OK, we aren't travelling up today. This was the intention when the history syllabus demanded that we photograph Hardwick Hall, which we are no longer required to do. Haven't ruled out tomorrow yet, but...
1. I am struggling to find my camping kit, especially my lovely warm Stormlite sleeping bag. This is because the house is full of TPCs and much of the camping gear has been buried under an avalanche of knitted and crocheted
things which have been the fruit of my wife's needles over many years, even though they have nowhere to go. This avalanche was caused by Dez clearing out another room quite a few months ago. This can be remedied by buying more camping kit, but see TPCs above.
2. Jan has had a rotten cold for a couple of weeks and her asthma is giving her a lot of difficulty at night. Not staying in a tent seems like a good idea, and of course Clare's bungalow is only 13 miles away.
3. I have been on the verge of getting a cold for about 6 or 7 weeks and it seemed to be developing properly yesterday evening. Now it has gone away again.
4. Clare phoned. We were to be giving her a lift dahn sarf next week so that she could visit a family friend (Anne) in Eastbourne, a lady who has cancer. This was all to be timed around her chemotherapy sessions, one of which was planned or this week. That was postponed and lady in question decided to return to Stalybridge in order to do something with her late parents' bungalow and to give Clare a lift back to Eastbourne herself (
). (Clare drives, but refuses to go on motorways or any distance out of her local area). Given that this would undoubtedly put us into contact with Anne, two people with nagging throat infections are not ideal company for someone on chemotherapy.
5. In the night my right knee has decided, for no apparent reason, to become extremely painful. I suspect that by this time tomorrow it will be behaving as though butter wouldn't melt in its mouth.
So that's where we are. Sarfend, for the moment.
