mint imperial nemesis

This morning in surgery I see a patient for a health check. He is the professor of biochemistry at our local medical school. I ask him his weekly intake of alcohol.
"We ask everyone, you know, I'm not singling you out"
"I know, you've got to get your QOF points, haven't you?"
"Quite. So, what is it?"
"I can tell you that it's more than the current recommendations, but as you yourself know perfectly well, the W.H.O. guidelines are purely statistical, and in fact are supported by no appreciable independent verifiable research data. So whatever you say, I shall continue to apply my own rules, which, unlike yours, are based on solid scientific evidence"
I pause for a long moment, then reply:
"You know, if all my patients were as intelligent as you my job would be a hell of a lot more difficult than it is"
We decide to move on to other, less controversial areas.

In the afternoon I go to the dentist to have my crown refitted. Last week I managed to dislodge it by chawing on, of all things, a mint imperial (never again!)Afterwards, I drive out to the edge of the city to walk up a modest hill of about 400metres. I park at about 250 metres and trudge up the steep slope. The sky is a vivid blue, and the keen easterly wind is still blowing, but blessedly the route is sheltered and I am scarcely aware of the cold. Indeed, by the time I attain the trig point at the summit I am puffing and panting a treat, and feeling if anything too hot. But I experience the usual sense of achievement, the more so as I have wimped out of doing any other walks this week, citing the cold as my reason.