Earlier I was in court asking, successfully, for an adjournment to the first available slot of sufficient time after 56 days: the clerk afterwards helpfully agreed to set it down immediately. "56 days" he said. "Well, that's 21st Dec. You can have 3rd Jan."
Where did 2006 go? Actually, while we're about it, where did 2005 go? My mental present tense remains in 2004. Mind you, I think I spent several years in 1983, and again in 1991.