Ear ear!

Another hot day, but not one I enjoyed to start with, as my wax blocked eardrums were causing me a lot of bother. After breakfast I walked to the audiometry clinic on Cowbridge Road, but found it closed, with no details of opening hours in the window. Not very smart if you then have to phone up to enquire when you can't hear properly. Not open until Tuesday. 

I had more audio recording and editing to do and this was more difficult to deal with than yesterday. Clare found the phone number of an audiometrist working in Michaelle Bird the Podiatrist's clinic in Llandaff Road. I called and left a message, then later, just to be sure sent a text message. After lunch I went for my blood pressure check at the GP surgery. I didn't bother to enquire about the result. It can't have been good as I'd just walked there and was given no time to settle and relax. Plus, hearing discomfort was stressing me out. I don't know why they bother. I still don't know when I'll get my gall bladder removed, or what difference these readings are meant to make. I complained about my hearing problem and was told "No, we don't do wax removal any more." Whatever happened to the NHS being 'Free at the point of use'?

I was consoled by a text message response from the audiometrist offering a three forty five appointment this afternoon. I arrived at the clinic at half past three to be welcomed by Chris the earwax guy, as he calls himself. He'd just finished his previous client, had texted me again, and then I arrived early, so he was able to down tools and go home at four, as it only took fifteen minutes to clean me out with his state of the art equipment. He even showed me little videos of the cleaned up insides of me ears, taken with a tiny camera probe attached to his iPhone camera. I paid sixty quid by card and got a receipt by email. That's done a lot to lift my spirits after a difficult few days.

"I love my job" Chris said "People come in here suffering, deaf, and go out happy and smiling." Me too. What a marvellous service to your fellow human beings. I imagine the good Lord is delighted with such advancements in medical technology. With eye surgery too. I feel refreshed, re-balanced, and resuming audio editing when I got home was an effortless pleasure again.

I was able to complete the coming week's video upload to YouTube before going to surgery, then when I got back from having my ears done, did the audio recording and editing chores for two weeks hence. With Jasmine arriving this evening I want to be as free from regular tasks as possible. I still have a sermon for Sunday to write, however. An email from St German's came in announcing the good news that a Ministry Area team post is being advertised in the Church Times for a priest based at St German's with a specialist  role in education attached to it. This is good, given the number of schools in the area, two of them church primary schools, and a big comprehensive school in neighbouring Llanrumney just across the border with Monmouth diocese to which many children from Cardiff travel. The job description has been well written. I hope and pray it attracts a really suitable candidate.   

Jasmine arrived just after half past seven. John had driven her down from Newbury, but couldn't stop, as there were no parking spaces in the street for a brief respite for his last half hour journey to Bridgend to visit friends. After settling in Jas and I went for a walk in the park with our cameras and took photos just before the sun began to set, so the light was good. Last week she and her Dad spent time together in New York, so many of the photos already taken were from the Big Apple. She was able to look at them on the Chromebook, as her new SD card fitted in computers micro slot, and she could log in as a guest to do this.

BY the time we got back she was ready for a fried egg for supper. Then it was time for bed just about, but I still have a sermon to write. I'll ponder the readings tonight and write tomorrow morning.