Lexin

Point the first

The national ballot result for my union is 60% in favour of industrial action. So that will be fun, though I hope it will take place as the weather warms up. I could wish turnout had been higher, but then you can't take into account the views of people too lazy to vote.

Voting could not be simpler, it's by postal ballot. You are sent a ballot paper. You fill it in. You post it back in the pre-paid envelope – you don't even have to find a stamp. There is no excuse. And still people don't vote.

Point the second

I still have that cold which started on Friday 22nd February. It's not been three weeks yet, so not quite worth going to the doctor with it, but it's definitely outstayed its welcome as far as I'm concerned. I'm currently getting three hours sleep a night, what with having to wake up to cough for an hour, dozing off for an hour, then waking up to do it all again.

Plus, of course, I'm a pain in the neck as far as my colleagues are concerned and I coughed through breakfast with gloria1 on Sunday, which must have been unpleasant for her. But I did want to hear all her news and have a yummy breakfast.

Point the third

I have collected my new glasses, which are very nice.

My eyes, though, haven't got used to being able to see properly and are giving me grief about it. They were used to having to compensate for a pair of specs which were long out of date, and suddenly facing them with ones which aren't has come as a shock to them. They will get used to it, though.

Well, it could have been a lot worse. The cost of my new glasses without the government contribution for 'complex prescription' was £418 ($630). With the contribution it was £213.40 ($320). So there's some money left over in my 'spectacle savings' for a set of prescription sunglasses, which I've been needing for a couple of years. My current set of prescription sunglasses is about five prescriptions old, which means I probably shouldn't be wearing them at all, for anything.

Interestingly, with my diabetes settling down, my eyes have settled to pretty much the same, with the exception of the astigmatism, which is still 10 on one eye and 180 on the other. Or something like that.

The reason for my dislike is that I went for my appointment and arrived exactly on time at 10:55. I wasn't out of there until 13:20, what with their messing about with lenses that have to be ground for me in the factory, and putting them on their computer under 'misc'. It seems complex prescriptions like mine are quite rare, or they'd know what to do with them. Plus, there is the irritation of having to have your face measured.

I'll try to remember and next time allow two and a half hours for it all.