T2003

Female; aged 62; married; retired Family Court Adviser, living in Fleet, N. Hampshire.
Saturday, June 02, 2012

5:00. Woken by Sam (cat) arriving on our bed, with enthusiastic miaows. He starts to knead me, but I ignore him and he settles down. Back to sleep.

8:00. Wake again, and husband Paul soon also awake. We fondle and talk to Sam, then Paul gets up, feeds Sam and brings pot of tea upstairs. Whilst he gets ready for morning cycle ride I tell him about the book group meeting I attended last night, including conversation about bad weather predicted for Thames gala on Sunday, and fact that a number of our friends are planning on heading for Vauxhall to watch, as we intend to do. Paul tells me at some length about a TV programme he had recorded and watched last night on recent political situation in Russia, and about his successful selling of scrap metal yesterday. I drink my tea in bed whilst reading novel (“How to Paint a Dead Man” by Sarah Hall) picked at random from the library, but interesting in content, with some beautiful writing. Sam sits on my lap. All this contact with Sam is unusual and welcome – recently he has been quite aloof.

9:35. I get up, shower, dress (jeans and T shirt). Check mobile and find text from a friend. Ring her and discuss meeting in afternoon for carnival procession. Have breakfast (another cup of tea, and toast and honey), whilst reading book. Check my e mails
.
11:00. Drive to local bakery to collect bread ordered each Saturday, and then on to railway station to pick up eldest daughter, E. She has come home very briefly to collect her car which has been in garage for repairs locally. She stays for a cup of tea and a brief chat. Paul arrives home from cycle ride. We (i.e. Paul and I, both daughters and their partners) are meeting tomorrow to watch the Thames gala. Studying of route map in last weeks Sunday Times, and discussion on where best to stand, and how easy it will be to get around London. We have left decision on where to stand to younger daughter (R), but both Paul and E have some doubts about Vauxhall. Agreed to speak later about it. Don’t want to totally irritate R by leaving her to make decision, and then tell her she’s got it wrong!

12:30. E departs to drive straight to Heathrow to pick up my nephew and his wife, arriving from Australia. They are to spend the next 2 nights in E’s flat in Clapham. (They have not come to the UK for the Jubilee celebrations - this is coincidental) I return to computer, reply to a couple of e mails (from a friend, and from other Australian nephew). Then check what equipment I will need for drawing class I am attending next weekend, and also check train and bus situation for tomorrow. Briefly ring R to check on bus numbers – she expresses lack of enthusiasm at idea of spending hours standing in the rain tomorrow. I write Waitrose shopping list, have some lunch (cheese on toast).

2:00. I walk up to library, return 4 books, and take out 3 more (I have 2 unread books at home, but have a horror of running out of reading!). I then walk along the High Street to meet friend and her elderly father to watch carnival procession. Lots of people but not much in the way of street decorations. I was to meet Paul there but he has rung to say he is watching nearer home. The Fleet carnival used to be a big affair with an impressive procession (large and imaginative floats and a number of bands), but has become much smaller of late. This year it has been brought forward by a month to coincide with the Jubilee, and is supposed to be returned to its former glory, with a Jubilee theme. However I thought it was very disappointing. The bands are back, which is good, but almost no floats or coherent displays. The best is probably a local infant school, with lots of children dressed as Guardsmen. Paul joins us towards the end, having completed the Waitrose shop. He drives home, whilst I pick up a couple more items in Waitrose, and check likely availability of strawberries later in the weekend (we are attending a Jubilee tea party on Tuesday, and are instructed to bring strawberries). Walk home.

4:00. Have a cup of tea and a cake, whilst reading novel. Then back on computer. E mail from a friend re Jubilee beacons being lit across the south of England on Monday night. He and his wife intend to go to top of local hill at 10:00pm hoping to spot a number of beacons. He is inviting people to join them. Show Paul – he keen on idea. E mailed Jerry back to say interested but depending on weather. Check tomorrows weather on line – not good. Ring daughter to say what time we will come to her flat tomorrow. Then complete MO diary thus far. Evening meal (salmon steaks, chips, green beans and corn on cob, accompanied by wine), prepared mostly by Paul. Afterwards I clear up.

9:00. Watch Bergman on TV – Scandinavian thriller, with sub titles, followed by news – Queen starting Jubilee weekend by attending the Derby at Epsom.

Bed – read book until 11:15, then sleep.



Sunday, 3 June, 2012

7:30. Make pot of tea, and feed Sam. Back to bed, Paul with bowl of cereal. Discuss arrangements for day in London

8:00. Get up, shower, dress in more layers than would usually in June. Breakfast – bowl of Special K cereal with fresh blueberries.

