Upsilon Gway means a limping Z

I met my match in Portugal. I managed the uphill walks to the forts and then to the battlements (I'll download the pictures sooner or later and might show you one or two) but by Friday I just wanted to rest. It wasn't that it hurt so very much, but that I didn't want to go home in poorer condition than I'd left. Actually, two lovely sunny days and a gentle stroll or two was fine.

Nevertheless, I've finally admitted to myself that I don't want to wait another year. And I'm usually busy, and the start of the year is the least busy. The clincher was reading, last night, the itinerary of the visit to Glasgow I've signed up for in May and dreading it, although I want to go.

So I'm phoning the surgery for an appointment tomorrow and am setting things in motion. I hope I'm offered an epidural - isn't the thought of hearing your thigh being sawn through a weirdly thrilling one? No, don't say it's just me. Actually, I suspect they'll suggest I bring in my iPod and drown out the whirr.

Anyway, I peered out at the dismal weather this morning and asked the Sage if it was going to rain again. He said it was clearing up. So, with my usual trusting innocence, I got my bike out, looked for gloves, couldn't find a matching pair except for fingerless gloves and set off. It was a cheerless journey - it wasn't exactly raining but there was a liquidity about the air that hung about. I fished a bag out of my pannier to put over the saddle while I was shopping.

When I came out of the first shop, it was raining. I cycled down the road, reparked and went into another shop. It started to rain harder. I engaged the shopkeeper in conversation so that I could stay indoors.

When it cleared up (relatively, it was still damp) I went home. The Sage was out. I hadn't taken a key. I remembered those happy childhood days when we never locked our house, even when we went on holiday. My father always said that, with our huge windows, a locked door was more inconvenience to us than a potential burglar. I went to ask Dilly for the key and was met in the hall by Squiffany. "Hello, Zerlina" I said, to my embarrassment, especially when she laughed and went to tell her mother.

Weeza and Zerlina were spending the afternoon with Dilly and family, in fact, so I had the chance to give them the presents I'd brought from Portugal, which did indeed include port. Zerlina has grown so much in a couple of weeks - she's not at all a baby now. Pugsley came running over to kiss me, which delighted me.

Weeza noticed my limp and a discussion began. I allowed her and Dilly to advise me. They encouraged me to go and spend a lot of money on myself to cheer myself up. I told them I'm going to buy the Sage a laptop for Christmas, on Tuesday, and give it to Ro to set it up. I hope he'll do it before The Day though, as otherwise we'll spend the whole time clustered around it being helpful and frustrating its new owner. Better if he has a week's playtime first.