in every life a little rain must fall

Okay, so like my (our) life has been through a bit of an "upheaval" recently: to say the very least. Which is all true and valid, yet nothing ever prepares you (or at least me) for what has occurred over the past 24 hours - or rather the last 12 hours -

The NHS is and remains a controversial "Godsend" as far as health maintenance is concerned and if you have arguments about whether or not it should exist, take a step back and think about it for a minute.

You could be in America and have the fear of being bankrupt by having to get your behind to the hospital's emergency (casualty) room for a ruptured spleen.

Daughter Steffi (the oldest of the three) found herself in 'casualty' last night, the results of having a ruptured spleen (details not worthy of discussing here) and afterwards, speaking with the surgeons and billing people, we realized what a freaking miracle it was; not only that she'll be fine at some later date (she was in the operating theater last night after all) but her (and by reference OUR) finances are not doomed as a result

In closing, it has never been better being related by marriage to "She who must be obeyed" than right about now. To say I have an affinity for her is like saying I need air to survive, She knows what to say and how to say it and more importantly WHEN to say it.

Steffi is fine (okay, the word "fine" is relevant only in regards to a person after having emergency surgery) the good folk down at Chelsea & Westminster are superb and thank you to them

And once all of the above was confirmed to her complete satisfaction, She threw a blinder on me and off we went to the airport, arriving here in Rome very early this morning

Dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow and back on the weekend

The lemon was spotted in the lobby, the dolphins outside frolicing (as well as statues can 'frolic' you understand) in the fountain upon our arrival. As I said - or didn't say - I needed this

Health insurance folks (back in California and the other 49 states) if you don't have it, please get it! Hospital visits are damn expensive without it!