Leaving early with Daniel for the journey to Horning where we unloaded and had a drink of hot chocolate to warm us up as it was another very chilly day. Then we moved the long sleepers, a few inches at a time, after which we put the damp-proof course in place and bedded in the first seven of the sleepers in mortar, which made a third of the total.
The evening resting and bathing after which I visited John Gedge, the local farmer, to pay him £40 for his help and bought a takeaway or our dinner. Very tired from the day's activity, but also declining fast with a bout of influenza, I was shivering and cramped and so went to bed early.
I had tried hard to persuade Daniel to be ready to set off early this morning and, despite his horror at the idea, and, to his credit, he was up quite early and ready for breakfast. I got showered and shaved and we loaded the Range Rover so as to be ready to leave at 8.45am which was quite good. It was a quite normal journey to Horning that started in heavy traffic but became bearable, and so we arrived a couple of hours later. Daniel was complaining about my driving habits on the way; and in particular by the way in which I tended not to slow down in traffic, but to weave my way through it. In truth, I did have to abort an overtaking manoeuvre and brake sharply at one point!
** "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
Once there, we unloaded and had a drink of hot chocolate to warm us up as it was another very chilly day today. I insisted that Daniel dress up in jumper, coat and boots against the cold. The sleepers seemed to be just right for the job and, although very heavy, we could just about move them a few inches at a time. I mixed up some mortar by hand whilst Daniel prepared the first couple of the sleeper by removing bolts, plates and nails that would have got in the way. The wood was quite sound and very suitable for my task; if heavy. During the rest of the day until dusk, we put the damp-proof course in place and bedded in the first seven of the sleepers in mortar, which made a third of the total. We broke off for a simple lunch of bread and cheese and then finally ended after dark which was 3.30pm after washing off all of the tools and equipment.
I hoped to take Daniel out to the cinema for the evening, but he was shattered and had been complaining of his wrists giving out under the weight of the sleepers so as to need a rest. Instead, we sat and read today's newspaper from cover to cover and drank mugs of tea and ate cake. After this, I had a bath, dressed a little more presentably and then went out on a few errands. I visited John Gedge, the local farmer who had helped with the receipt and delivery of the sleepers and thanked him in person and by giving him a letter containing £40. On to Wroxham, where I bought some supplies and then some take-away food from the Chinese Restaurant - Chinese food for me and sausages and chips for Daniel with which he was well-satisfied when I returned. I enjoyed my meal of chicken noodle soup, pork balls and sauce and then chicken chop suey. By his time, I was very tired from the day's activity but also declining fast with a bout of influenza. I was shivering and cramped and so went to bed early.