8June1997

My dear folks,

A shortie, just to say hello. Mavis squats on the carpet. He’s been rub-a-dubbing my ankles, as much in need of affection as supper, I suspect. There’s a bright blue sky visible through the study window. The arrival of summer has made it much harder to sleep during the day. I found a large, white-sided cardboard container beside a pile of building rubble a few days back & brought it back to jam in the skylight. We already have a blackout blind but this attracts so much heat that the room is stifling by the end of the day. A sheet of cardboard insulation has now been inserted between the blind & the window & makes a big difference. I also keep a fan running at low speed to circulate the air. Having enjoyed the better part of seven hours sleep the past two days, I cannot complain. I have a third night ahead – before a 2 day break & another 5 nights.

The team entrusted me yesterday to take out joint lottery tickets in the hope that we could all resign en masse following Saturday’s draw. I regret that our resignations are not imminent. What a useless bunch of numbers we got!

Friday afternoon I cycled into Westminster for my biannual visit to a dermatologist at St Thomas’s Hospital – a vast edifice on the opposite bank of the river from the Houses of Parliament. Dr Griffiths had a small class of “would-bes” sitting in on the session & they trooped through to the back room to peer at my latest outcrop of spots, most of them heavily camouflaged among the freckles. I tend to become aware of the nasties by feel and – pants squatting around my ankles – guided Dr Griffiths to those I’d become aware of on my legs. He could have had the whole student body there for all I cared. His liquid hydrogen squirter is little short of a miracle & one for which I breathe deep thanks. If I had any children, I would encourage them to become dermatologists all. The demand for their services is inexorable.

Thank you Jones for today’s fax. Regret to say that the couple interested in the 1st fortnight in July have cancelled & I’ve had no response so far to the Sunday Times ad. Delighted to hear though that the sun has turned out to welcome our new guests. I had a phone message from Fregs who’s back from his latest little trip to RSA & waiting for Gary to fly over for their European jaunt. Hard life for some!

I must go & water the flowers, jump into the shower & think of the night ahead……

Blessings
T