Wise words

“Always try to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.”

That is what my old commanding officer used to say. I never saw him again after his court marshal, but his words will remain with me always: a stirring precept by which to live one’s life.

And here I am, doing just that.

As you know, I am stuck in this place (which shall remain nameless) but I have discovered there is an ice rink in the town. So what have I done? I’ll tell you what I’ve done: I have enrolled for some skating lessons.

I have a great coach: Sam. She encouraged me, at the start, to take “little penguin steps”, and later showed me how to adopt the correct posture: “Imagine you have a spoon clenched between the cheeks of your arse”, she told me.

I have had a couple of nasty falls. It has shaken my confidence but I hope to get this back by keeping at it – the skating, that is.

Oh, and I am on a course of antibiotics – no, it isn’t for some sexually transmitted disease: a gum infection. I can’t drink alcohol whilst on these tablets but I have only got one more day to go. Anyway, I am feeling much better.

I have a lot more to say but will leave it at this for tonight.