29March1996

(Picking up from 27 March 1996)

By this time, I am more or less used to the new specs (2 pairs) which curve & tint in all the right places, to say nothing of anti-glare & other coatings. I reckoned that if were spending half my life in front of a VDU, it was worth it. Mother, you will be pleased to note that the old “wired-up” ones are no more. The single irritation is that the pair with plastic lenses, while perfectly comfortable, seems to be inclined 5* off the vertical so that I have lasses & greatly improved the focus, although it’s not yet perfect.

I told them to keep their fingers crossed that I did not come back but I suspect they’ll see me again. I had carrots & humus for lunch & then spent an hour talking to a tenant who’s warring with a neighbour! Hoo boy! Afterwards, I saw the neighbour. Finally I managed to get down to the nursery where I filled a tray with 15 of the most brightly coloured pot plants I could find. Some were pansies & others were primulas. Can’t for the life of me remember what the rest were. It took me two hours to clean out the troughs & plant them.

Mavis kinda kept an eye on proceedings, hinting every now & then that an early supper would not go amiss. He has 3 attention getters. One is ankle crashes. Two is a tail quivering, high-backed pleading pose. Three is a swipe at your legs as you go past. That’s serious! Means he’s really hungry or desperate to go out! After grub, he always mounts the stairs licking his lips & then heads for his sunlamp for a thorough wash! After that he wants to go outside! At least if he goes on to the patio, it will look a sight more colourful now.

I see the tree-fellers have zapped a second tree in the street. Ouch! Really leaves a gap in your life! Like the first, it had a great big dead section. I thought it would have made a few decades yet. Westminster Council obviously thought otherwise. Jones would not have approved. I had a chat with her today (& she too says thanks for the fax Annie!) She’s got a whole bunch of guests arriving next week. Keep fingers crossed for some sunshine. By the way, she’s said she would be moving the fax back into the laundry, so the fax number reverts to 351 - 89 - 415411.

I think a bath & early bed are called for. It’s 25 hours since I had a wink of sleep it’s been one of those days when I haven’t missed it. Sometimes that’s how it is. I’m off duty until Tuesday. Hallelujah! And if I win the lottery on Saturday night, it’ll be off for good. Jones had a three-word farewell speech that she prepared down the years. I’m starting to work on my own. It might run to more than three words, but I doubt it will reach double figures. Think of you and love you lots.

T