So I got to the doctor’s office at the new hospital. Turns out there IS an emergency room hidden away and not lit well, and no signage. But now I know. . .

There were hundreds of people mulling round. It was the big opening day party. So while the sick folk sat huddled together in waiting rooms, in the great front entry hall were speeches, laughter, applause. Very strange.

The doctor, a lovely young woman named Gilly Thompson, took one look at my foot and said, “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”  Not exactly what one wants to hear. Took a photo of the foot so we have a baseline. She was very encouraging, though, and gave me a different steroid plus antibiotic. So we shall see. Meanwhile, as I put on the first coating of the ointment, I was happily dismayed to read its name. I mean, thousands of dollars are spent on product name discovery. And this is called. . .wait for it. . .I am not making this up. . .FUCIBET. FUC-I-BET. Try saying that any way you can and it is still Fucibet. I’m just saying. . .

Afterwards, I had a lovely lunch with my chum Peter, and we went second-hand bookstore wandering through St Andrew.I picked up a biography of Hilaire Belloc and several books for my neighborhood  drug dealers, er rare book dealers down the block in Hatfield.

Got ready for London–I will be away three days. Play nicely. I am not sure whether I will be able to stay in contact during the three days of seeing editors and speaking to the Smith College London Club. But I will have my handy Fucibet with me so all will be well. And I will be bacl Friday evening.