Papworth Heart Hospital
Papworth Heart Hospital

Letting 39 Gordon Road and landscaping The Hayling View on a very wet day as the search continues for the Boeing 747 that was thought to have been bombed and Papworth’s biggest fan and oldest patient, Keith Castle, dies

 Awake to my morning tea and to read my new rule book on croquet before the paper arrived. Down to a breakfast of boiled duck egg, nicely done with buttered toast fingers and then back to bed to finish my reading. Up, washed, dressed and out to the birds. Only 8 duck eggs today. To the office for a start to the day’s work and, after catching up on my reading of the computer press, managed to do some correspondence and bill payments. A succession of phone calls from Alconbury US Servicemen and, after a soup and bread lunch, I received the first visitor after lunch. A coloured Staff Sargent and his colleague, who take to 39 Gordon Road and agree terms straight away. Home to a ham cutlet tea, with ice cream and pear crumble to follow. After, the landscape gardener, Mr Brian Tee of Gransden Garden Centre, visits and discusses his plans for our front gardens. A fair plan, with some good concepts, but needing detail changes. In particular we have to get the riverside land cleared to see the true contours and position of the trees. Then the front garden paths and shrub beds can be positioned to provide access and views accordingly.

I take the plans afterwards to Chris and husband and explain what I have in mind. They agree to my lopping a few branches from the oak and beech trees to open up the air and light to my front gardens and to remove the ivy that screens the view and chokes the oak. The landscapers are keen to start and I will phone Mr Paynter’s solicitors in the morning to ask permission to start clearing the site. By this time late and so to my journal whilst watching the little Wimbledon tennis play that escaped todays rain. News today of the continued search for the bodies of the 747 dead. Although the flight recorder has yet to be found, all evidence so far points to the likelihood of a terrorist bomb explosion. Keith Castle, Britain’s oldest heart transplant patient dies today, aged 58. He had his operation in August 1979 and did a lot to promote Papworth Hospital to the public. The weather very wet today, with a few dry spells, but the barometer is rising and we hope for better fortunes tomorrow. The Ely auction is cancelled and so I will have another day working, which is needed as I am very much behind.