Temporary Service

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Skies at Dawn 1
Skies at Dawn 2
Skies at dawn 3
Skies at Dawn 4
Skies at Dawn 5

Soon after dawn this morning pink tinged indigo clouds slid across a bright blue background.

Within the hour, like the roof at Wimbledon, a slate grey canopy was stretched across the skies, and by the time Jackie drove me out to the bank at New Milton steady rain had set in for the day. We drove on to the Milford Medical Centre to make an appointment for Ian whose infection lingers on. We also collected a ‘Temporary Service’ form for him to complete, and took it back later.

The NHS Temporary Service is one of the invaluable benefits of our national medical service. This enables a visiting person taken ill away from home to avail themselves of medical services. Ian was seen on time and prescribed antibiotics which he collected at the adjacent pharmacy.

This evening we dined on our second helpings of Chinese takeaway delights supplemented by Hoisin spare ribs marinaded in Peking style sauce. Jackie and Ian drank respectively Staropramen beer from Prague, and Asahi from Tokyo; whilst I drank Cabalié 2015 Red Catalan wine. It’s amazing how cosmopolitan we have become since the end of WW2.

37 comments

  7. I’m a great believer in Nationalised medical treatment; best thing that ever happened here in Australia,
    I recall, when I first started work at 35 Great St Helens, Bishopsgate,London EC3; (Telephone Ave 5418 & 5419) on the 17th April 1950; there was 2/10½d deducted from my £2/10/- for the NHS. I didn’t have to pay tax but did have to pay that, I suppose it’s considerably more now

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      1. Well I was going to be more precise and include the Cambrian Insurance Company Limited,

        The Managing Director was Mr Duncan who had a wife by the name of Daisy. The Cambrian also had a cow by the name of Daisy insured.Which caused some confusion at times.

        I was engaged to work for them by a Mr Constance, the Co. Sec. and my immediate bosses were Mr Norman Hornby, and his assistant Mr Jimmy Green.

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    2. I think National Insurance Contributions (no longer hypothecated just for the NHS) are now about 9%, but I gather the employer pays something, too.

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  10. Despite interference and blunderings, NHS remains pretty good, comparatively speaking. It could be a lot better, of course — S-I-L is part of it, and you should hear him on the subject.
    Those skies look lighter than most of those we enjoyed last month.

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  11. The way you described the colors was so special, I could close my eyes and listen to the pink tinged indigo against bright blue sky. I would know what kind of clouds you are talking about, Derrick. 🙂

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  16. I’ve been going through my emails, and it seems I missed this post. (Coincidentally, because I had spent the day taking my mom to an eye doctor–a retina specialist.) I hope Ian is feeling better now.
    The photos are lovely. You’ve captured the magic of dawn.

    Reply

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