The skill of the stonemason

When I see intricate stone carving I think what would happen if the chisel slipped! I think the lilies of the valley (?) are lovely.

We had a very busy start to the day. K, our new cleaner, started at 9. I was helping Mum with her morning routine and left her while she washed. Suddenly it was after 10 and I needed to leave the house soon for my appointment in Newcastle. Joan, one of the carers, had not arrived.

She is always more than punctual. I was just sending a message when the district nurse arrived too. Poor Mum was not even dressed.

Joan arrived one minute later (she lives across the street) and I had to leave them all while I set off for Newcastle.

The orthopaedic surgeon listened carefully and examined me. He thinks that the hip joint itself may be the culprit; movements are restricted.

I have to have an anaesthetic injection into the joint to see if that relieves the pain temporarily. They can't do it until mid October (but it could be worse).

Mum has a small cut on the back of her left hand. It suddenly became painful and red all around it. The result was a phone consultation and antibiotics prescribed.

I walked to the surgery and back via the graveyard. There are no significantly old graves here because the church was built in 1818. It's one of 4 churches designed by H.H. Seward, architect to the Greenwich Hospital estates. Retired naval chaplains were sent to the churches in this area. It suited some but not others.