I take the morning off work to go and get some of the settlement papers signed (Application For Consent Orders, if you want to be precise about it). As I’m no longer retaining my lawyer, I need to go and get the papers signed and witnessed. Luckily there’s a resident Justice Of The Peace at a nearby shopping centre. I know this because Rachel went to the same place to do her part of the signing (and witnessing).

I drop the Elderbeast off at his PEAC class and head to Garden City, wishing that the headache I’d woken up with would buggar off. I’m tired and meh, so my first stop is the grab some coffee and eggs at my favourite breakfast place in the centre. I’m expecting a call at 9:30–I’ve signed the Elderbeast up for a Mindfulness course, and the tutor wants to chat to me about him first–but the call never comes. I wonder around outside the Civic Centre, where the Justice Of The Peace operates, generally looking suspicious, and finally head in at 9:55am when they put the sign outside announcing that the JP is available. It only takes a couple of minutes but I’m glad I was first in as there are six people waiting outside when I leave.

I have some time to kill before I need to collect the Elderbeast, and then remember that Rachel’s mother works in the centre so I drop in to say hello. In almost no time I have to go and pick up the Elderbeast. We stop by the supermarket along the way, where I pick up a heavily discounted yoghurt and an equally heavily discounted chicken sandwich for my lunch. Win!

At the end of the day I decide I need some wine, even though it’s not yet Friday. I’m sharing with Beryl, who doesn’t drink Merlot, but fortunately there’s a bottle of Shiraz that’s been languishing on the shelf. It turns out to be a good one, and there’s barely a glass left in the bottle by the time we’re done.