If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Outside my 'hospital observatory' I noticed darkening skies...not a thunderstorm, but something that brought back memories of stubble burning.
Only this time, it was followed by fire-engines making haste...a whole tract of neighbouring hedgerow and, ironically enough, ash trees were ablaze.
Norfolk has now become so parched, that the grass outside the hospital crackles below foot. It is not even grass anymore.

However, I like this weather, but how about you all?

In order to lose weight and get yourself fitter and healthier you need to build up to walking at least 10,000 steps a day.
10,000 steps is about 5 miles ,so every 5 miles that you walk, you are actually burning off approx 500 calories.
As a general rule walking one mile over level ground would mean you had walked off 100 calories - if you weighed about 150 pounds. Obviously the heavier you are, then the more calories you will walk off. If you walk up an incline the calories will drop off even faster. Just over 2,000 steps is the average when walking one mile.

One pint of beer = 4,100 steps
A large chocolate bar with nuts = 8,500 steps
One large whole milk latte = 5,450 steps
One slice of pepperoni pizza = 5,000 steps.

What do you think, worth a try??

“If you look into someone’s face long enough, eventually you’re going to feel that you’re looking at yourself.”

~ Paul Auster

If you read this long enough, you're going to eventually feel that you're reading your own thoughts.
-lauren6

Now the World Cup is drawing to it's exciting conclusion, we must congratulate a few;
Portugal on reaching the semi-final's, albeit with some hurt along the way on these shores.
Germany on staging a well-oiled machine of a tournament.
France, on beating the lethargic and overated Brazil. The French victory almost went unnoticed on the radio in England, hmm, sour grapevines. Let me say, that England is my heart and France is my motherland, and their victory was a victory for FOOTBALL...remember that game?
Fancy that, Ronaldinwho being upstaged by a 34 year old. Even Vieira outshon every single Brazilian.

I'll refrain from saying too much about England's exit, but would like to throw one of my thoughts into the ring;

Nobody has mentioned thus far, that Rooney was being sandwiched for a full 5 seconds, between two eager players, and in every other game would certainly have been afforded refereeing protection and a free-kick, as this was not forthcoming, I believe Rooney lost his rag and did something silly, which was 50/50 a red card offence...a decision we cannot and will not question...my only feeling is that the referee allowed it to happen while not enforcing the normal rules of protecting players being pulled around. (Interestingly, had it been Beckham being 'sandwiched' the free-kick would certainly have gone to England.)
Rooney was as unlucky as he was foolish...let him learn from it. Whatever the provaction, his action risked a national team's dream.
That apart, England were valiant in normal play and pitiful on penalties. However, Owen Hargreaves should never again be booed or criticised, shame on all those who questioned him...Sven got one decision right and was strong enough on this point to stick with him.

Now it's gone, no more World Cup 2006 for England, let us too learn and move on. Are you listening McLaren?
I am very concerned about England's future without Sven...yes, it is true, I have more faith in Sven-Gone Eriksson than McLaren, sorry.

But Scolari would have been the best of all...as we saw, so hearty good wishes Portugal!

As you can guess, I'm still down and out with my health, and face a smaller operation at 3pm this afternoon. Tubes seem to like me, but I can't reciprocate I'm afraid.
Yesterday was a day of three falls and no right-sided movement.
The future is uncertain.