The secret life of dead tulips …..

It’s a garden safari today - the furthest I travel from the actual house. My intention is to photograph the rather flamboyant death throes of our tulips, but a macro peer inside reveals a whole new underworld of alien creatures.  Green aphids roam the desiccated petals, climbing boldly up the stamens as if to make a statement of their takeover.  And there are other creatures there as well - ghostly mites and ants and spiders, hiding in dark corners. 

In other dark and secret worlds I continue to seek confirmation of an appointment date. Unsurprisingly, ‘James’ has not called back to give me any news, and when I speak to him today, he tells me ‘it’s a very long waiting list’. How long? I ask. He tells me it’s about a year…. A YEAR! So is it just a case of joining the end of the cystoscopy queue? What consideration is given to the urgency of cases? He doesn’t know - he’s just an admin person with no medical expertise,  but he ‘promises’ he’ll call me back on Monday…… 

A little later, a truly frightening thought occurs. I really don’t think there’s any record of what occurred that night in A&E - after all, there’s been no follow up. I phone again and ask to have a copy of my notes. It will probably take until the middle of next week to locate them, I’m told. We’re still on paper-base records here…… 

You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve now written my letter of complaint. It’s rather long - and I may well yet have more to add. 

Thank you so much for your kind response to yesterday’s spotty dog!