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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Well, I'm back from my magical mystery tour...


... and it's been a fab four days...


Although I was only there for three.

From the sound of it, it's a good job I came home when I did. Apparently Amelie told Lisa on Thursday that she wanted to have another Daddy while I was away. She did add that she'd like the new Daddy to leave when I got home, which is nice, but no matter how you slice it, she's given her blessing to Lisa getting another man in. If I'm not careful, we could end up like John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques. And I don't mean posh and fat. Although we're halfway there already.

(Posh, obviously).

Anyhoo, the conference in Liverpool was a great success. I've spoken to a lot of programme managers, ophthalmologists and Scousers, seen some hideous photos of feet, and given my phone number to a professor. I've also had my photo taken twice; once standing outside the hotel, in a portrait shot for the association website, and once on my knees by the dancefloor, with a council member prostrate in front of me. I'm not sure if that one will be published.

The highlights of the conference programme for me included the speaker who began by listing all his financial disclosures (I didn't trust a word he said after that), the moment a friend of mine tried to start a Mexican wave... on her own... at the front of the hall... while the chairman was speaking; and the chap from Diabetes UK who completely misunderstood what was said, and accused the national QA director of excluding disabled people from screening.

He was what you might call an unexpected guest in the open eye gallery...


As a performance artist, he certainly entertained me, although I'm not sure that was his intention.

My favourite statement of the conference was "Diabetes stabs you in the back and then walks away", which not only describes the lack of early complications of the disease, but also a lot of people I've known. In addition, I learnt that in Newcastle in 1985, there were six people under twenty-five who were blind due to diabetes. Twenty years later, after the introduction of screening, there were none under thirty-five. It's why we do what we do. And why the Geordies are now better at football.

Anyhoo, if you're going to climb the career ladder to success, you don't want to be tied down to one bird...


... or even two...


... but despite a decent conference, some useful networking, and a range of beautiful surroundings...


... I couldn't wait to get home to my even more beautiful wife. I don't think we're meant to be apart. I missed her like Kate Middleton misses her privacy.

3 comments:

Phil's Mum said...

Aaaah!  How sweet!  I'm not sure you should ever go away again - or even go to work!

Ibis said...

Hey Gringo - deez tings is difficult to start man; maybe I shoulda had the Anfield anthem insteada JM

Poirot said...

What a lovely man you have Lisa. The photos suggest he wasn't really in the conference - I never saw blue sky!