Friday 2nd April 2021

At least the weather matched my mood; dark and overcast.

In addition to the gout, my foot had swollen to the point that I could barely get my left slipper on, let alone a shoe.

This is how I felt:

Sigh.

I really wanted to get out and do stuff, but really couldn't. At least the NHS website was helpful, to a point: rest, elevate the limb, take anti-inflammatories and avoid foods that cause a reaction (beer, oily fish).

Double sigh.

I would avoid beer for the day, but I suspect I would need wine in the evening.

Jools elected to go shopping, though I was supposed to go. She didn't complain.

I stayed home and felt sorry for myself, it was the least I could do.

At least the weather didn't improve, indeed as the weekend progresses, it will get colder and colder, until on Bank Holiday Monday we will get sleet and maybe snow. I think of the damage it will do to the tender orchid spikes, precious.

Being Easter, I bake a batch of saffron buns, we had just enough flour and saffron, so soon the dough was mixed and rising, filling the house with that unique mix of yeast and warm saffron.

I bake then after shaping to make buns, and in twenty minutes we had a dozen large and dark buns, that when opened, were rich and golden in colour. I cut two each in half, smother in butter that quickly melted. These are perfect with a huge mug of sresh tea, and we make both vanish very quickly.

Jools works in the garden in the afternoon, I rest my foot some more, as it balloons in size.

For the afternoon I follow Norwich via Twitter and watch Sky's Saturday Footabl show which has videos of all Football League goals as they go in. Norwich take the lead against managerless Preston. But we failed to score a second, so were caught with a sucker punch in the 95th minute to draw 1-1. But later, 3rd place Swansea concede a last minute penalty to lose1-0, so we extend our lead over them. Four wins to be sure of promotion.

I do the music quiz at six, and as soon as my loss is confirmed, Jools drives us to Jen's for dinner, scallops, salmon and prawns in a black bean sauce, along with fried rice and/or Bombay potatoes.

I did have wine.

My foot got bigger.

Then we played cards, Jools won and I lost. But was pool our money we end up even.

So it goes.

Driving back home, the roads were very quiet, no truck about, and few cars.

Back home for more drugs and to bed, to try to sleep.