Light and Dark, Up and Down

I've been forced back into the swing of work, with three clients simultaneously needing jobs done before I head off on The Great Croatian Holiday. This wouldn't be so bad under normal circumstances, but it's complicated right now by the need to take 30-minute breaks after every hour and a half in order to give my wrist a recovery rest. I worked until 5.00 am on one of the jobs and was up again at 8.30 to do some more before leaving for my hospital appointment and my anticipated first session of physiotherapy.

It was not to be, unfortunately. The Fracture Clinic room was empty there, apart form a hospital porter who told me there was no clinic today. He went off to find somebody who could help and quickly returned with one of the receptionists I've got to know so well over the past six weeks. She said the clinic had been cancelled, and that everyone with an appointment was supposed to have been notified. She checked and checked, but there was no getting round the fact that I'd had a wasted journey and would not now be seen again until Tuesday. She suggested that I talk to someone in the Physiotherapy unit. They were very sympathetic but made it quite clear that they couldn't attend to anyone without a referral. 'You'll be okay on Tuesday', they said. 'A physiotherapist will be in attendance at the Fracture Clinic. You might also get a speedy referral to us if you explain about your impending holiday.' So, disappointment, and a wasted journey and time lost which could have been devoted to keeping my clients happy.

It's a bit of a walk from the bus stop to the hospital. I could have taken another bus back to town to avoid this on the way back, but I decided to walk. And I walked, and walked, and walked, changing my route along the way and deciding to bypass the city centre and catch up with my bus route at Fairview. By the time I got there I was a bit hot and clammy and sticky (it was actually quite a nice day, and reasonably warm), so it was only natural that I stop off at a pub for a glass of refreshment. It's an old-fashioned pub with lots of character. I took a couple of photos in the inner bar as blip possibles, but it was only as I was making my way out and was passing through the outer bar that I saw this lovely secluded corner and stopped to try to catch the light coming through the stained glass window.

Imagine my surprise when I got back home, checked later with the Blipblog, and saw the new assignment -- Light and Shadow, it said. How amazing, I thought. One assignment in the bag without even realising it was done!