Aaaaargh!

Today's catalogue of disasters:

After a day and a half of him throwing up, we finally decided to take my son to hospital. He went with my wife while I did the work I had to finish this morning, then I walked in to meet them. Arrived at the hospital after an hour of trudging to find he'd been discharged and gone home half an hour earlier. My wife had my mobile so I couldn't be contacted as I walked. And anyway, it had run out of charge a few minutes after she arrived there ...

Home again, and decided to make Brownies for my daughter, who's on school holidays. They turned out like, well, not to put too fine a point on it, stools.

Received an email informing me that one of the regular jobs I do for Sydney will end this week, effectively slashing my weekly income by 40 per cent.

A minor thump to my external hard drive was sufficient to completely snap off the connection for the USB port that links it to my computer. It's now impossible for me to access any files on it. Took it into the shop where I bought it for repairs and was met with eyes rolled skyward in dismay and a prognosis along the lines of 'Well that's completely buggered then.'

Left the computer shop, slogged up to the right level of the multi-storey car-park, got into the car and was backing out when I remembered the bag I'd carried the drive in was still in the shop. With my iPod in it. Parked, ran back and found the shop had closed. Eventually got the attention of someone milling around inside, reclaimed the bag and returned to the car park.

Where the rate had ticked over to the next half hour and cost me another five bucks.

Returned home. Burnt the pasta.

And there's still four hours or so before I go to bed ...