LESS THAN TWO DAYS TO TREAT

Well I never!  My imminent hospital visit was all sorted, or so I thought till I received a letter telling me I had the option of going somewhere else.  I do... why?

The appointment offered, the letter explained, with apologies, was thirteen days past the legally required period  for treatment to be given.  The hospital is therefore "required to identify if any other hospital outside the region would be able to treat [me]".... before the date that I was offered.  The letter goes on to say that I may have already received a call from the hospital about this asking whether I would be willing to to be placed under the care of another consultant; (no, I have not received such a call).  Of course,  if I did want to pursue this offer,  it would mean that I would have to travel for treatment and possibly any follow up care.  Receiving timely follow up care has long been a bone of contention for many patients in far flung communities. It would be nice to get it.  As you can tell, this guidance does not worry me in the least.  It might, I suppose, if I lived within, say, twenty or thirty miles of the hospital. 

I am  used to travelling for a regional hospital appointment, a journey of 240 miles, (round trip).  I would not be particularly put out by having to travel farther, if I were to pursue a change of plans.  As I am not going to, it is all academic anyway.  

It is highly unlikely the administration would be able to obtain alternative services for me with so little time to do so, less than TWO DAYS.  By sending me the offer at very short notice to re-arrange my treatment, the hospital may just about have legally covered itself. 

COUNTRY AND SURF AT 'THE TOP OF THE DAY'

It looked like a good day to go out last Sunday, (16th November 2013). With the shortening daylight hours, every opportunity has to be taken when a day is at its best, at 'the top of the day' as the local expression goes. We found ourselves walking a bit of the North East Coast.  You are never far from countryside, in fact, the three, sea shore and countryside, merge.  The sun was low in the sky, seriously blinding for driving into, and also, for walking. It was not particularly good either for photographing some of the weird and wonderful things that caught my eye; maybe I shall get pictures of them another time.

Hardly noticeable, this water treatment plant sat neatly on the coast.

 Sheep grazed. They were not interested in us. I think they must be used to people.  Perhaps too many people had wandered by.  The path ahead of us through the field where the sheep were, was closed off by a five-bar gate.  It was not intended that the gate should be opened.  It was secured with barbed wire.  The gates we had already used were dropping on their  hinges by a considerable amount, requiring some heaving to open and close them behind us. It was not unreasonable to conject, therefore, that there may have been some issues with farm gates being left open.

Hay bales were sitting in the stubble on the fields.  The bales were outlined by good surfing waves   At a distance, the bales almost seemed to be  being pushed along. My stereotypical picture memories, much like the old masters,  are of hay stacks in fields, with more rolling fields surrounding them.  Bales and sea surf were unexpected companions. If you peer into the surf, you will just be able to make out a surfer, (a black dot).

I counted about ten surfers in this group.  This coast, indeed this bay, is known to serious national and international competitors for the quality of surf.  Recently, there was a major competition here.

You might just be able to see a few surfers in action through the spray 'curtain'

...and these surfers are flat-lining on their surfboards. 

Very many years ago, there was land reclamation on this part of the coast, the sea is now reclaiming back the same land, partly through erosion and in part, because, the unmaintained harbour breakwater, (the upright boulders, which are seen in this picture) has given the sea free reign to move back in.

This doorway to nowhere testifies that a substantial property  was built here. The barley twist design the stonemason carved either side of the jamb is still intact on the right. The doorway is beautiful in its decay and solitude.

You can make the images bigger if you click on them.