29 October, 2011
Another busy day. I spent the first three or four hours struggling with the voice activation systems . First, the Windows 7 version until I became too frustrated at having to remember the different commands and then I switched back to Dragon, which, amazingly, behaved very well and allowed me to get most of today’s entries down before it started playing up one.
As, it was warm enough for me to go into the garden. Alice got me into my wheelchair (she’s getting quite a wizard at that single-handed) and out into the garden with a drink, my smoking stick and a little cigar just before daughter Chloe, Karl and the three grandchildren turned up for lunch.
The little ones (or rather, not so little. Fred now being 14) love the freedom of the large garden were soon tearing around as usual. I think they have not quite used to the wheelchair and I’ve no doubt that Chloe has explained, in simple terms, why I am in it. I’m sure she has told them that I’m not actually ill, but have a a problem with my muscles and, in fact, I doubt very much whether they will notice any difference this time from the last. Time they came.
It was a tossup as to whether we would eat in the garden but in the end the gusting wind drove us indoors, I must say it is a great joy to see them growing up and learn how well they getting on.in their respective schools. I think I mentioned before that Seb passed .his grammar school entrance exam, some months before he would normally have taken it and has two more schools to try before they finally make up their mind which one to send him to. Lucky them, many parents would give their right arm for a free place at one of the top ten academic grammar schools in the country. After that it will be little Lara, who I suspect is probably the brightest of all of them and certainly as bright as the boys. They are all coming here for Christmas, it fortunately, being ‘our turn’.. ‘My lovely’ has sensibly booked rooms in the very comfortable B&B at our gate as having seven extra people in the house, that is, including son Miles and Kimberly, might prove too much for her as well as looking after me. at the same time. Otherwise, hopefully it will be business as usual for which I’m very thankful ,as heaven knows where or what state I shall be in next Christmas, that’s if I’m even here!
I have to confess that after 2 ½. hours of involving myself with family I was a little tired and adjourned to my study. I seem to get breathless on these occasions, and cannot really participate in too much conversation which really saddens me, but heaven knows I’m lucky to be here and still in a position to enjoy them
After a game of croquet. they very considerably left just before 4.15, minutes before the good Dr Michael arrived from Sweden en route to Germany. It was literally a flying visit as he is due to leave at 9.15. tomorrow. You might think that Sweden to Germany via UK is a rather odd way of going but the point is we live close to Stansted airport so it’s only a 15 min taxi ride from whence he can pick up one of the cheaper airlines like like Ryanair. He’s going to stay with the Schneiders, who I had the pleasure of meeting in Sweden and who has since been here. They really are a lovely family and I’m sure will spoil him rotten. In any event he will be back here next Wednesday and we will hear all about it.
I was sorry to be rather weary when Mick arrived and at his suggestion, we did not bother with the champagne is he felt I was too tired and alcohol would made me worse. Very considerate of him.
I went to bed at the usual time , although at one stage I had suggested to Carla that we could make it 10 o’clock as the clocks go back one hour, tonight (Spring forward, fall back) and I would have to spend another hour in bed, but she was fairly firm with me when she saw me at six o’clock and said I looked tired and she thought it best if she came at the usual time, and of course she was right, I was very much ready for bed at 9.30., despite having done very little except nod off in front of the television during the evening. Even the good doctor we noticed was fast asleep from time to time so he clearly could do with the rest as well. A happy day but a full one.
Click here. to see an ingenious way of getting a fully laden truck over an raging torrent. Notice the guys bailing out the water!