never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in...

In the interests of science, I have just tried hopi ear candling. In case you aren't up to speed with alternative therapies, this is where you take a hollow tube made from unbleached natural cotton coated with beeswax, you stick it into your ear and light it. Apparently this then creates a mild vacuum, or has some sort of chimney effect on your ear that draws the earwax out. They are also supposed to have 'profound metaphysical implications' and draw out bad energy.

Well, I don't know about that, but the effect wasn't unpleasant, and there was an awful lot of wax left in the cone when the candle had burnt down.... I don't know if this was cerumen or just a natural by-product of burning the candle, but the end result is quite pleasing.

As is so often the case, I knew I shouldn't have looked this up on T'internet though.... apparently I have just run the risk of burns, a perforated eardrum, wax dripping into my ear and no doubt certain death. There are pictures.

What the hell was I thinking? I'm probably going to wake up deaf.

I see those sensible folk from Canada have banned them. Very wise, eh?

Down with that sort of thing.

Careful now.

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I went for a 20km bike ride this evening & I got a puncture 10km from home and a call home revealed that C. wasn't in. It wasn't all bad new though: it happened just outside a pub.... and I had popped £10 into my bag. Hurray!

Given that John was using this bike on Sunday, I suppose it's lucky this didn't happen then...