Tuesday 5 July 1664 click to read in full. Mainly about business

Time for my monthly visit to the hospital for my eye check up. My left eye has deteriorated so an injection was prescribed. Lying on your back and having a needle stuck in your eye is not intrinsically pleasant but the doctor who does these injections does their very best to make the patients feel at ease. I in my turn do my best by being positive and cooperative, telling jokes at my own expense and when the time comes to put the needle in the eye, learning to be still. All you feel is a slight prick as if a sewing needle had slightly penetrated the skin of your finger.

The doctor and her assistant prepares the patient by putting large doses of pure water followed by iodine followed by an antiseptic substance which stings a bit but before you know it all over. The slightly oily medicine gives hallucinogenic effects, bubbles and colours. It reminds me of the Beatles album Sgt Pepper. It is always worse the first time when you don’t know what to expect but once you had a few it’s almost routine.

I sat opposite a fellow patient from Trowbridge while I was waiting.  She was grumbling because of the queues and said she would far rather be watching the tennis, it being Wimbledon at the moment. I reminded her that until a few years ago, people had to pay for such eye treatment and it was about £1000 for the session. She became quiet on hearing this information.

It was my 16th visit to the hospital in this connection and I’m getting to know the staff quite well now, I am familiar with their ways and mannerisms, and I always ask after them if they are not around. I made it a rule never and never to go in to the outpatients with anything other than a smile on my face and a ready joke if I can see any opportunity to tease somebody or – come to that – tell a joke at my own expense.  if anyone seems uneasy or trouble I will draw them into conversation and just lighten the load a bit. There are those who have eye conditions far worse than myself including children. What a terrible thing it is to develop an eye condition at four or five years of age right at the beginning of your life. Us older ones have had a good innings and eyes do go in one way and another after a time.

Our local MP had had a sixth child. This man must  be of old stock if the given names of his children are anything to go by.

They are:

Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan
Peter Theodore Alphege
Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam
Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius
Mary Anne Charlotte Emma
Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher

One cannot accuse our MP of lacking in imagination.

I took my son who is over from Sri Lanka for a walk along our favourite canal. The monster boat was there to which we gave first prize for ugliness.

German U boat?

this delightful boat was given the full works and became in fact an art installation

Even boaters in their self-sufficiency need support from time to time. I found this a very friendly notice