6th June

Katy suggests that Pete and I could start a Derwent Party Boat business.  I don’t think so….  Oh the responsibility!!  What if people get seasick and want to hurl themselves overboard, as you do, when seasick??  Fall into the sea in a fit of absent-mindedness?  Get bored?  Choke on a sausage while nobody is watching?

We did very much enjoy our party day but…it was exhausting!  

There were some very funny moments… More than one of our guests stood importantly at the helm, holding the wheel, peering into the middle distance.  One in particular spent at least half an hour proudly steering what he claimed to be a very straight course up the Channel, eh Captain?  Pete almost didn’t have the heart to tell him that – ahem – the wheel was locked on autopilot…

Something else for me to complain about…oh deary me…

In 2005 I was coming back from Launceston with Pauline after a busy work time at the Supreme Court when I remarked, idly, that I must have been bitten on the ribs by a poisonous spider.  “Show me!” demanded Pauline – she is smart about these things.  She took one look and said, “That is shingles!  Go straight to the doctor, do not pass GO!” She was right.  The doctor gave me very strong anti-shingles drugs and I was fine.  Very tired, and I felt as if I had been kicked in the ribs by a medium-sized cow, but I didn’t have to take sick leave, or stop going out and having lots of fun. 

So when I woke up this morning– yes indeed - very tired and feeling as if I had been kicked in the ribs by a medium-sized cow…and found a nasty spider-bite on my ribs, I knew it was time to rush back to the doctor.

I was in the surgery for approximately 30 seconds (a nice swift $55 for Dr Oldcodger!)  He was very impressed with my diagnostic skills and swiftness in seeking medical help, and sent me off with a prescription and a warning to take every single pill in the box.