Diary 31 3 11

Thursday 31st March.
I’m often asked what I’m doing in my retirement. At the moment, I am reading Chris Mullin’s book “Decline and Fall” which is of the second book of his diary. I like the style of his diary in that he does not simply write what he has done but explains and expands on issues and people.
I thought I would write a diary for about a month. Today is my friend George Goodenough’s 65th birthday. I am just over four months old and George and have known him since his birth. We do not usually exchange birthday cards but I sent him one on this occasion. I wrote a quote of Doris Lessing on it. “The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven’t changed in 70 or 80 years. Your body changes, but you don’t change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion.”
I run a group called the educational support group for GPS without a base and I sent a letter to the PCT about the next meeting to the members. I also emailed the pharmaceutical company who are sponsoring our meeting.
I am doing some research on body temperatures of and spent a little time analysing the results of a questionnaire I sent out to 41 GPs.
After going to Castleford for some shopping I went for my almost daily swim at the pool were in Wakefield. In the Jacuzzi I had a conversation with someone I have got to know about the flatulence she was getting on simvastatin tablets.
After lunch with Kath, I met Alison Evans in her house for coffee and a general discussion about her work running the appraisal scheme for the PCT. She’s doing really well and told me all sorts of gossip about what was happening in general practice with the onset of the reorganisation of the NHS. It was nice to meet her family and catch up.
I had written a newsletter of the Airedale Neighbourhood Management Board and we had 7000 copies printed by some students at the school. I joined two of my colleagues who are on the board to help additional leaflets into the newsletter. Unless we get a load of volunteers who will be a nightmare delivering these. I must say I am proud of the newsletter and one of the inserts was a menu from Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Ltd., A social enterprise venture which has opened the café in our local library. I hope they do really well. We will continue with this work tomorrow afternoon.
Kath and I usually spend the evening watching TV after a nice meal.