18June1996

My dear folks,

Tuesday evening & a lovely one. The 1900 TV News delves for the umpteenth time into the murk of Irish politics. Holland & Britain are about to take the field in the European Football Cup. Two loads of washing are draped across the patio chairs, evidence of the several visitors who occupied the flat while I was away. Mavis lies & warms his tummy in the evening sun.

It’s been a busy day. I know that sentence is achieving cliché status. But it’s true nevertheless. It feels as though I walk into an avalanche on my return from the Quinta, especially after a lengthy absence. I have worked my way through a mountain of mail, checking bank statements & firing off faxes & replies in all directions. I have vacuumed the flat which called out for such attention & still calls out for others. I have done the washing & watered the flowers & loved Mavis & topped up on supplies. I have sat down to enjoy your faxes & catch up on your lives. I have also obtained new lenses for the troublesome glasses for which I paid Boots Opticians so much money a few weeks ago. Full marks to Boots on that score. When they couldn’t get the original lenses right, they ordered new ones & threw in the old ones for good measure.

My only mistake was to leave things rather late in the day. Boots asked if I could get down there in ten minutes. I thought I could. But first a loop on my shorts caught in the cupboard handle, tripping me up over a prostrate Mavis - who showed just how fast he can move when it’s really necessary. And then my bicycle chain hooked as I tried mount the bike & beat the traffic across the road. I came a proper cropper in the middle of the street, skinning my knees in a fashion I discarded in the sixties. My predicament prompted a small boy to ask if I was okay. I thanked him for his concern & assured him - while his elder brother looked on in some embarrassment - that I was little the worse for wear. Fortunately, I was able to buy some wipes at Boots - while my glasses were being done - to remove most of the evidence. But I haven’t been able to wipe away the tingling which may continue for some time.

My purchases included a couple of curries from Marks & Sparks. I consumed these with relish during the evening’s earlier matches - Spain vs. Romania & France against Bulgaria. My guests were kind enough to leave several beers in the fridge which I have also been working my way through. I got back last night with a bath of perspiration, having walked the 2kms from Paddington Station in a still steamy London evening. It seemed to me that brewers are putting less & less into their bottles, several of which were required to quell my thirst. Today has continued sunny but much cooler. Let me add for the benefit of my brother, Kevin, that his wheeled cabin bag has been working overtime & is much appreciated.

I gather that I return to work on Wed/Thur nights after which I seem to have a break until Monday. It sounds a bit too good to be true - & I expect that a couple more shifts will creep in somewhere. Meanwhile my thoughts remain at the Quinta where I should rather be. But having failed - yet again - to win the lottery, I shall have to earn my bread a while yet.

Blessings
T