Yesterday included a few unexpected things that included the saga of my attempt to get the correct drugs from the pharmacy (that I explained yesterday). Probably the most unexpected thing was to get a message from Angela, including the picture on the right, to say that they were playing some good music in the pub.

 A little later she posted a picture to a well known social media website. It was of her looking very satisfied in Muffin Break (which I think is a sort of cafe inside the hospital where she works). Both pictures were unexpected because she hasn't posted any selfies for ages.

  It would have been nice to join Angela in the pub, but I was saving myself for my late after drink with what some call "The Thursday Club", and I guess I should call it that too. I didn't want to pre-load with any booze mainly because I would feel too sleepy in the bit of afternoon left to me. Instead of booze I had some sausages to "line my stomach" in an attempt to not get drunk on the three pints of beer (occasionally four pints) that I limit myself to on the Thursday drinking sessions.

  I have to say that the afternoon seemed to pass ever so slowly. I did consider leaving early so I could walk some of the way to the pub - probably Beckenham Hill Station to the pub like I did once back in November (?) before the late afternoon got too dark. I decided against it because with the thick cloud it was already getting like night halfway through the afternoon. That made for an interesting discovery.
  The picture above was taken as I waited for my train to go to the pub yesterday at 16:07pm. You'll note that all the platform lights are on because while sunset was still almost half an hour ago, it was so dark. On Tuesday, when the sky was clear, it was not much dimmer than this a half hour after sunset ! What is not apparent from this picture is that all these new, LED, lamps have an extra trick up their sleeve. They have some sort of downward pointing sensor, probably passive infra-red, that detects anyone waiting near the lamp, and turns the brightness up from (maybe) half to full.

 I think it was the bright, white illumination from those new platform lamps that induced me to take a selfie. It might have even been a good picture if it didn't look like I was squinting in the bright light. Maybe I was just falling asleep. My eyelids certainly look like they are drooping, and I seem to have bags under my eyes. Maybe if I wasn't so self conscious about taking a selfie I could have opened my eyes properly.

 There was a certain amount of unexpectedness when I walked to the station. I had only walked about 50ft when I started getting little stabbing pains from various bits of my chest. If I wasn't familiar with them they could have been quite worrying. What was unusual was getting them all at more or less the same time. I probably should have slowed down, but I think I speeded up.

  The pains got no worse. To some extent it was the opposite - they got better, but only in a sort of random way. One pain would stop, and the others would continue. Then maybe another would stop, and the stopped one would start again. By the time I arrived at the station I think they had all stopped.

 The last part of the walk is to go up the three flights of stairs to platform level. All my walking exercise has obviously done me some good because I went up those stairs with far less trauma than once was the case. I slightly slowed for the last flight, but I made it to the top without being short of breath, and didn't pause as I did a quick walk to the end of the platform to wait for my train to arrive. It must have been one of my fastest walks to the station ever. I think I left home at 15:55pm, and arrived on the platform at 16:03pm. That is just 8 minutes. That is equal to my best times walking home from there - and going home features more downhill walking.

  When I arrived at the pub I found three things. Firstly Chris and Paul had arrived before me. It is not unusual for Chris to get there early, but very unusual for Paul to get there early.

 My next observation was that there was Union Jack bunting up for no apparent reason. I have a horrible feeling we have been drinking in a pro-brexit pub !

The final observation was that there was an interesting looking beer on. It was, as pictured on the right (photo © Jodie), "Absolutely Fuggled" from the signal brewery. The name suggests it is brewed with Fuggles hops, probably from Kent. It had a slightly unusual, almost sooty taste, but the first pint slipped down OK, and I went for a second pint. My third and final pint was from the Bexley Brewery (I think), and was called "Legally Blond". The taste was very different, and I wasn't sure I liked it until I had cleared my pallet of the Absolutely Fuggled. Once I got the taste is seemed quite pleasant.

I limited myself to just the three pints, and then caught the 18:25 train home - it is probably my favourite train, but I wonder if the next one might have some advantages. I had it in mind to pop into the Sainsburys local shop on my way home. I fancied getting some salads, but I was also hoping I might see some heavily reduced price stuff. When I got to the shop I could see it was still very busy. Being next door to the station, it must be very popular with people coming home from work, and they would only start putting the reduced price stickers on stuff once the commuters had thinned out a lot.

  I bought three ready made salads, and I did manage to find two reduced price sandwiches. I ended up eating everything by the time I went to bed. The salads I ate with added sliced jalapeño pickled peppers. In the case of the tomato and mozzarella salad, I discarded the little pot of cheese because that mozzarella doesn't appeal to my taste, and I don't really care for it's texture. The two coronation chicken sandwiches were delicious - far, far better than those sold by Tesco at twice the price !

  I had given thought to going back out to The Catford Bridge Tavern for the open mic that I think was on there last night. I didn't see any sign of activity when I looked through the windows on my way home, but that might have been just because it was too early. I had hoped to hear from Angela that she would be going even though it would have meant that lover boy was in tow. I had promised her I would not ignore him if he was there. I didn't hear from Angela, and that killed the last desire to go out again. I was additionally put off by a few other things. I found that the cold night air was making me feel a bit wheezy as I rushed home (maybe I should have tried to slow down). Once I got home, and in the warm, the wheeziness, which was only mild, vanished very quickly. I just didn't fancy going out in the cold night air again. I felt even less like it after stuffing my face with salad and sandwiches.

  There seemed to be nothing on TV to distract me last night, and I think I ended up in bed quite early. Although the times when I woke up for (usually) a pee probably added up to about half an hour, or maybe a little more because I didn't go back to sleep instantly, I was basically in bed, and mostly asleep for over 9 hours last night. That's the second time that has happened, and it seems I probably needed the sleep...On the other hand I think it's just a reaction to these short, overcast days. By summer I will probably be more than happy with just 6 hours sleep.

  This morning I feel basically OK. My blood glucose is not as low as yesterday - probably a hangover from those sandwiches - but still good enough, and needing no special consideration. One surprising thing is that my chest feels fine this morning. I can't say the same about my right shoulder. When at rest, and in 80% of all working conditions, it is no trouble, but there is some sort of movement I make that can make it momentarily very painful. Other than that, I probably would not pass an MOT, but most things seem to be working well enough to do most likely things.

  Today is not quite a blank sheet of paper. I have scribbled a few things on it in pencil. Actually there is one thing that is definite - I do need to do some washing up, and give the kitchen a tidy. I have left it too many days since last doing it ! It looks bloody horrible out at the moment. Like Wednesday, it is not raining as such, but everything is dripping wet from, presumably, condensation. With the grim, grey light I feel no strong call to go out for a walk today. It is not even likely that Angela will be, or want to be in the pub on a Friday lunchtime. She often uses her Friday lunchbreak to get some shopping in. Nevertheless I think I will force myself out the door, and head towards the pub. I'll let Angela know that I am heading that way, and if she responds in time to say she will not be there I might just turn around and come straight back home.