During the President's 3rd week in office of chemo-radiation therapy, the world body starts to react against the toxicity being inflicted upon it and people functions cease to perform as they ought.

On Friday 10th Feb 2012 my sister was going to be joining me on the long dash from hospital to home and so therefore she was required to be with me for my morning appointment. I had negotiated with Theodosia the technician that my sister would be permitted access to the control room so she could watch me through the thick glass window being zapped. But on our way to the radiotherapy department I took her through the main entrance to show her the wayfinding signage, because graphic design interests her much more than machines designed to deliver radioactivity. I cannot now remember how lousy I was feeling on that day but I was probably excited to be pointing out of the bus window as we passed the foot of Mount Olympus.

Back in the present and there has not been a satin-stitch class since 16th December when the enormity of my commitment caused me to stall. High time I got back into it so this week I have been going over Maria's sketch in white tacking stitches and this morning removed the paper on which the pattern had been drawn. It is at the very least a step forward.