12 May 2009
Up to London again today to Arbitration Club lunch. Stupidly I went to the wrong branch – Bishopsgate instead of Fetter Lane. When I discovered my mistake I grabbed a taxi and was only 10 minutes or so to late. The members are getting used to see me wearing my wrist splint and eating with my funny spoon and fork. This will prepare them for the time when one of them has to feed me.
After lunch I went to Waterstone’s, the bookshop in Piccadilly. I was curious to know if I would be able to buy E-books with my book vouchers. The answer was that I could, but first I had to have the value of these vouchers transferred to my Waterstone card. Then all I need to do is to go onto the net, give the number of my card and then download the book. It will be fun to try but I gather that the number of books available this way, at the moment, is rather limited. I forgot to ask Waterstone’s whether there was a comprehensive list, of these e-books, somewhere.
On to the Landsdowne club, off Berkeley Square, where I met my lovely for tea and a snooze before going to hear son Miles give up a talk to The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorian (the Welsh) at the British Academy, in Carlton Terrace. I was proud of him, he did well.
I had walked from Fetter Lane someway towards Piccadilly before catching a bus. Then from Waterstone’s to the Lansdowne Club, then to and from the club to Carlton Terrace. A lot of walking, probably 3/4 miles in all and to be honest I felt it in my legs. I really think they are getting weaker or maybe it is, as my dear wife suggests, what I should expect at almost 75 years old.
We ended the day back at the Landsdowne for dinner with the entire family. Karl, Chloe and Kimberley joined us after the talk. Not only a celebratory dinner for Miles, following his talk, also an early party for Chloe, whose birthday it is tomorrow.
Al and I made a dash for the train around 10 and got home at about at 11.30. I wasn’t sorry to get into bed.