Friday 9th. January

The continuing news from France during the course of today makes anything that happened in the Luce household pale into insignificance. How tragic it is that these events are happening...we can only hope that the conclusion of both the two sieges this evening marks the end of these terrible attacks. One fears, however, that it will be a very long time before life can truly return to how it was just two short days ago....if it ever can. There's little more to say other than our thoughts today are again with our French friends...indeed, with everyone in France....and we will continue to think of them in the days, weeks and months ahead. Je suis Charlie.

As regards the Seaford household, there are two bits of news worthy of a quick comment. Jill's colour has returned to her cheeks.....it is almost certainly the GCSF kicking in....but I have to report that it hasn't kicked in sufficiently to stop her playing tennis this evening.....I gave her a "telling off" on her way out....with her bone marrow now working overtime (and probably getting paid double time) she mustn't do too much. Yes I know, fat chance of getting her to slow down and let the drugs do their work....if she's feeling energetic enough then she has to have a racquet of some sort in her hand. I gave up trying to get her to slow down years ago.  

Dan is the other family member to get a mention this evening. His operation has gone well...but he is staying in Hospital overnight .... I paid him a quick visit at 7 on my way back from town....to be honest he's on a winner this evening....probably well enough to come home, but he has a drip in his chin and they want to monitor him (if they knew him better then the last thing they would want to do is monitor him!)....in any case, he prefers being looked after by attractive nurses rather than being at home being nagged by his parents.

It's barely worth a mention....but, for you feline lovers, the cat's temperature is now normal.

It's the weekend proper tomorrow.....let's hope we feel a little less subdued and can report on some slightly more upbeat subjects.

I took Dan some 'overnight' stuff this evening (before tennis!)  he was more interested in phone charger and ear plugs (he had a snorer next to him apparently!) than he was in toothbrushes and spare clothes.. and when we arrived he was tucking into soup and sandwiches. According to the surgeon they removed a 'sausage' sized cyst from his neck, no wonder he had grown a beard to cover the 'double chin' . He now looks like a throwback from the 1970's and he has refused to shave his moustache.. I think he looks like 'Inspector Clouseau ', and I won't say what the boys call him!