9:00. Drive to station to catch 9:40 to London. Cool and dull, but not actually raining. Platform crowded, lots of patriotic touches. We get seat in train, but many people standing, and many unable to get on at subsequent stations. I read the Sunday Times main section. Get off at Clapham Junction, and visit Marks and Spencers to buy sandwiches and crisps. Catch bus, without difficulty to younger daughter’s flat in Battersea. Spend short time there with her and boyfriend (R and M), mulling over how soon we should go. Debate about spending a few hours in miserable weather versus being unable to see anything, rendering the whole expedition pointless. M keen to get off. I borrow a scarf from daughter. I end up wearing 5 layers, and still not feeling particularly warm.

11:45. We walk to Thames (about 15 minute walk) and find a very good spot just down stream from Battersea Power Station - a wall to sit on whilst waiting, and to stand on when the gala starts. All quite cheered by this, self congratulatory. We wait approximately 3 hours before anything happens. We eat, chat and I continue to read the paper, whilst Paul reads his book. During this time older daughter and husband (E and S) join us (he has come quite reluctantly) and M walks back to flat, and returns with bag of extra clothes – we are feeling increasingly cold. Path becomes very crowded.

3:00. First boat comes into view. We have unrestricted vision, thanks to our wall, but only 2 pairs of binoculars between 6 of us (and I have difficulty juggling my glasses and binoculars). I am disappointed not to be able to pick out a single member of the royal family, tho’ the rest claim to spot some of them. It is interesting to see so many boats on the Thames, tho’ unless you have studied details of the composition of the procession, not always easy to see what you are looking at. S leaves after the royal barge has passed. We stay until about ¾ has passed, but leave when it starts to rain heavily. A lot of people are leaving by this point.

(I have mixed feeling about the whole event. I always enjoy spending time with the daughters, and if it had been warm and sunny, it would have been a relaxing afternoon, and I’m sure the boats would have looked beautiful. But dull, cold, wet weather definitely marred the event. Such a shame, especially as we have just had almost 2 weeks of consistently sunny, at times very hot, weather. Also I was struck by the difference between standing at the side of the road to see the royal family pass very close by, something I haven’t done since I was a small child, and seeing them (or not seeing them!) across the width of the Thames.) 

Great difficulty getting a bus, many of them full, but eventually succeed and go back to elder daughter’s flat in Clapham. There we meet my nephew from Australia and his wife, who have had lunch with other relatives, and were clearly very happy to have missed event!. Warm up with tea and whisky, and watch the event on TV. R and M join us, having gone back to their flat, and then had to walk because of full buses. Lots of irreverent chat about the royal family (including Pippa’s bum accompanied by appropriate hand movements!) We argue about the line of succession, and M checks the facts on line on his phone. I am very surprised to learn that Andrew is followed by his daughters, not Edward.

5:45. Walk through Clapham to pub where table for 8 booked for evening meal. A very pleasant, chatty meal. A good quantity of red wine drunk. At one point we stand to toast the Queen (ironic!). Part from everyone near the station, and Paul and I catch the 9:45 train back to Fleet. Read my book on the train. He dozes. Drive from station to home, where we are greeted in the front garden by a hungry cat. Paul feeds Sam, and I go next door to feed their fish – they are on holiday.

11:15. Bed and sleep.




Monday, June 04, 2012


8:15. Get up to make tea and feed cat. Back to bed to read yesterdays Sunday Times. Both glad to have leisurely day.

9:40. Get up, put washing in machine, shower, dress. Decide we will watch recording of Gala on TV during breakfast, to get some idea of what we were looking at yesterday. However, for some reason it hadn’t recorded. Not particularly bothered, tho’ pleased that I saw the tail end of it live on daughter’s TV yesterday. Eat tea and toast whilst reading paper, and tidied up.

11:50. Walk up to Fleet to buy strawberries for tomorrows Jubilee tea party.

12:30. Back home. Do emails, including email to nephew who is now with my 91 year old mother, to suggest he encourage her not to overindulge in alcohol! Hang washing on line, and up date MO jubilee diary.

2:55. Back to reading yesterdays paper. Some sunshine, so try sitting in garden, but too cool. Paul and I concerned by sudden fly infestation in the kitchen – they seem to have come from no where -so burst of fly spray. Watch rather grim TV programme I recorded some time ago –Hitler’s Children, about the descendants of prominent Nazis. Start decorating hat with Union Jack ribbon for tomorrow’s party – double sided tape very fiddly -don’t get very far – I’ve always been cack handed when it comes to craft type activities. Then a game of Scrabble, interrupted at 7:00 for 15 minutes, whilst I listen to The Archers, and sort out the clean washing. Paul wins scrabble, but only by a small margin.

