So ... imagine the scenario. 7:40am. You're driving along a dual carriageway about to take the slip road off to the left. It's dark. Ahead a lorry flashing on the hard shoulder. In the lane next to you cars are flashing by. Suddenly you see something in the middle of your lane, brake, a nasty crunching sound as your car goes over it, shit!, a what-the-hell-was-that feeling, park along the slip road, emergency lights on, open the boot, get out the warning triangle, put on the yellow jacket, assess the damage. OK ...

Well, that was what happened this morning. The lorry had lost its metal ladder. I'd driven over it & burst the left front tyre. On a scale of 1 to 10 probably a 5. It could have been far worse. As it was, we filled out the papers, I waited for the motor-assistance van, then drove on with my new tyre. We'll see whether there's any further damage underneath. These things happen. It's only afterwards you think of the other possibilities.

On a brighter note ... tomorrow I turn 50. It sounds so terribly grown up & yet things look much the same. Increasingly I appreciate just being here. Learning how to negotiate the snakes ... and ladders.