Ducks -Stadtpark - click to embigiate!

The Badger has been unwell with a bad back and a Migraine which lasted for a few days. The bad back came from attempting to construct a new Katzenschutznet.

There was a lot of bending and turning involved and during the process I injured my back to the extent that I had trouble walking – or even moving - as part of my right side was paralyzed.

At one stage I could only move around on all fours but managed to cook Cate’s dinner each night by using my ‘Outback Cooker’ in the middle of the kitchen floor and I was able to reach the cupboards by rigging up a hook on the end of one of our walking sticks.

I rigged myself a small sled on carpet runners so that I could drag myself around the house with my one good arm and in this manner was able to keep up with most of the chores – although the ironing was a bugger.

Of course when you are down that low it is easier to reach the Kitty Litter to clean it out so there were some advantages.

I started off applying a hot wheat pack – which has the decided disadvantage of smelling of scorched wheat - and then was able to get to see Irene the fabulous physiotherapist (who had been swanning about in South America).

Then I discovered a Heizkissen at Eduscho which I can plug in and apply to my back while I stare into space and plan the next assault on the Katzenschutznet.

I need to do this because plan A was a significant failure. It was excellent in concept and had some unique and potentially patentable features but it was not really much of a visual improvement after all – and during the course of construction had attracted Cate’s opprobrium – even in its formative stages.

But I am sure the Wright brothers had similar problems with their wives so I was no more discouraged than usual.

But I am moving on to plan B – and already have C in mind. Plan D is to strangle Sissi but I am sure it will not come to that.

The Migraine came from eating Chinese food in a restaurant in Dr Karl Lueger Platz. I don’t remember what the restaurant was called but they modestly described themselves as ‘the best Chinese restaurant in Austria’ – and I must say the food was very good.

But they may use MSG or some other gunk and it gave me a Migraine which lasted until Sunday night and required a number of heavy duty pills. These make me even stupider than I am usually (ask Kristin about this phenomenon) so is quite a burden for Cate as she has to lead me around (or in this case – drag the sled).

This added to my back problems and I was quite mournful during some stages during the weekend.

Eduscho is Cate’s new favorite shopping place – and indeed mine. I was able to pick up some very competitively priced bicycle shorts and tops and would even have bought some of their fine underwear but they did not have my colour (Black).

And I notice that I am not only capitalizing all Nouns – I am also using a combination of English and US spelling for various words which can be spelled in different ways. You will just have to bear with me on this as I no longer know which I should use – and indeed am tending to favor the US spelling for many words.

If you have trouble you can use Yahoo Babel Fish.