Maximising Protection

I walked 36 kms yesterday, but very few today. But I have a doctor's note.

Today was the day I had to go back to the eye hospital in Toulouse for them to measure the rate of deterioration with my serious retina problem. so it was up and out of the house before 6.30. Even leaving at that time we hit the rush hour in Toulouse, but we had allowed for that. We even had enough time to negotiate the traffic chaos in the hospital area, where a tramway system is being installed direct from the city centre to the hospital itself - and beyond, I believe. The hospital complex is massive and is currently undergoing a huge rebuilding program, which means that the retina department was today in a completely different building, having moved into the maternity building since our last visit last November.

Lots of flashing lights again. The result was good news. My retina problem (pattern dystrophy) has stabilised. I was signed off for another 6 months but advised again in the strongest terms to maximise my eye protection from the sun's rays, which severely exacerbate the problem.

There was a bit of excitement when a man came along the corridor in his pyjamas, holding his arms before him and bearing a towel across his wrists. Not some bizarre religious ceremony - the clue was given by the three extremely tough-looking gendarmes who accompanied him and never let him out of their sight. Their bullet-proof vests and guns indicated that this small person was an extremely dangerous prisoner from a high-security gaol.

On the way back we called in to Pamiers to ogle our new battlebus, which is standing proudly in the showroom, awaiting its immatriculation so that we can drive it away for Gay to practise driving a 7-metre vehicle. Then we have to take it back shortly before the start of VBW, for the special VBW decoration to cover it overall.

Gay's birthday today, so I owe it to her, after all that driving (she had to drive home because my eyes were still dilated), to not spoil the rest of the day by going off for a walk. In fact, we are away to a restaurant which comes highly recommended but which we have not yet tried. This involves a drive through the alarming gorge from Quillan towards Perpignan. They have accommodation so we shall be staying overnight.