It rained all night and most of the day - it feels like home! 

Spent some time this morning talking to the physiotherapist and to a social worker this afternoon.  The hospital tries to provide a rounded package of care including medical, social and spiritual.

Walking back from town this evening (trying to dodge the numerous muddy puddles) a man rode past me with a few chickens (dead) hanging off his handle bars - think I know what he'll be having for dinner.

There are quite a few articles in the newspapers about civil servants at the moment. The general feeling seems to be that they are overpaid, lazy, underachievers.....there are talks of plans to give them all 1 year contracts which only get renewed if they do a good job.  They also introduced performance plans last year - good performers could get paid trips to professional meetings, higher budgets, trophies, parties and paid vacation - poor performers could be disciplined, demoted or have their salary cut........I'm not sure what people think when I tell them I'm a civil servant, they don't look too impressed if I tell them I work for the government either!

Also an interesting comment on the English riots in the 'my observation is' column in the newpaper this evening.....'the UN should declare a no-fly zone over London to prevent the British Prime Minister from brutalising his own unarmed civilians'...! saw something similar to this in another paper earlier in the week. A different take on the UK government!