Louise's Mum asked me if I was going to get married and I said that I would in a year or two’s time.
This month started with Diana and the girls staying up here on the first of two occasions, as Della was taking her school half-term holidays.
It was nice to see Debbie trying to help Della with her schoolwork and then later Louise showing Debbie how to cook. They also exchanged lifts to and from Yarmouth as they were working there together. It was sad later in the month when Debbie spent her last day in Yarmouth as the supervisor there had left.
For Louise, it was her first full day, week and month at work. At first, there were a few set backs as her chair and computer were a problem, she felt that she was a new girl and a bit out of it and was tired and struggled to get up and out in the morning but she soon settled in. During the month, this led to a few tensions as she began to put work first and left me to do all of the domestic chores.
I had to make a point about my work being important as well and, after a couple of rows, it was accepted that we share the domestic chores and not leave them to me. It was nice when we did have time together, particularly on Saturday mornings, when I could spread her legs and make us both happy and relaxed once more.
We had some nice shopping expeditions and bought a new microwave, more cutlery and matching knives for the kitchen. We had the services of our new cleaner Wendy who was a great help with the housework but I was still running around making breakfasts, clearing up, washing and generally doing things in Louise’s absence.
We had a couple of dinner invitations back to Whitehall Road and returned the compliment and got them all into Heronshaw for a nice meal so that her flatmates could see where she had gone and was being looked after nicely. We met her replacement, a small but nice girl from Preston.
During the month, we enjoyed some good bike rides locally and along the Marriott’s Way before the weather deteriorated near the end and had trips out to the cinema and theatre as well as staying in and preparing nice meals watching films on the digital satellite TV.
Louise enjoyed a couple of meals of Lobster along the way and the films we saw included Billy Elliott, You’ve Got Mail, and On the Edge. We went to Al’s Birthday Party Jazz jive event and enjoyed it.
Louise finally agreed to a gym assessment and a special workout and will now try to get along to the gym more often. Louise accompanied me to the football a couple of times after I bribed her with meals in the Carvery and Delia’s Brassierie beforehand.
Amongst some of our shopping, we bought some extra cutlery to give us a full set of eight and some crockery for a set of four for our guests.
The month had several key events in my personal history as I met Louise’s parents again, together with her Aunt Diane and Uncle Philip who came to stay. I also sat down with Diana and told her that I now wanted a divorce and she was agreeable and would not stand in my way.
Louise's Mum asked me if I was going to get married and I said that I would in a year or two’s time. I took the opportunity to update her on her financial situation and give her such advice that I could.
She invited me to go and see the new Walt Disney film, “Dinosaurs” with the girls and we enjoyed it. I also told Sharon and Bettina. Sharon then told me of the test results that meant that she was now being advised to have a mastectomy with re-constructive surgery taking fatty tissue from her tummy to rebuild the missing breast.
She was very much down but had a new boyfriend, a GP also called David who is looking after her yet money remains a main worry. I got my CD’s back at last.
Bettina, when round for a cup of coffee and to back up her Psion after a long time out of contact, spotted the engagement card and also asked to come to the wedding.
Louise had rearranged all of the photographs and those of my ex-girlfriends were destined to the loft. I managed to get a few things done during the month.
The financial summaries off to my advisers and the tax receipts to Tony Mann to do the returns for me. I started the process of changing stockbrokers and bankers to Barclays after co-operating with Nigel accordingly.
I shortened the light pendants that had been annoying us since we moved in, repaired the lights in Harnser’s boathouse and fitted the new lights in the loft, which looked very nice once done. The last lawn mowing of the season but I failed for once to catch the mole.
With the help of Steve of Woods Dyke Boatyard, I got the instruments and heater working in the Paxton Princess and then Louise and I cleaned it out and made up the beds for our visitors. First Kathy was supposed to stay there with Mike but he did not come, but it was useful for Daniel and his friends later when they came up later to collect his boat after calling to arrange it from Sweden. It was nice seeing them again.
Debbie is having a harder time at work as she is left increasingly on her own to cope but she found a new boyfriend Tim when they were both working behind the bar at the Beer Festival.
Della joined me for a Norwich shopping session and lunch to get birthday cards and presents and it was nice to talk to her too.
The run up to Louise’s 30th birthday party was quite a business, with the relatives to cater for, the cake to order and collect and then the invitations and the event itself. However, it went off very well and was a party to remember, and for Louise, to savour.
We had seen the Nimmo Twins the night before at The Playhouse and really enjoyed them and it made a relief from the tension, as I was quite nervous.
Our engagement seemed to come as a surprise to Louise’s Mum and she made a few other digs but I did not rise to them. I took them for a boat trip up the river and they loved it. Neither Louise’s brother or sister accepted our invitation.
Debbie helped greatly at the party by welcoming guests but Kathy just sat and chain-smoked most of the time. Our friends Jo Travers and Linda could not come but I met them in St Neots one day.
The preparation was not helped by a computer virus sent to me on the eve of the party during emails sorting out arrangements for screening and launching the film. We had a London trade screening of The 13th Sign and the quest goes on to find an international buyer as the film is launched in the UK video and DVD market.
We were in quite good health during the month, except that Louise went down with a cold at the end of it. My bacterial infection was mostly heeled up by the end of it.
The latest rail crash was soon diagnosed and blamed upon poor track maintenance, which led to great chunks of the network being closed down as a precaution and delays on the rest of it.
The bad weather at the end of the month led to more problems on the network at the time we were going into the City for our few days’ holiday.
I took Louise to the Dome and the London Eye wheel and we saw a musical and live performance of Robbie Williams.
England lost to Germany in the last match to be played at Wembley Stadium before it being rebuilt and manager Kevin Keegan resigns and will be replaced by a foreign manager.
We fought our way through the weather around Halloween and were a great surprise for the others at the fancy dress Cerocky Horror dance.
I ended the month in the middle of a session trying to curtail illegal fishing in Ropes Hill Dyke
