David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
A day of rest and catching up with my journal after deep sleep. A slow start to the day and then out with Sam for a very long walk as he deserved.
The sum of my activities are really too much for even a fully-fit person to bear and I soon will have to make choices about just what I can pack into my life.
Significant news as the IRA announces a complete cessation of violence with the end of their armed struggle to start at midnight before the provisions of the Anglo/Irish Declaration come into effect. I
drove over to see Nigel and, during a game of snooker, heard the latest developments of his love life. His epic affair with Kate Geeves has now formally ended and he is very cut up about it
Last night I slept from the moment that my head touched the pillow so that I did not even notice when Diana came to bed.
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A recovery day at home walking Sam and there was the cleaner as well as the gardener and handyman to see and then I chose to go back to bed and rest for a couple of hours, dozing and catching up on much-needed rest..
Daniel had evidently had quite an event on Sunday night with the neighbours complaining and there were empty bottles everywhere which the cleaner had to get rid of before Diana arrived.
I then set off for my evening out with Nigel as the alibi, but I saw Wiggly and I did a number of practical jobs that she needed doing. A house number fitted, some old cable runs taken out, a bead curtain put up and then a window lock eased before I left were both tired.
The first priority this morning was to get dressed up in my outside things and to walk Sam who has been very good lately. Then there was the cleaner as well as the gardener and handyman to see.
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The last day of our summer's stay in Norfolk with much fine weather servicing the Paxton Princess before having a family Wroxham Barns lunch. Di stayed in Horning as I called in to see Freda & Alf at Redgrave for a tense and difficult meeting to convince them that a price of nearer £155,000 was more realistic than the £175,000. I drove on to Sutton where I received my customary warm welcome from Jim & Julie Bird with a fine dinner and we then ran our dogs with Jum carried on shooting rabbits before driving to Eynesbury for an active night with Wiggly
This was the last day of our summer's stay in Norfolk and Diana was sad at it coming to an end. Indeed, this summer has been a good one with much fine weather and a good supply of ladybirds to keep the aphids at bay even if the wasps took over as the worst pests late in the season!
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The weather was sunny and fine but there was a virtual gale blowing later. The early morning cruise down the Yare through the open Reedham Swing Bridge, passing the Yarmouth Bure Bridges at low water.
The westerly wind against flood tide whipped up large waves as we fought our way up the Bure through the spray and wind. We stopped off at Stokesby for a late lunch of a full lobster salad.
The cruise up to Horning where I took Sam for a good walk and called Wiggly for the first time for a while
Having worked out the low-water times at Yarmouth, we had to plan to leave early this morning and it was up at 5.45am and out with Sam for fifteen minutes at 6.00am before leaving the moorings soon afterwards.
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The day in Norwich after our guest Michelle was collected by Mr Brown as Michelle is collected and then, when walking Sam, I found a man hiding in the nearby undergrowth; probably a prison escape.
Lunch at an open-air cafe at Tombland where Sam could sit outside with us as we ate and then to buy a ticket and watch Norwich City beat West Ham 1-0 at Carrow Road.
Setting off later to moor at Surlingham Ferry and receive compliments on Sam’s behaviour.
Diana and I had eaten and drunk far too much at Vagabonds and we were hot and had trouble sleeping in consequence. We were due to wait at the marina for Mr Brown and family to come and collect our "boat-guest", Michelle.
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Or cruise from Great Yarmouth Marina up the River Yare to Norwich, stopping off at Brundall Boatique for an item or two.
Eventually moored close to Bishops Bridge and then the walk through the park by Cow Tower (where we got the girls some conkers) and on up into the city centre.
This evening, we settled the girls down with Sam in his box and then I took Diana for the first time to the Vagabond Floating Riverside Restaurant.
Our berth at Yarmouth Marina was quite satisfactory and, even though it is near to the heliport, it was quiet as well.
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