Shandy, I was speaking partly in irony, when I suggested that Alexander could solve my television problem because he was a man. Sure enough, things are now much worse than they were yesterday. He switched the Virgin cable box off and on again – always worth trying – and now the screen says “Starting up…” but never gets past that point. I fear I may have to ring up Virgin. Archie is coming tomorrow. He won’t be able to help, I don’t think – despite being a young man -- but might be willing to do the phoning. Which will, of course, take hours.

 

I don’t watch much television, as I’ve said, and I’ve got my beloved iPad on which a certain amount can be viewed. And I don’t have my husband here being cross – he did like to watch television in the evenings, and would expect me to be able to switch it on for him.

 

I got up feeling very shaky this morning, and have accomplished nothing but have at least not fallen down and perhaps feel slightly better.

 

I’ve done a bit of on-line theoretical Christmas shopping (no expenditure yet), but so far – this has happened in other years – have found nothing except presents I would like for myself.

 

The newspapers and magazines are stuffed to the gills with Christmas Dinner in one form or another. Someone should write an article about how to manage if you live alone and can count on being asked out on The Day (=me). What do you eat for the next four days, while everyone else is feasting on leftovers?

Still no cheetahs.