Waking, I drew back the curtains to see that crisp blue sky of autumn, few clouds and heavy condensation on the outside of my windows.
"Must have been nippy last night," I thought.
Snuggling back under the duvet I enjoyed a final thirty minutes of luxury before I needed to begin the day.
I knew I would be sore later and chances are, I'd react to the jabs and feel rubbish. I'd been warned by a few people I could feel as though I had the start of flu for about 24 hours and to be prepared with a fresh bed, paracetamol and plenty of water.
I checked the time of my appointment; 16.55 hours, plenty of time.
I felt great, energetic, ready for the day and before I realised I had stripped the bed, put it all in the washing machine, made and ate breakfast and was now remaking the bed ready for later.
Yep, I felt better than I had for months, the acupuncture was paying off.
My day trundled productively on until, checking the time, I knew I had to leave.
I could get my car so far then walk the rest. This was going to be a true ankle test.
I had managed 3.4 km until now without too much pain but this was at least twice that. Would it make me pay later? I hoped not.
As I walked into town I was amazed at just how quickly autumn colours had crept into the trees.
Last week they were still looking sad from the drought of the summer with patches dying back to a crisp brown, but now a true kaleidoscope of hues bedecked the trees. The earth smelt alive once more and plants were beginning to spring up in the wetter soils.
Marching ahead of all the plants were the leaves of early bulbs such as snowdrops, crocus and anemones. It was as if Spring was impatient to come even though Winter hadn't walked in the door.
So I walked there and then hung about until my appointment time. It was warm so it was nice to sit in the sun.
Both jabs done and dusted, I began walking back to the car; a pleasant walk albeit starting to get a tad chilly.
The students were out of school and milling about waiting for lifts or just mooching around because, they too had distances to walk.
Large groups of gaggling girls overtook me as they absentmindedly walked home. I wistfully remembered those days when I too had that freedom not to limp or have stabbing pains in my ankle......not so long ago really. What's the line? "You don't know what you've got til its gone". Oh, how true is that!
On reaching the car I sat behind the steering wheel and relaxed.
Not long now and I could go home, eat and then take myself off to bed, but first; commuter traffic and by the looks of it, a nasty accident on the road I need to use.
Switching to 'driver' mode I started the car and joined the queues; joy, a flaming breakdown in the middle of the roadworks, that'll add time onto this journey.
I broke through the deadlock and joined the M20 for one junction. A far quicker route.
Yep, Kings Hill, "ooh, they've reopened the roadworks here, thank goodness". Back onto a fast stretch of road, "doing well here, should be ten minutes then home. Really looking forward to that cup of tea.."
"Why do we have temporary lights in Hadlow? Oh, water main burst, great." We slowly advanced through the water as it cascaded down the road.
"So much for saving water through the hose pipe ban," I thought. "Why has that #### parked their car there?" I mentally exclaimed, as I watched an artic navigate itself round the car whilst trying to avoid the queues waiting to pass through the lights. Then the inevitable sound, sirens approaching from behind. Apart from flying over the top I really didn't know how they could get through.
We all climbed on to the pavement, the artic finally squeezed itself through, the delivery truck behind stopped, as did a massive queue of traffic, with the filter on the temporary traffic lights now blocked........joys of living near villages with narrow streets and heavy traffic use came into full force. All I could do was laugh.
"Where are those Polos?" I sat, watching the carnage sucking on my mints, listening to Smooth Chill on the radio.
"A quick drive home!! Pah!!" I thought as I leaned over the steering wheel resting my chin on the top.
Some fifteen excruciating minutes of tedium later, I left the tiny village of Hadlow and turned off the main road into Ashes Lane.
Apart from tractors, combines and other farm vehicles I was unlikely to meet much traffic now.
I splashed through the other water main burst, cleaning the dust off my wheel arches. That's been like it since early August and they've got as far as the blue spray paint indicating an issue.......never! All that water is normal, obviously. I chuckled.
"Almost home. Tea, food, bed. Knackered. Ankle hurts. Think I'll watch a film".