… the case, going to bed for an early night means that I just awaken even earlier. And to wake up at 01:33 is just ridiculous.
And I couldn’t go back to sleep either. I definitely remember 04:30 coming round. But go to sleep I must have done because I had the usual rather rude awakening at 06:00.
I’d been on my travels during the night though. Last night I was out with someone and their little daughter and as it was close to breakfast time and we needed bread, so I took her off to the bakers to buy a loaf. Walking through the country lanes, we saw a car coming – an old Fiat Panda, so we hid behind a hedge to leap out and scare them. It turned out that in the car was Zero and her father. Zero of course at one time or another accompanied me quite regularly on these nocturnal rambles. They offered to drive us back but as the little car would be quie crowded, I said that I would walk back. Nevertheless, they insisted and budged up to squeeze us in, and we drove back, with me realising that I wouldn’t be having any breakfast because I wouldn’t be buying any bread. Back at his house, I had a look at the plumbing that he was installing. I noticed that he was using a couple of my ideas about vertical pipework that he had ridiculed a few years earlier.
In fact, that was the story of my life in real life. I’d have many ideas which were roundly ridiculed by many people but which came to be adopted in the mainstream. I remember the ridicule to which my idea about low-voltage microwave ovens was put when I first suggested it, and now you find them in almost every long-distance lorry. That was just one of many such.
To everyone’s surprise, especially mine, I was out of bed quickly too. No idea why I can’t do this at home these days, except that my bed at home is far more comfortable than what I have here.
After breakfast, I had a shower and washed my clothes from the weekend, and then headed off to the hospital. Miles early, but I may as wait around there as here.
And talking of here, here’s a brilliant bit of parking I don’t think.
For reasons that only this lorry driver knows, he’s decided to park his lorry in the middle of the street blocking the traffic while he unloads.
I know that I harp on about bad parking in these pages on a regular basis, but this really is the limit. I just do not know what goes through the heads of some of these people. I really don’t
This warm weather is continuing. Halfway up the hill to the hospital and I was melting. I had to stop and take off my coat and stuff it in my rucksack.
I had to stop earlier than that though, in the Monseigneur van Waeyenberghlaan.
Here’s a modern building that looks very 1970s or 1980s to me, and they seem to be stripping it out ready for demolition. No idea why because there is no evidence of any fire damage.
I’ll have to keep my eye on this and see what is going on.
At the hospital I was an hour early. But it didn’t do me any good whatsoever because they were 10 minutes late seeing me.
I had however taken the opportunity to close my eyes and have a little relax. But eventually they coupled me up and sent me to sit on a chair. No comfy seat free either – I had to make do with a standard one.
It’s not just in the hotel that people are recognising me. People are beginning to notice me and to recognise me here, and that’s always bad news. The woman who serves out the soup at lunchtime went to give me a certain drink, and her assistant called out, before I had time to say anything, “ohh no – he always prefers a Sprite!”
The doctor came to see me and we had a chat. I told him that I was breaking up slowly but he didn’t seem to be all that concerned. Mind you, he did admit that my prescription was wrong and amended it, and gave me an extra medication to deal with this irritable skin.
And to my surprise, my blood count has gone up. Only one notch – to 9.8 from 9.7 – and it doesn’t feel like it either. And still a far cry from the heady days of 18 months ago when they managed to drag it up to 13.0. I don’t imagine that I will ever see those heady days again.
Round about 16:00 they told me that I could clear off. And so I did. Just as far as the chemists where I had my prescriptions made up. Except for one, where they didn’t have any stock.
I walked down the hill to the chemists in the Brusselsestraat where I didn’t have much better luck. But at least they could make up my cream and let me have it the following morning. That’s better than nothing.
On my way back home I called in at Delhaize for a few bits and pieces here and there. I’m not going back until Wednesday so I need food for lunch and for tea tomorrow. Baked beans and chips sounds good for tea if you ask me.
On my way back up the hill, I passed through the rector de somerplein.
I had noticed a lorry with a digger and a pile of equipment as I went down the hill this morning, and wondered what they were planning.
But here we are this evening, digging out a big hole in the pavement. No idea what is going on in the hole, so I’ll have to keep an eye on this as well for next time that I am here to see what they have done.
Alison texted me at about 18:30. She had arrived in Leuven and was parking her car, so I had to leg it quickly into town. It’s been a considerable time since we’ve seen each other and we had a lot of news to catch up with.
A few weeks ago I had noticed a restaurant called Mykene that was advertising gluten-free and vegan food, and looked quite nice inside. I’d mentioned it to Alison previously and had invited her there so off we toddled. They served me up a most impressive cauliflower steak with sweet potato fries and I’ll go back again for more of that.
We went on from there to pick up a kebab for Brian and then called at the Kloosters Bar for a quiet drink by the fireside and made plans for the future. She also gave me a birthday present and a little surprise from Jenny. Jenny had bought me a little gift for Christmas and of course no-one had been able to give it to me.
On her way back home, Alison dropped me off at my little room and I came in. It’s been a long day, I’ve walked miles and I’m tired. It’s a good job that I’m going to be having a day of rest.