Pat goes to hospital

All plans went awry. Maureen phoned to say that Pat wasn't able to move this morning. Lorraine set off almost immediately -- we suspected he had had a stroke. The paramedics had arrived shortly after Lorraine arrived in Ashford. Pat had a strange rash. By the end of the evening they said that he had pneumonia, and they were continuing investigations, but put in a cannula for antibiotics and paracetamol. Obviously everyone rather shaken. I spoke to Lorraine and Maureen during the day -- but Pat apparently cracking jokes and in good spirits. 

Before she left, Lorraine had been baking loaves and so on, and after she left talking to her on the phone we realised they had been on the wrong setting, so I had to put them back in and monitor. Miraculously the bread was fine at the end. I biffed any idea of doing some writing this morning, and also decided to cancel seeing Keith after the dentist in case I had to zoom off to Ashford. 

After the excitements of the morning I had miscalculated the train times I jumped on the train at Seaford, having bought a train ticket, it only took me five minutes of looking at timetables to work that I would never get to Kew Bridge in time. 

I decided to cut my losses, and got off at Newhaven, phoned the dentist, and then decided on a whim to walk back home along the seafront. Threaded in the general direction of Seaford, through some industrial backstreets and alongside the industrial remains of the Tides Mill buildings. Seaford Head a great landmark. Turned onto the seafront, where I walked back to Seaford. Giant diggers moving up and down the pebbles pushing them back towards the sea. Wasn't feeling particularly relaxed today, but this cheeky 10k walk certainly made me feel better and more ground.

Talking to Lorraine this afternoon as she and Maureen sat in the hospital, and getting back to my desk for a bit. Steve sent me a note wondering if I was up for a cheeky in the Boot so I joined him for a quick drink -- he'd just returned from seeing family in Leicester -- then I popped into Trawlers to score some fish and chips. Home before seven and simply ate the chips.  

First night alone in this house, both cats sitting on me tonight, as they had done on Lorraine yesterday when I was out. Went to bed chatting to Lorraine and Maureen as they drove home from Maidstone -- as the local hospital in Ashford had been diverting patients.

Below an uninspired shots of Mill Creek, and an L shaped pond. I shall return with my camera when I am feeling a tad less preoccupied.