Bad steak, guns and money grabbing NHS

3 October 2012

Yesterday was not a bad day really.  I got out into town for a couple of hours to get a little bit of shopping done and then went to the Willy White for a pint.  On the tables were the menus sheets for their Grill Night special so I ordered a sirloin steak.  Last one I had was every nice, yesterday's was pretty dire with a lot of gristle in it.  By the time I got home I was feeling pretty well drained though.  I don't know why but there you go, I was. 

According to today's News rumours were widespread about a shooting incident in Stockingford.  Well, we hadn't heard them - but there again we now live on the other side of the railway tracks now ;-)))  It's strange how these stories get blow out of proportion and spread so widely.  The incident happened on Church Road and it may well have been between two car driver.  However, no one really knows. 

The Hussy Hospital is in the News again.  This time it's all about car parking charges.  It seems that barriers connected to an ANPR system.  The problem comes when some outpatient clinics over run, with one man saying his regular six week appointment is delayed by up to two hours on just as regular a basis.  The new system parkers will need to enter their reg number into a pay machine as they leave the hospital and then pay the charge required.  If a clinic over runs staff will be able to over ride the system to allow the patient/visitor to pay a lesser charge.  Sounds OK in theory but I thought NHS staff were very busy now anyway.  If so, how will they find the time to over ride the system for all a clinics patients?  I have a sneaky suspicion that the truth behind it is that there are now no parking attendants working there anymore.  People are arriving and paying just the minimum amount and that's all.  If that is right then the hospital is losing a lot of money from the car parks.  This ANPR system is just a way of increasing their income from car parking without admitting it!

This afternoon I'm due at the Walsgrave for a follow up on a problem with floaters in my eyes.  Last time I saw them, around three weeks ago they said that we have to learn to live with floaters because there was nothing that can be done about them.  I'll see how it goes today then.  Jan has to take me over there because they put drops in your eyes to dilate the pupils and it's not safe to drive after that.  We'll be able to do a bit more shopping afterwards at Asda just down the road.

So then I suppose you want a photo now ...  OK ... 

a coot, my favourite bird.

And from the Rochdale Sage ...