This is the pic I used for the 'Something Good' prompt:



Something good being the NHS - nice action shot, I thought, and look how I kindly cropped out the needle as I know some people are dead squeamish about them.

In response to comments about the American healthcare system - much of which I didn't really understand - my main belief is that there's no need for that whole layer of insurance company, non-medical people creaming off a chunk of what patients pay for their care. Profiting from sickness - just plain wrong. The other point, though, is that media reporting of the debate over the changes Obama tried to bring in shows that the idea of a free press is just a joke. Like the lack of coverage of the govt dismantling our NHS - such wickedness. All the media either owned or controlled by big money interests and the BBC always afraid to stick its neck out for fear of what the govt might do. Sigh.

Still, I was feeling much better after a good night's sleep and walked back from the doc's in the spring sunshine - very pleasant.

I found these for ED to fiddle with (sorry about crap pic):



They're on elastic so form different shapes when you twist them about - kids' toys, but I think she'll like them. I was intending to collect quite a few things for when I next go up there but think I'll post them instead.

For myself I bought this:



as I happened to see it and TD swears by the good energy they bring if placed strategically. Can't remember where that is (it's feng shui) so it's just by the pc for now.

and for YD's fella, henceforth known as SIL2, I was really pleased to happen across these:



Teeny, tiny people, which he uses in art-works. I do love SIL2. As well as adoring my daughter, he has copious wells of joyful, creative silliness and I do like that in an adult.

I also had counselling again today, with R this time, not so much counselling now as blurting out a load of stuff that's happened, but very necessary. His new office is by the riverbank, opposite my old house. When it's warm enough I get there early so I can have a smoke by the river - I love that as a wide estuary it has infinite degrees of tide, so what with weather and light, it never looks the same twice. This afternoon it was like this:



You know your life could be worse when you still have occasion to sit and watch boats bobbing on the water and hear bastard seagulls screeching into the breeze.

I do feel that I'm starting to establish a background level of calm steadiness - god, I can't believe I've written that down - it is NOT a challenge to see how much more I can take, OK?

Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to yoga before my acupuncture session, then I'm free for the rest of the week and will get back into the mindfulness meditation.

I had dinner in the Thai place again tonight. The food isn't brilliant - the fishcakes were quite horrid, chewy things, but usually it's OK and not only is it two minutes walk from home, but there's also a delightfully cheerful baby - perhaps a year old - toddling about the place, which is much more mood-enhancing than better food.

Today I am grateful for: a gift of two duck eggs, laid this morning, from Son's pal B; feeling calm; codeine; the camera on my new phone - haven't used my actual camera since I got it (though I have sometimes missed the viewfinder when I can't see the screen); feeling spring is on its way - cue George:

)


Sweet dreams xxx