I have just returned from a pre-medical visit at the Sulis Centre, a branch of the NHS, in Peasedown here in Somerset.  It was an hour’s worth of appointment and it flew by.  I am having  hernia operation next week and for many reasons which I assume not being sued I had to go over all my details including any past insults to the body, all medications, any allergies.
As I am to be under general Anesthetic, a particular set of rules of fitness apply.

At the meeting with the nurse, the topic of covid came up and I gave my 5-minute summary on the less well -known aspects of it i.e. the politics and corruption behind the scenes. The nurse who was from Romania was on board and felt able to express her doubts.  She had to have the vaxx to keep working but I guessed from her demeanor that she had one of the placebo batches.   My blood pressure was high at 206/84 so I had to promise to do readings on a daily basis on my own and report back by Friday to enable the operation to take place (due 13th July)

I since was told that this the higher reading most affected by anxiety – deep rooted or otherwise – and I can bring it down by relaxing, breathing and positive visualization.  So I lay on my bed for 5 minutes, breathed in and out, and tested myself. The reading went down to 164.

This weekend I am having my beloved ZOOM / Red Pill members to a weekend with me. There will be about 10 of us. I shall be delivering a talk about how to give more effective lectures. By coincidence I found a video by Alan Watts: The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. The quality of his speaking voice makes me sentimental for the times that people spoke ‘Queen’s English’ using complete sentences instead of the procession of like- sort of – I’m er – that makes modern speech so irritating to listen to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ioPgq0mp8U

I love the bit where he says to speak with authority is to speak as the author and take responsibility for the content. The connection is so obvious that I never put the two together.  “To be original is not to be freaky but to speak from the origins. That is what Christians mean when they say ‘ to speak in the spirit’, to have our mouth possessed by the Holy Spirit”

Wonderful stuff. And how the audience responds.

Most of my gardening jobs I quote for I get. Occasionally someone calls me and says they have got someone else. This from the timing point of view is not possible. In those cases there is another reason that they are not telling me. I never argue. Instead I congratulate them on their choice and wish them all the best.

Last weekend we went to Frome where there was a combined art trail a grand street market spanning most of the small roads that comprise the city, combined with a photographic exhibition plus musical events with local bands in the evening.

I was in paradise as I could practice my specialty, talking to and joking with complete strangers. If you are the same wavelength as the other party then it does not matter whether you know them or whether they are a complete stranger.