Dear Mickey

Dear Mickey,

I know it is boring in hospital. I would be tearing my hair out and demanding books, expensive makeup, recreational drugs, stationery etc.

However, I would like to reassure you that it is also boring "on the outside." For example, I have got really excited about the Irish economic crash, but it has become apparent that one of the leaders has a very obvious tupee, and the Premier has dyed black hair. He is quite attractive, but he should have a less solid colour. Roddy sodding Doyle still hasn't brought out the third book of his trilogy in paperback, so at this rate it will be ages before I find out what happened to him and Miss O'Shea, Saiorse and the boy. I have gone off magazines, for years now. I don't like TV. Radio 4 is OK but it has annoying programmes, like Just a Minute and The Archers. And Gardener's Question Time.

Exciting things on a Shaw Sunday have included driving past Warburton's bakery and scenting baking currant bread. Going to visit you. Helping Diane (slightly) with her assignments. Also finishing the Express crossword, which means we might win £1000. (I bought the Star for you, so the Express was only 45p.) Going to TK Maxx for half an hour. So, if you had been out of your room, this would have been a dull day. Although I might have taken you to Asda for a full English (me) and a Vegetarian Breakfast (me.)

I am still watching this Irish Premier. He is getting no better looking. Perhaps, due to Tamoxifen, I am losing my libido. I need to take up Running. But the last time I Ran was cross country (hah!) in about 1986, and as I remember I always walked, chatting, and pretended to run breathlessly for about 10 steps at the end - so maybe not.

Goodnight Mickey, I will write more soon xx