Out of Breath and Needing a Sit-Down

 It's been a while, hasn't it.  I've been in hospital for the past two months and no access to a blogspot password.   Today is my first day out and in desperate need of a hair cut and some nail clipping  Good old Chambers rings changes on that theme today, wouldn't you know it.

FOLK LORE OF NAIL-CUTTING 

A man had better ne'er been born
Than have his nails on a Sunday shorn.
Cut them on Monday, cut them for health;
Cut them on Tuesday, cut them for wealth;
Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for news;
Cut them on Thursday, for a pair of new shoes;
Cut them on Friday, cut them for sorrow;
Cut them on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.'

Sir Thomas Browne remarks: 'To cut nails upon a Friday or a Sunday is accounted lucky amongst the common people in many places. The set and statutory times of paring nails and cutting hair is thought by many a point of consideration, which is perhaps but the continuation of an ancient superstition. To the Romans it was piacular to pare their nails upon the nundinae, observed every ninth day,' &c.

I shall belabor you with the details of my various infirmities when I have more gas in the tank.