Friday Smiles 2025 # Week 23

I wonder whether your week has been anything like mine; busy if somewhat boring. We have had a health appointment every day, starting with one at Guy's hospital dermatology department where I was examined, swabbed and photographed, and given a further appointment at the end of June. ( Nothing to worry about, mostly routine). Then there were visits to meet the health assistant and the new doctor. I seem to have been giving details of my medication over and over again. Today we were able to collect our first prescriptions and all have been accepted except one of mine. Next week we both have a shingles vaccine and one for RSV. And then I have to go to see the diabetic nurse and Chris the nurse at the OPCD clinic. It sounds as though we are both falling apart, but actually I am just really impressed by how quickly these appointments have been given, and how thorough they are at checking us out. 

Tomorrow is a brighter prospect as I have two friends coming to visit. I knew them in Spain but they moved back almost a year ago and now live not far from here, so I am looking forward to catching up with them.

We haven't been able, or felt ready, to visit anyone else further afield yet as there is still a fair bit of admin to get sorted, especially with banks.

Yesterday the sun shone all day and I was able to get a load of washing dry outside, but today it is raining. So we got rather wet travelling down to the end of the town but I was able to collect my new heating aids. They are more comfortable than I had expected though they are making my ears itch. I expect I will soon get used to that. It is good that I can adjust them on my phone as the fiddly little dials on the ear pieces would be a pain. I haven't been in many situations to test them out yet, but hopefully conversations will be much easier now. 

Last Sunday the sun was out so after dinner Chris and I went for a walk. We caught a bus right outside the house, up to the entrance to Crystal palace park, and walked right through the gardens back home. It was so peaceful there and hard to believe we are only a stones throw away from city traffic. The last bit of the walk home was down a long straight road with my son's church at he end of it. So here is St.Bartholomew's  church, Sydenham, where my eldest son has been vicar for five years now. 

I realised that I forgot to tell you about our theatre trip last week, so here is a brief account. It is quite an experience to walk through city streets crowded with people at nightfall, but we weaved our way round them and got to the theatre in time to settle into our seats. I enjoyed the play as I love all live theatre but it was very dated, and slow in places. The actors were good but there were no set changes nor lighting effects. and anyone who is used to going to more recent shows, must have found it a bit dull. For us it was a novelty, but we did come out wondering what has kept it running for quite so many years. 

But I loved the atmosphere and enjoyed all the lights as we walked back. We stopped at a novelty shop where I couldn't resist buying this 'fluffy'. It's so cute and quite the softest thing I have ever touched.

Then we stopped at Outernet, London, just near Tottenham court road. It is an open air space completely surrounded by screens that show amazing videos and art in an ever changing show. Mirrors send stars up into infinity while a witch flies round the room on her broomstick, and you see beaches and woodland with such clarity that you don't know which way to look. I would recommend anyone visiting London should go to it. I could have sat watching the changes for hours, but we had a late train to catch.

And now I must stop rambling and get this ready to publish and link up with Annie's Friday Smiles in the morning.