Getting old is...

...getting excited about reading glasses. I went into town with Stephen to get my eyes looked at. Over the last few months I've found it harder to read the fine print in dim light. The last straw was being able to read a technical specification on my 21" monitor but not printed out on paper; or a magazine in the living room; or, well, you get the picture. I was in denial.

The optician gave me 2 options - go for bifocal contact lens or get some reading glasses. I chose the latter - hey, they may even make me look more intelligent or more like a college professor (instead of just a slightly deranged ARM Fellow). In principle you can buy these "readers" off the shelf. The optician had none in my size (+1 diopta both eyes) . I dragged Steve around every optician in Reading. No-one stocks "readers". Well, Boots do (US = drugstore) but I had to fight with a large (not supersized though) elderly woman to get near them. Once I did they didn't have my size. I 'phoned Gill (she was in a another town with Esther; it's a complex life we lead) and asked her to try Boots there. No dice. Nada. Rien.

I gave up, had lunch and came home. Then I searched the web and bought several pairs (one for work, one for home, one in case). I guess that this makes me a silver surfer. I'm actually quite looking forward to getting them. How sad is that?

Supersize Me

Gill and I watched this last night - it was broadcast on Channel 4. It was gruesome. The outcome? Gill went for a run this morning and I'm playing badminton on Thursday. Didn't stop me going to the Hand and Flowers with David this lunchtime.

Esther's Birthday

Today was Esther's birthday, can you believe it - seventeen years old? Here she is opening a present ("Friends" DVDs).

Motorbiking

A quiet week (getting reviews done and preparing for Chicago next week). I went on a motorbike training run with the BOTTYs. Very good weather, really got into to and had a lovely run with a good associate (ex motorcycle courrier). Some of the hairpin bend techniques that I learned last year in Spain and France were still there (although rusty). Good fun.

The Look Out

A lovely, sunny, day. I took yesterday off and had a pretty relaxing time in and out of the garden, tidying it up. This morning I did more tidying (chopping stuff up) and this afternoon Stephen, Gill and I went to the Look Out near Bracknell hunting down more geocaches. We found 3.