Advantage of a winter watch

I can’t wear watches. Something about me makes them go wacky. Chemical, electrical, spiritual, I have no idea what the cause is, I just can’t wear them. The thing is, I’ve always managed without. Before 2008, I’d look at my PC at work, guess or watch out for public clocks. Then, I had my phone, which is what I’ve used ever since.

Living in Sweden has its surprises, for sure, but this morning I realised how annoying it is not wearing a watch in winter.

Walking to the Vårdcentralen this morning, I needed to check the time; to make sure I wasn’t running late. This required stopping near a tree that I could lean against, then removing my right glove. Needless to say, it was below zero. The temperature, not the glove. Though the glove, which I clenched between my teeth, was pretty cold too.

Then I had to struggle to open the zipper on my coat pocket. The zipper is hidden beneath weather proofing flaps which essentially means it’s difficult to open. Of course, normally, my phone would be in my back pocket but, in case of falling on my butt due to ice, I figure it’s safer in my coat.

Having extracted my phone, I then had to press the button which brings it to life. For some reason, every time I take my phone out, the button is on the wrong side and I have to spin it around. Like a rather expensive fidget spinner. Remember those?

Having noted the time (and read a message from my sister: “One week and 2 days to go“) I reversed the whole operation and continued, carefully, on my way. Obviously, I had to add the time it took to find out the time to the time it would take me to go the rest of the way.

I was headed for the Vårdcentralen in order to see the Wound Nurse. She did a great job washing my foot. I felt like Jesus at the delicate hands of Mary Magdalene. She then applied some sort of gloop which she let sit for ten minutes then bandaged me up again.

She also told me I had a prescription for antibiotics on the system. As Mirinda pointed out, this must mean that the wound is, in fact, infected. Again, I reckon it was infected with sock. I’m revisiting the other nurse next Tuesday and will ask. The Wound Nurse, while marvellous, did not speak a lot of English. Though more English than my Swedish. I’m no sure asking her if she wanted “kaffe och mjölk?” would have been much use, really.

Anyway, the brilliant thing about Swedish prescriptions is how there’s no paper printed off or anything like that. It just appears on some vast countrywide system. You go to a chemist, hand them your ID card and, like magic, they hand you your drugs.

The biggest downside to today, however, was the fact that I will not be able to have a drink for the next ten days.

Another downside is the fact that Shane McGowan died today, aged 65. A guy with an incredible gift for writing, singing and heavy drinking.