Another tenner

Can't remember if I told you about the lovely black velvet vintage Marks and Spencer bolero jacket that I found in a local animal charity shop. Sized an old 16 into which I couldn't even begin to force my arms, I knew it would never fit me. But it had a £1 price tag and when I examined it more closely I found that it dated to a time of St Michael, when everything was made in the UK. So I just couldn't resist buying it and last night it sold on Ebay for £9.99!

Now I don't need the tenner; that's wasn't the point of the exercise. What really delights me is that the garment will be sent to someone who wants it and who has put a value on it. That must be preferable to it ending up being "ragged" by the charity.

I forgot to tell you about the CT scan last week. It was fairly straightforward although they were exceptionally busy. I normally go early because it helps I know when they can fill places, presumably from "no-shows", but this time I had to wait half an hour. They leave the intravenous cannula in just in case you have a bad reaction to the dye that they use and you wait a further 15 minutes before it's removed and you leave. Well it got to 15, then 25 then 45 minutes and eventually I asked the receptionist to check as it was lunchtime by then. It turned out that I had been "wiped off the board" and forgotten about. Everyone was terribly apologetic and lovely - they always are - and they sorted me out very fast, so you can't feel cross.

But then, the day after, I had market researcher on the phone asking questions about the service I'd received relating specifically to that scan. Of course the delay came out in the questions. I feel very sorry for staff under the circumstances because they are trying their level best to do a good job but mistakes do happen I know. I'm always terribly conscious of the incredible presure they're all under and appreciative that they want to spend their days looking after people. One thing I know for sure, it's a job I never ever wanted. I could never stick a needle in someone else's vein. So thanks all you health professionals out there - and all you retired health professionals - for carrying out that tasks that I could never do. I'm extremely grateful to you all.