pain

 Start the day with a long conversation with the barber whilst she cuts the silver hair down to a reliable length. The back of the head is like a slug afterwards, but feels like a cats back when stroked.

She always does a good job, and never stops talking.

Pay the fee, and go down to the river to the italian riverside café. The cup of coffee is as nice and pleasant as it ever was.

Watch the birds by the river through the window. There are seagulls and pigeons flying around in excited flocks every time there is the least hint of somebody scattering crumbs for their attention. But nobody really does, for the town council has had signs put up forbidding the feeding of the wild birds because this attracts the rats.

It is really very cold.

Go back home, and start to sort all the papers to work out the side costs for the rent and do the preparation for the tax accountant, now that all of the documents are there. The experience at the doctors surgery yesterday was more exhausting and painful than first thought.