Old Warden Abbey
Old Warden Abbey

Our New Year's Day visit to Di’s family at Old Warden Abbey on wet and windy day after a frosty start and then a rendezvous with out children after Di and I had been having problems in our own company.

News from Iraq is of lots of posturing and not much negotiation or discussion taking place and a bloody war seems to be more and more inevitable.

Diana had stormed off during the night again, claiming that I had been 'deliberately wafting cold air into the bed to upset her" and so we slept apart again as a great social start to the new year. We had stayed up until after mid-night which had probably made us a bit ratty and I eventually went to sleep. Got myself up this morning and had got showered, shaved and dressed in time for breakfast. After this, I went to the lounge and sorted out the mess after last night and then settled down to mounting my personal press cuttings as the last task to get myself up to date. Before long it was time to get ready to rendezvous with the family over at Old Warden Abbey where the Fulton wing of Diana's family always hire this historic building and host a family get-together.

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We were there after the others and met up with Debbie and Della again who had been staying with Di's parents. We stayed long enough for a meal and social exchange, but the event was somewhat over-shadowed by the news of the death of David, a close relative, who had been suffering from cancer for some years - that affliction of the 20th century for which I hope that a cure can come soon. Home in mid-afternoon and then some refreshments after which I watched a TV football match which was rather frustrating as my team lost after their best player was sent off. A family film about a space rescue and then the girls went off to bed.

Daniel came home this afternoon and seems to have survived his visit to Angela's family, but he is not saying a great deal at the moment. I have agreed to take the girls to Rollers again this coming Saturday morning and Emma Richardson will be Debbie's guest this time. News from Iraq is of lots of posturing and not much negotiation or discussion taking place and a bloody war seems to be more and more inevitable. The weather started sunny and calm today with an overnight frost but it became again this afternoon as another depression descends upon us.