Tackling my Hayling View chores and then a trip down Memory Lane, visiting Di’s old school St Francis in Letchworth, on its Open Day; touring Letchworth where our old employers I.C.L. were selling off their last presence. On to Lower Stondon to see our first house that we rented and then to Shefford to see the first that we owned.
To Bedford for a film listening to the news of John Major’s struggles with his party
Diana had trouble getting to sleep last night and went off to the spare room and so I was alone when I woke up this morning having had a long lay in. I made myself a mug of tea and came back to bed with my Pointer Retriever Gun-Dog Book and it was some time before the girls descended on me. Breakfast together and then out to do the Hayling View chores, spending some time on the swimming pool before deciding that there was too much algae in there to allow me to put the cover on and lay the pool up for the season. The three neighbourhood boys were in position early and fishing and, although they found the morning rather too cold for comfort, still reported catching a chub and roach when I asked them how they got on. Lunch of roast chicken and then I responded to an invitation of Diana to accompany her on a nostalgic visit to her old school, St Francis in Letchworth, on its Open Day.
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We drove there, parked and then wandered around the school which seemed rather down at heel to me but was full of memories to her. Of course, it had shrunk from its size in her memory but was otherwise little changed over the past thirty years. Still a private girls' school in the Catholic tradition, it was very old fashioned and something of an anachronism. Then a drive round the town for both of us. I.C.L. are selling off their last presence there having once been the main employer which seemed amazing to us. On to Lower Stondon to see our first house that we rented and then to Shefford to see the first that we owned. Our pine tree on the verge is now truly huge, having once been our Christmas Tree. Back in time to get the girls ready and scramble off to Bedford to see the film, "Carry On Columbus". Though we are fond of Carry-On films, it was a poor script and a shame that all the regular actors, bar two, had either died or retired so that it was but a shadow of its former self.
Back home again and the girls to bed, me to my journal and then all to retire early. I was not feeling at all well after consuming far too many chocolates, given as a birthday gift to Diana and eaten to save her figure at the expense of mine! The weekend TV interviews have senior ministers defensive on the problems of the government and the Tory back-benchers seething with rebellion over what they see as inept political management. The vote on the pit closures this week may well go against John Major which will be the final humiliation. It is not beyond imagination that there could well be a realignment in politics as the ruling party tears itself apart.