Dosed on painkillers, I am determined to keep the meeting with Labour Exec member Ray Dodds about the traffic calming in Dukes Avenue and the surrounding area. There has been a new event in that two of the other roads due for pinch points have suddenly risen up out of fear of losing parking spaces and a petition in one of them appears to have universal support for not having the measures.

Everyone wants what they want for their particular problem – which is making it very difficult to hang on to a cohesive scheme of any sort. I am now getting calls from other residents very angry about the petition who do still want the traffic calming. No-one ever said it would be easy!

Another big issue is about lorries. Currently Dukes Avenue residents say they are plagued with lorries coming down their roads and Dodds says there is no real evidence. Council agrees to look at having proper traffic counts done – so at least we can agree on the situation before arguing over what to do about it. Susan (Alexandra ward councillor) and I both feel that no lorries should be able to get along there.

Later see the osteopath who says my back is so bad they cannot manipulate the bone back into place. I have to cancel everything and go and lie down with ice on it until Wednesday morning. So – lie down covered in ice and write my Christmas cards.