Circuses, stags, and someone else's medical emergency

Sunday was quite the treat I hoped it would be. I was up fairly bright and early and zoomed off to Boots, Next and TK Maxx to buy some new clothes and things in celebration of my new liver. I then picked up my friends Robin and Claire from the station, had a nice lunch and a chat followed by some very naughty sticky toffee pudding with a cuppa in a nearby pub. Claire went off to the Watford Colosseum as she was doing a choral recording there, and Robin and I headed back to watch the boat race.After revelling in an excellent display of Tab-Bashing (Tab=Cambridge student, for those not in the know), Robin headed back to meet Claire, and I spruced up in my new togs and drove to Islington to meet my friend Rich.

He showed me some very natty website programming and work he's been doing (which knocks my efforts in to a cocked hat), and then we headed off to the Camden Roundhouse to watch a spectacular Circus-style show where the audience stands in the middle of the arena and various high-wire acrobatic performances go on around you, above you, among you, while you get shepherded around. Stunning, really exciting. Its called NoFit State Circus - I heartily recommend it. Rich used to do circus acrobatics himself, and his expert eye said that it was a 'good' level of expertise but he wasn't blown away. As someone without experience with these things, I thought it was incredible! I'm going to see another similar thing on Friday called La Clique, which is apparently even better, so watch this space for reviews.

Today was dramatic. I did some odd jobs and paperwork in the morning, then sat down with Dad and two of his staff for lunch. When I got up from the table to take some plates to wash up, I suddenly noticed that Dad's gardener appeared to be lying down in the middle of a flower bed. Thinking it was odd, I pointed this out to the others, who headed out only to discover that the poor man had collapsed, was slurring his speech, and seemed to be unable to move one arm. We sprang in to action, called an ambulance, got blankets and towels to get him comfortable, move cars in the drive to make room for the ambulance, rang his wife, and I jumped in to the car to pick her up to bring her to the house.

Incredibly the ambulance had already arrived as I'd started the car, and by the time I'd heaved my way through horrible traffic he'd been assessed, packed into the ambulance, and was on his way to Watford A&E. Of course, given my recent experiences I know the way there all too well, so I took the poor anxious lady straight there. Very disturbing. We heard later that they had experienced the very worst of Watford A&E when the doctor took a brief look and attempted to discharge him. The patient got up, collapsed again, and only when his daughter shouted angrily at the doctor that he should be assessing for 24hours, did the idiot cave in and found a bed available in the Stroke unit! Insanity. Apparently Watford A&E is pure pot-luck.

After those dramas I headed in to London again this evening to meet up with my very good friend (and indeed ex-girlfriend) Laura. Some years ago Laura and I were responsible for getting Chris and Hazel together, and we had a good chat about each other's plans for the Stag and the Hen do, and got some good ideas for embarrassing things to say in my speech (which Laura is backup for delivering should I have another health hiccup). Great fun to catch up, and we've got some ideas that will amuse everyone except Chris and Hazel who will hopefully blush appropriately.

Finally I got home this evening, heard all about Dad and Carole's many hours spent buying a car, and watched some West Wing (yes, I'm *still* watching it). Tomorrow I'm in school in the morning, and minding Patrick in the afternoon. Wednesday I'm seeing my amazing Shiatsu practitioner, then meeting my friend Andy in London. Thursday I'm probably at school again then going to Harley Street to have a consultation with a top nutritionist, and Friday I'm hopefully seeing this second circus-show. Then of course its the weekend and the Stag do. Life is absolutely bloody wonderful - hooray for health and energy!