A new Ford Fiesta for Diana's birthday
A new Ford Fiesta for Diana's birthday

The family had forgotten cards for Di's 42nd birthday but I made amends by ordering her a new Ford Fiesta car later! I was preoccupied with the shortcomings of the On-Site Training situation; Debbie was in a muddle over losing her flute and my headache got steadily worse after the day spent sweeping up leaves and distributing Focus leaflets before the evening at Southoe Parish meeting.

I had a poor night. My mind was on the shortcomings of the ONSITE situation and the many aspects that have come to mind since the meeting took place that needed to be taken up with the management. I have also been waking up early and feeling tired and today started with a headache that continued to grow as the day went on. Poor Diana awoke to a birthday with no cards from me or the children as we had all remembered too late. After the normal chores, I also had to sweep the swimming pool area of leaves and telephone my deliverers about the latest FOCUS and then had a phone call from Debbie that she had left her flute at the bus stop and needed it for a lunch-time lesson! I drove over there, but it was gone and then we ascertained by telephone that a lady had found it and taken it to work in Huntingdon for safe-keeping. Poor Diana had to go and get it and drive over to the school!

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The decorators were back and intent on finishing the project by lunchtime and, as I needed a break and she needed the attention, I took Diana out to St Neots for morning coffee and to see Hunts Motors about ordering her birthday car. This done, Di came back to make lunch at home whilst I went round my FOCUS delivery team to hand out the latest issue. I managed to get all of them to agree to help but decided to leave Mrs Ruff for Sally. My lunch then had to compete with paying off the painters, seeing Sally Guinee about Mrs Ruff and returning some telephone calls. After a rest in the lounge, I then spent all of the afternoon and the early evening on the garden. There was a huge quantity of leaves to clear up and then the mowing of the lawns. I first used my blower to clear the beds of leaves and then the rake to put the leaves in piles. I had just about got the leaves onto the compost heap by teatime and finished mowing the grass as it was really dark. The mower picks up the smaller leaves such as Hawthorn and "vacuums" the lawn so as to leave it looking very nice.

Then to get quickly changed for the Southoe Parish Meeting when, because Diana needed the car to take the children swimming, I got her to drop me off early in Southoe. The village hall being closed, I spent the next fifteen minutes in the pub next door with a half pint of shandy being lobbied for village improvements as their District Councillor! The subsequent meeting itself was very good with the problem of the need for a village playing field being addressed and several other issues being tackled. They are increasing this year's parish precept to pay for possible improvements to Rectory Lane or the Playing Field lease. The meeting finished by 9.30pm by which time my headache was becoming unbearable. The Vicar, Peter Lewis, gave me a lift home and then I collapsed on the settee and then went to bed and it was some time before my headache faded away. In truth, I have been working too hard lately - physically and mentally - but at least I have got the garden done before the rain and this weekend's trip to London