30 July 2010

There was a very interesting report on Radio 4 this morning concerning the use of calcium supplements for patients with osteoporosis. Apparently, according a long-term survey carried out in New Zealand, involving something like 12,000 patients.  the continued use of calcium supplement increased the likelihood of a heart attack by 30% and of a stroke by 20%. Possibly even more interesting was that there was little or no discernible benefit for  the patients. i.e there was no noticeable increase in bone density. In any event, the survey concluded that most people did not need calcium supplements if they had a normal diet and a reasonable exposure to sunshine. I await with interest the outcome of my own bone density and the recommendations that come with it.

I was speaking to my deputy president of The Arbitration Club this morning, and having dealt with the matters of business we drifted onto extraneous matters and somehow congratulated each other on our good fortune, as much of anything having survived as long as we have and how ‘rich’ we were to be surrounded by people who  love and care for us (John having lost two wives from cancer but left with the great consolation of his darling daughter Molly).

John then quoted a saying that he believe sums it up ‘Lady luck never gives, it  only lends’ – I hope I got that the right way around!

England, starting the day at 331 for 4 quickly lost the two overnight not out batsmen Morgan and Collingwood and then suffered their not uncharacteristic collapse and were all out for 354. They then proceeded to annihilate Pakistan getting them  46 for 6 and ending the day 147 for 9, 8 short of avoiding a follow-on, should England decide to enforce

The good Dr Michael has just arrived from Paris, via Sweden and Brussells to pick me up and take me to Sweden on Sunday. We have a couple of days to sort out the minimal luggage that are allowed to take on Ryanair. In the meantime we will celebrate our reunion with our usual bottle of champagne

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