6May1996

My dear folks,

What a busy day! And what hard work cleaning is! I’m grateful I don’t have to clean for a living. The reward is so hard earned & so short lived. But it’s done, or largely done - or at least as done as it’s going to be done - for a while. My letters to you are the moment when I sit down & reflect on what happened to the day. And it’s been a glorious day, with a patio full of spring sun-shine, with the gentlest of breezes - quite chilly - sufficient to dry all the bed-clothes I washed this morning & to warm Mavis’s soul. He lay most of the day, in a patch of sunlight just inside the patio door, sunning himself into stupidity.

I’ve vacuumed, made the double bed upstairs for Bernie & a bed in the nook for her companion, Flea, both of whom I plan to fetch from Heathrow at sparrows in the morning. They’d better be on time - 0550 - or they’ll have to catch the bus instead. I need to be at work by 0800. I’ve warned them. And, to continue the list of my virtues, I’ve patched the ropey places in the upstairs bathroom, thrown out a mountain of junk, cleaned the flat & washed the car. Looking good for 16 years the old girl is. I’ve also done the accumulating ironing - during a weird (funny-scary) film last night, called Critters! Hoo boy! Wasn’t the thing for nervous folk to watch before bedtime. You’ve never seen such mean little sci-fi buggers in all your life.

I chatted a couple of time to Cath today - making plans for her visit in a week’s time. Anita’s settled on Starlight Express as her special night out & I’ve booked tickets. And I said hi to Jones in Portugal - where it’s been pouring again - and looks set to continue until at least midweek. And I’ve enjoyed lots of faxes...thank you. My downstairs neighbour, Herman is back. Means I don’t have to feed Poopoo & that Mavis has to eat his own grub again instead of enjoying Poopoo’s.

I sat out on the patio in the last of the sunshine this evening for 15 minutes, watching a police chopper making circles in the sky & sipping Vinho Verde. The trees in the gardens below are still dazzling white with bloom - the fish pond in the garden below is almost covered with tiny petals. On TV, a youthful Sean Connery was playing James Bond in You Only Live Twice. Lord, what rubbish! And yet I enjoyed it hugely in its time. My dentist was saying the other day that he had to hide away his cognac when the actor who played M came for an appointment or risk losing the lot.

Once or twice, I happened to glance in the mirror during my labours & I would have given myself a bad fright if I hadn’t had strong nerves - mad eyes, hair standing straight up - beard shaking its hairs in every direction. How did I ever get to look like that? Lordy alone knows. The low point of the day was downloading 30 minutes worth of software from the Internet & discovering that it was not the programme I was trying to get hold of. Very irritating!

Now, there’s a big, warm bath ahead and another glass of vinho verde and an early night & a hottie in my bed for comfort. --- Herman, my neighbour, has called and invited me for a glass of wine. It would be uncouth to refuse him the pleasure of my company. Just a quick glass - or two - before bed.

Love you lots

T