A quick visit to the hosptal this morning for a second blood test. The nurses filled five test-tubes with her blood. Something is making them nervous and so making us nervous gtoo. We asked a nurse as she was leaving and she said that Albina's creatinine is rising steadily but is not yet at a seriously high level. That suggests problems with her one single remaining working kidney. We shall wait to hear further bulletins from the hospital. I am very concerned that things do not deteriorate to the extent of affecting out great trip next year.
I bought a copy of "i" (for me) and the "Daily Mail" (for Albina) in the hospital shop. The assistant was handling a 10 pound note. Mischievously I asked whether she would be ready to accept new notes with King Charles' picture, instead of the Queen's. She was shocked. "Oh, no," she cried, "I never thought of that. It would be terrible!" "We'll have his pictures on our stamps as well," I goaded her. "Oh, no. Please no," she moaned, visibly distressed.
Later that morning we drove to Ealing Broadway for Albina to sort out a new PIN number for her Santander account, which she keeps for her cousin Hania. In the meantime I bought some sourdough bread at the bakery and we met at Costa's. I still heard a little devil whisper in my ear as I returned to the fray over new currency. I heard the female customer, who was in front of me in the queue, speak in Polish to the Barista girl, so I asked them both in Polish, whether they were ready for pound notes with Charles' head. The Polish customer just scoffed. "They'll have to show him with an L plate," she blurted.
So, like Diana once said, the jury is still out on Charles' fitness to fill his mother's shoes. He has prepared all his life, he is well informed (too well informed) on a number of issues, especially on climate change, traditional architecture, homeopathy and gardening. But will he know when to shut up?
Luckily the changes of the royal features will only be introduced gradually. At least then that will not be a contributory factor to the fall in the value of sterling.
I mentioned this anecdote about his face on our currency in my appearance on TVP at 1 o'clock on Friday, when I was interviewed about my assessment of King Charles III. I wanted to sound positive and I suggested that his balance of tradition (classical architecture, pompous ceremony, history, his readiness to serve to his dying breath) and progressive modernity (organic farming, vegetarianism, pioneer commitment to tackling climate change for many many years, when it was still considered quirky) reflects the current attitudes in Britain. I also ventured the opinion that if he keps a control of his public utterances, and channels his energies and opinions more carefully, then he could earn himself a popular reputation as a seer. Not sure though how he would put up with the negativity of climate change sceptics like Jacob Rees Mogg and Suella Braverman. But the UK is starting a new Carolean Age wth a new king and a new government.
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