Thursday, 28th October

 Since my knee operation last year, I’ve had a succession of physiotherapy session and at one of them it was suggested I should wear orthotics.  About 15 years ago, a podiatrist I saw regularly made the same suggestion. At the time, I thought he was simply touting for business but went along with it.  Being measured for them was a messy business with some sort of plastic cement used to make a mould.  I used them for years but, as they wore out I didn’t bother to replace them.  The problem was that I had to buy shoes a half-size bigger and, without the orthotics, the shoes were a bit roomy.  Thicker socks was the best answer I could come up with.

 However, the world moves on, shoes wear out and are replaced, and no more thought is given to that episode in one’s life.

 This time was a bit different.  “Talk to your GP,” said the Physio, “and she’ll give you a letter to take to the Orthotics Department at the Hospital.  They’re the best people to talk to you and there will be no charge.”

 ‘No charge’ is one of my favourite phrases so I duly went through the process.  No messy moulds this time!  My feet were photographed and a couple of weeks later, I received a call to come in and pick them up.  Modern orthotics don’t seem to take up the same amount of room as the old ones.  Perhaps it’s because the new ones are only half the length.  And they certainly make me more stable when I’m walking around.

 While I was there, the orthotics man said I should look at getting some boots which would give me a bit more support.  On his computer, he showed me an ad for Anaconda with big discounts on boots.  I wonder if he is getting a kick-back but the advice seems reasonable so we call in to the local store on the way home.

 It’s all true.  The $90 ones I looked at on-line are not there but there are plenty of others to look at.  While we’re there, Marilyn looked through the Specials rack and I ended up buying a top-quality winter jacket, reduced from $400 to $50.  At the check-out, something went wrong and the price rang up as $25.  We quickly paid and left the store not believing our good luck.