An early start from Paxton to arrive at Heronshaw at 8.15am, much to Diana’s surprise! Then to take the family to The Swan for a fine breakfast before a brief foray to Norwich for some shopping and transactions before we all went on to Fritton Lake and Country park. The girls played on the adventure playground, but we were disappointed that there were no longer any pony rides.
I took the scenic route back by car, crossing the Yare at Reedham on the old car ferry. Iraq offers to release Westerners if US forces withdraw from the region but this is rejected.
Poor Debbie seemed to have a migraine and began crying uncontrollably with a headache, so I consoled her. Before writing up my diaries this evening, I finished the book I was reading about Horning in the olden days and read all about the famous Horning pleasure wherry Arcadia that was once moored in our boat dyke there and whose wind vane (or "Jenny Morgan") still flies on our Heronshaw flagstaff. The news is of the deteriorating situation in Kuwait as Iraq take over the country
I decided to make an early start to avoid the holiday traffic and, after waking at 5.30am, I showered and shaved quickly before pumping up the trailer tyre for the journey. I was pleased to leave at 6.15am and found the roads refreshingly quiet at that time of day so that I amazed the family by arriving at Heronshaw at 8.15am - just as Diana was waking up after a lay in! I was a bit disappointed with her because I had told her I would be getting there early and had planned to take them out for breakfast. Still, they were ready in half an hour and I managed to get The Swan Inn to accept us as non-residents for a full English breakfast. This meal was very good indeed and the girls thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the meal was a little slow to arrive, they had obviously cooked it freshly which made up for it and we were well satisfied.
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Diana is still unsure about staying longer because Debbie was pining to go home to see her horse, Sundance. I took them briefly to Norwich where I did some financial transactions as Di and the girls did some shopping at Jarrold’s. Then we all went on by car to Fritton Lake and Country park at Debbie's request for our morning drink. We spent the afternoon there as the girls played on the adventure playground, but we were disappointed that there were no longer any pony rides and this loss alone will probably be enough to stop us from returning. At least we all had a game of putting on the green there, including Della who made friends with another little girl (although she was later upset that she could not get to play further with her). We left rather later than I would like but I still took the scenic route back by car, crossing the Yare at Reedham on the old car ferry. This is probably an anachronism in this modern age, but it serves to keep the river free of bridges that would affect the sailing craft and it somehow gets the cars across the river steadily enough. With my big Range Rover, there was only one other vehicle allowed on, but all of the other crossings had three cars a time.
We went on through Potter Heigham where I had planned a shopping session at "Latham’s", but this proved too much for Debbie who seemed to have a migraine and began crying uncontrollably with a headache. It was me who consoled her in the end and then we made our way back home. It seems that she had been sitting in the sun in the car during the journey and she was still overwrought with wanting to go home. We had another nice tea in the cool of Heronshaw where I relaxed and recovered from the exertions of the day. I had spent a lot of hours in the driving seat after a late night and busy day before. Before writing up my diaries this evening, I finished the book I was reading about Horning in the olden days and read all about the famous Horning pleasure wherry Arcadia that was once moored in our boat dyke there and whose wind vane (or "Jenny Morgan") still flies on our Heronshaw flagstaff.
The news is of the deteriorating situation in Kuwait. First Iraq take over the country, then the United Nations eventually agree to an economic and military blockade to try to force Hussein to let Kuwait go and then Western nationals are "restrained" in the terminology of the day to act as a human shield against Western attack. The West see all this as an atrocious takeover of a foreign country by an aggressor nation. Arabs, on the other hand, point out that Kuwait was part of Iraq before western governments took it over and set it up as a puppet nation to produce oil cheaply for western economic needs. There is the recipe for a prolonged and bloody conflict here. Iraq offers to release Westerners if US forces withdraw from the region but this is rejected.