04.Update

Mainly trivialities.
Recently I got new reading glasses but the lenses were clearly wrong. Furthermore, I can read easily without glasses. To watch the computer screen I use the 'double-glazed glasses with the outer lenses hinged up'.
So we took the dud pair to Costco's optical department, where mum was taking delivery of a new pair of glasses. She had had to wait an extra week, because the lens was not right. I asked them to measure the 'inner' lenses of my double glazed pair - refraction and cylinders, and to copy this as new lenses into the frame of the above new 'dud' reading glasses.
Normally they need to re-test my vision, but
a. my last test was only 9 months ago, and therefore could not be repeated on the NHS in less than a year, and
b. Mum had a new pair on order and thus we were valued customers.
So they agreed to order copies of my lenses without re-testing - and I signed to confirm.
The optician strongly recommended high-refraction plastic, which gives thinner and lighter lenses - at treble the price. But I declined. The present double glazed pair had normal strength plastic lenses, and the pair I was ordering would be single glazed and therefore half the weight. So they agreed and I signed once more to confirm.
At this point they re-measured the distance between my pupils. They used a clever electronic gadget, whereas my previous optician had always just used a ruler in front of the eyes.
I was impressed by their professional standard and pleasant manners, although another member of their staff was a fairly aggressive woman who was obsessed with putting things away even when they were still in use and was totally devoid of any sense of humour. In a fortnight I'll see the resulting new glasses. Unlike my former optician, Costco ask for full payment in advance.

The latest BMJ had a report from a [lady] geriatrician who had done an MA in History of Medicine. The page included an illustration of a painting of an anatomy lesson, probably 16. or 17.c. Normally the BMJ gives particulars of such pictures - but not on this one.
So I e-mailed the author to ask. I remarked that I would have loved to study this topic formally, but it was too late at my age. She replied promptly to say, that she would enquire about the painting - it had been inserted by the journal. And she asked, "whether I was Daphne's father".
I confirmed and said, how nice it was to have a famous daughter. [actually, all my daughters are famous]. Mum thinks she remembers Claire - I'll ask Daphne.

A similar episode in reverse happened a few weeks ago. Pat Horne from Toronto emails an avalanche of fascinating and relevant papers. This one was about arthritis in Durer's family, by a George Weisz from Australia. It was published in an art journal, so I was not sure whether George Weisz was medical. I emailed to ask for further medical details of the Durers: familial arthritis can be associated with Psoriasis etc. I added, that my mother's maiden surname was Weiss - of which Weisz is the Hungarian form. Are we possibly related?
George Weisz answered promptly and excitedly. He too was born in Europe. He too had studied medicine in Israel, served in the Israel army, and then emigrated. In his case to Australia - a step that he regrets, despite having spent his entire professional career there - in orthopaedics! His heart is in Israel. But no, we are not directly related.
Our calls to Australia are free, and we had a pleasant chat in Hebrew, including his wife.

Provided the ambient light is steady, I still have many more pictures to photograph. Cumulus clouds flitting across the sun are the worst. I'm waiting for tomorrow.