmes, talking about last nights' conquest - in my dreams, and generally avoiding my 'patient's' needs.  What is more, drinks and food will be placed just out of reach and removed uneaten and cold.  Val in turn has been referring to me as Nurse Ratchet.. 

In fairness to the NHS, I expect that the care Val will get will be superb and I hope that the skill of the surgeon helps Val out of pain, brought about by rheumatic arthritis and the resultant soft tissue damage.