Spring!

Busy day today!!
I met Mrs L at Stowe this morning for our walk. It was freezing but so nice to see a bit of sun!
And so good to see the snowdrops and celandines out. Gives me hope that spring is on the way!
After lunch I went to try and give blood again. The last few times I’ve been they couldn’t get anything out of my stupid invisible collapsing veins which had been a painful waste of everyone’s time. So I gave up. I’ve not been back since 2022.
The other day I watched the Casualty Christmas special about blood donation, spent most of it in tears and decided to try again.
Today was the day!
I filled out my form and had to wait for ages; had the blood prick anaemia test; had to sit and wait for a nurse as I had said yes on the form to having lived outside the UK for more than 12 months; had to wrack my brains about where and when I’d been; had to go to the loo because I’d drunk about fifteen litres of water; got in the chair and had the nurse check both arms for suitability…..
She said they’ve changed the guidelines and they don’t even attempt to get blood if they don’t feel the veins are suitable. They have to think about the donors as well as the need for donations, she said.
She said she thought my veins were useless failures but wanted a second opinion. The second opinion concurred and I was sent on my way. Without my Penguin reward!!!
Grrrrrrrrrr!!! At least I know now that it’s impossible for me.
House Music tonight at the theatre in Aylesbury. Miss E and Miss L weren’t taking part but as usual wanted to go and support their friends and respective houses.
We picked up Miss L’s friend from Calvert Green on the way. Well I say on the way, not really on the way at all and involved driving through the arse end of nowhere through multiple HS2 sites. Dark winding muddy single track roads with too much traffic. Gravel, potholes, mud, lorries, blinding headlights.
And no real idea of the route because my satnav predates HS2 so it would have tried to take me down roads I knew were closed. I got Apple Maps on my phone but having to keep glancing down at that wasn’t ideal.
And naturally we were running a bit late so that made it worse.
It was one of the least relaxing journeys I’ve ever had!!
But we made it in one piece. Whoop whoop!
The show wasn’t as good as it’s been in previous years but still fun. The musicians are generally astoundingly good - drummers, guitarists, keyboard players all living the dream with full professional lighting and staging. Just brilliant!
Some of the singing was a bit ropey but I have to remind myself they’re teenagers not professional artists!!!
Although at £20 a ticket it wouldn’t hurt to weed out some of the worst offenders!!
The return journey wasn’t as bad as I didn’t have the time pressure.
I did have the pressure of my headlights being so muddy I could barely see the road, and the screen wash running out so I could barely see out of the windscreen. Oh and the tire warning light flashing constantly. Fun!!!!!