the day I ticked everything off on my list of things to do

Pippin is doing ok on her radioactive cat ward. The veterinary nurse said that she meows a lot. So true, I could hear her down the phone line. This is apparently common in hyperthyroid cats. Maybe with her thyroid gland now ablated she will be a little quieter. 

Our bedroom redecoration is going well but is not finished. The decorator is a real perfectionist and doing things just perfect takes time. He'll finish this evening. It is already looking really amazing (not at all like on the photo).

A pigeon met an unexpected end when it flew at full speed into our living room window. I wasn't sure what do to with the cadaver but while I was ruminating over a potential burial, one of many resident urban foxes found a big dinner. I can't reach the window to clean the pigeon outline now disturbing my view so have to wait until the window cleaner returns with his extendable tools.

I got my first official (approved) Covid vaccine on Friday. I waited 2 hours 52 minutes in a long (long!) queue at the drop-in centre, mostly outside in the cold. I may never feel warm again.... The drop-in clinic was in addition to appointment vaccination... The reasoning being that nobody might show up for drop-ins. Well, they were wrong. I tried quite hard to get an appointment by phone and online but without success. I also got the flu shot, which was unexpected but welcome.

To add insult to injury, I reacted strongly to the vaccine, or one of the vaccines. The chills were remarkable and the aches and pains really floored me.

Sam was visiting this weekend. I took him for dinner on Friday (before I succumbed to the shivers) while the other men in the house went to scouts (an overnighter for some). We had a lovely evening and parted ways afterwards, me ready for bed, Sam ready to catch up with his Glasgow friends in town. 

James went to the Friday climate protest with thousands of other children and teenagers and assorted parents. I am proud of him, even though he doesn't fully grasp the seriousness of a warming climate. But he cares and that is what counts. As a side note, I had to update a short introduction to climate change for a lecture in which I discuss the impact of changing climate on infectious disease patterns and human health. It was the most depressing thing I had to do in months. We didn't go to the even bigger climate protests on Saturday. I was feeling too miserable to do much and nobody else was keen. Marches in Glasgow in November are not for the faint hearted, the weather can be really awful. And it was! So far, COP26 has been progressing without major problems, always a relief. I hope something good comes out of it. 

I made myself go out for a walk on Sunday. I met my friend Jo in the nearby woods, together with our offspring. Well, I only took Alistair because James wanted to play basketball in the park. This suited me just fine because the boys argue all the time. Every Friday evening, I look forward to Monday because there is a respite from arbitrating endless arguments when they both are at school. There is no glamour in parenting. The walk was really enjoyable. It is just perfect when you can be friends with your children's mum/dad. Family and friendship time all at once.

And now it is Monday once more. I woke up feeling just fine. I started work early and I finished early, mid afternoon. Ticked everything of my list, in readiness for a full day of marking tomorrow. 

Thanks for visiting!