Too Patient.

I arrived home at 9.00 tonight after spending the afternoon in Exeter. My trip to the city started well. My wardrobe combo of vest & waterproof jacket proved to be a good choice as the morning's rain suddenly turned into warm and humid weather. I had gone up on the train which I always enjoy (I realised how countrified I have become when I found myself mentally noting the various breeds of cows in the fields, a Guernsey cross there and some nice Devon Reds over there). As I have sometimes had to wait 20 mins for the H bus which goes to the hospitals, I got to the bus stop early and one came along quite quickly. That got me to the hospital at 3.30 for a 4.00 appointment. I went up to the posh reception desk, this is a private hospital remember, they took my name, ticked me off a list and sent me to the waiting room. There I had coffee and got chatting with a country couple. The wife was also there for a pre-op assessment so I assumed that I would be after her. Off she went and I chatted with the husband who works in a chicken factory in the mornings, yuck, and is a gamekeeper in the afternoons. Time went on and I waited, and waited until at nearly 5.00 I went back to the main reception deck to ask what was going on. Big oops, they had forgotten to tell the nurse I was there! There were many apologies especially when I said I was travelling back by train and had already missed the one I was hoping to get. I had all my checks, including an ECG and plenty of blood taken for 'full bloods U's and E's' (they always say that on the medical programmes), and it's all go for next week. At last! They went as fast as they could but I was too late for the 6.00 train even if I had taken a taxi but they made me a ham salad sandwich to take with me. Once I got back to Barnstaple I did some shopping at Tescos before making my way home. My day was still not finished. By dint of asking, then nagging and the odd sharp word Linas did do most of the preparation in the pink room but tonight I had to finish painting the woodwork so that I can do the walls tomorrow. (Linas went back to Plymouth on the train until Friday.) I hate having to nag but sometimes it is the only way.