Had an appointment with my Optician today in Battlefield, Glasgow. I have been going to Burnside McPhee for many years now. I had a laugh with Mr McPhee as it's so long since I was there that he has lost some hair. 'Ah yes, but I have gained some new toys too - very expensive ones at that.' He sat me down and produced a hand-held 'speed radar gun' such as the Police us to check your car speed. He aimed it at my eyes and clicked from a few feet away, and lo and behold, that was my prescription calculated! I had had recent problems with high pressure behind the eyes so he took a digital infra-red camera shot of both eyes which showed a clear picture on the computer screen of the retina of each eye. I was impressed. Gone are the days when they would put specs on you and slot in different lenses, then turn them etc until you felt you could see clearly. Well, the test was no charge but the camera shots cost me £10 total plus peace of mind. I have a routine appointment next month with Peter Kyle, Consultant Opthamologist at the Ross Hall Hospital after two intra-occular implants. He checks the eyes' BP and checks the vision range with a spectrometer. A family history of glaucoma means I do get regular checks on the eyes.
Then off to the Bay Tree Restaurant in the West End at Kelvinbridge, Glasgow, just across from Episcopal Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin for lunch with my friend John Hutchison. He was late. Curious as he is never late so I tried to phone him on my Mobile, only to find that my Mobile was dead. Anyway I had a nice lunch at this favourite Turkish Bistro and then headed in heavy rain to the Car Phone Warehouse in the Crow Road and had it confirmed that the phone is 'kaput' and won't hold a charge even with a new battery. So I bought another Nokia, 02 Pay-as-you-go which has a camera. It also is very high-tech compared with my old one but it only cost me £39.95 as they gave me £10 for the old one. Now it's trying to grasp the new technology and understand the handbook.
Alex's body arrives in church this evening to lay overnight for the funeral tomorrow at noon in church and thence to Phillipshill Cemetery. Alex Philip was so popular and so well-loved; it will be a big funeral. When he worked he was a popular Principal Teacher at Eastwood High School then at an FE College. Valerie and I shall set off early to get a parking place.
Abbot Anthony, whose Feast Day it is today, is one of those curious Religious known as the Desert Fathers. I have read about them and they were so isolated that even the slightest indiscretion or thought seemed to be taken to extremes in terms of penance - going by our standards today. By today's standards, psychologically I would consider them as decidedly odd in many cases. On the other hand, they carried on the traditons of other Religious like Aidan of Iona, later Bishop in England, and of Adamnan and Columcille himself. Attitudes and interpreations were different then than now, although the basic Christian message of love thy neighbour and sing praises to our Lord, remain as ever, the same.
Bought some new earphones today to use with my Mac computer as the old ones are falling to pieces. Nice filtered sound .
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