Hospital visitor

Went to visit lytteltonwitch at the hospital tonight. She’s looking about as well as can be expected after surgery, which by the sound of things was a bit more complicated than they expected. She was hoping to get out tomorrow, but it looks like they’re going to keep her in for a few more days. So I passed on everyone’s good wishes, made sure she had plenty of reading material within easy reach, and left her with instructions to give me a ring if she runs out.

I just hope she realises what extreme suffering I underwent in order to visit her. She’s at a hospital in Merivale, so my original plan was to go straight to the hospital from work, then afterwards to walk up to Papanui, where I could grab something to eat and catch the bus home. But when I got to the hospital, I discovered visiting hours weren’t until 7 (really should have checked first, I suppose…). So that necessitated a quick change of plans. I’d find something to eat first, then go and visit her, then I’d still be able to get home before it got too dark. Except I was in Merivale. Well known for posh shops and pretentious restaurants, not so well known for cheap places to eat. And walking all the way up to Northlands and back would take too long. So I wandered forlornly around Merivale for a while before finally coming to the conclusion I’d been trying to avoid: the only affordable place to eat in the whole of Merivale is McDonalds. Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike McDonalds? But much as I wanted to just give up on the whole visiting idea and go home for real food, I forced myself to have McDonalds for tea. Aren’t I a good friend? 🙂

(My big question though is how is it that no matter what flavour of burger you get at McDonalds, and no matter what type of meat it supposedly has in it, they all taste exactly the same???)

Anyway, I took advantage of being in a hospital to do a few themed releases: Josie Smith in Hospital by Magdalen Nabb, and The London Doctor and The London Consultant’s Rescue by Joanna Neil.

Oh, and something that amused me at the hospital. As you enter the grounds, there’s a whole row of mailboxes for the various clinics and things attached to the hospital. On one of the mailboxes was written “SPECIMENS AND MAIL GIBBONS”. That one kept me giggling for ages 🙂