Approx 8:15. Prepare meal (sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and bread). Realise that Jubilee concert on, so Paul starts recording. After meal and clearing up go next door to feed fish, and take opportunity for a bit of a wander round their house (I’m shamelessly nosy!). Then watch concert on TV, at first as recorded, fast forwarding thro’ much of it, and then live. I become much more involved in it than I would have expected, and watch to the end. Paul goes to bed at 10:00, but Sam comes and sits on my lap, and keeps me company. Very dramatic ending, and I’ve always been a big fan of Paul McCartney. 

Thought the Queen looked a bit grim, as did most senior members of the family, tho’ that seems to be their default facial expression. The younger members were obviously enjoying themselves. I’m surprised how sympathetic I feel about the Duke of Edinburgh being in hospital. Such bad timing, and hard for the Queen. In fact I am surprised how warmly I feel towards the Queen. I’ve never been a royalist, altho’ have become less critical, and more interested in recent years.

Then watch the news, and to bed and to sleep at 11:45.


Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Wake at about 7:00. Doze and think, including fantasy about most of the royal family being killed off, and us ending up with Queen Beatrice!! What a nonsense the male line of succession is. The most successful monarchs in recent times have both been women. I reckon that Princess Ann would be a good queen, in the mold of her mother, but she’s way down the line of succession.

8:00. Up to make tea and feed cat. Back to bed with tea and novel. Paul continues to sleep for another good hour – still surprised by how much sleep he needs even after over 30 years of marriage! Then Paul gets ready for gym session and I get up, shower etc. Breakfast with book. Return to decorating hats for both of us, this time using sellotape. Paul returns and switches on TV, for service at St Paul’s. I get pulled in, and TV remains on. I think how extraordinary it is that all this is centred on a rather dumpy little old lady, and feel a good deal of respect for her. Sad to see her walking alone, when normally she’s have Prince Philip at her side. To computer to update MO diary (which I have to say is becoming a bit of a chore!)

1:00. Realise that I haven’t seen cat since fed him at 8 this morning. Unusual. Call him at intervals for next couple of hours, but no response. Prepare strawberries, and make cheese and tomato sandwiches for party this afternoon. (Wouldn’t be my choice of sandwiches – boring and potentially soggy – but these are my instructions from our hosts). Still having to kill off flies, altho’ not as many as yesterday. Intermittently watch progression of Jubilee events on TV. Finish my book – very glad to do so – it was quite dark, and was affecting my mood. Get changed (red and white top, blue scarf and white jacket). Select a red, white and blue shirt for Paul. Both outfits finished off by our ribbon decorated sun hats. We watch the royal family on the balcony, and the fly past before leaving for party.

3:30. Drive short distance to party held in friends’ house. Raining. 15 of us there, mostly dressed in appropriate colours. A lot of talk about attendance at Jubilee events. All but one of us went up to see the pageant on the Thames, (a mixed experience, depending on where people chose to stand). 5 people went to St James Park for the concert on Monday, and had a wonderful time. A number of other people went up to our local high spot on Monday night, taking with them a drink to toast the occasion. They spotted a number of beacons, and also firework displays, including the one that ended the concert in London. Half wished we’d gone up, tho’ I doubt I could have persuaded Paul, who was ready for his bed at 10:00. We eat tea party food (I am amazed that all my sandwiches went) and half watch a recording of the concert. Then cut the Jubilee cake, and toast the Queen with champagne. Unlike the toast at the pub with the family on Sunday, this was only ironic for some! This is accompanied by a CD of Land of Hope and Glory.

7:30. Drive home. Very perturbed not to be greeted by Sam. Now really worried about him. Spend some time calling him in the garden, and then we both walk round nearby streets calling for him. We decide that if he hasn’t returned by the morning we will put together a missing cat flyer, to put thro’ neighbours’ doors, on the assumption that he’s been accidentally shut in somewhere.

9:00. Watch Silk on TV ( a court room drama), followed by the news. 

10:30. Go to bed feeling very anxious and despondent about Sam (who has never gone missing before.) Have I become too attached to him, and am I getting things out of perspective? Start new book (The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown – another book picked at random, which seems quite promising)

11:30. Sleep.

PS. Sam found next day in next door neighbour’s garage - very relieved!