2008 — 26 December: Friday
Having seen the dawn come up unlike thunder I decided I didn't have to get up just yet. So now it's 10:40 and I'm digesting my toast and a cuppa. The household is, as it were, lying low. Still, at least the heating's back on.
11:30 and Little Dorrit is in Italy.
12:15 Where is everybody and what are they up to?
13:20 Action!
15:05 Walk?
20:30 Crikey. I'm mildly alcoholically challenged after a couple of industrial-strength Margaritas (see last year for details). We took Katie (the fitter of the two dogs) over to the far side of Sutton Park in Leigh's 2CV Special. Quite chilly. Then Leigh very kindly rode shotgun with me on a flying visit to dear Mama. So I've successfully collected all the NZ stamps Big Bro requested. A pick'n'mix evening meal back at Four Oaks (including the aforementioned anaesthetic) and I'm jotting these notes (having dished the dos) while TV is watched downstairs. Peter is still refining his blog.
I suspect dear Mama will retain little or no memory of my visit. (There are odd parallels between her and Arthur Clennam's mother, come to think of it.) She had, or claimed to have, no idea who Leigh (her niece) was. But familial duty has been done. I said I'd call in if I could, and I did. She will be 92 in a couple of weeks. Amazing!
Peter will stay until about noon tomorrow. I shall certainly stay long enough to meet my unknown half-aunt. I think I'll set off for home on Sunday. Need petrol, and some food fairly soon after arrival back home, of course. But it's been a good little Xmas break even though another year looms somewhat relentlessly ahead of me. What a strange new life this all is, to be sure.
23:55 Attempts to untangle the partial chaos of music files on Leigh's laptop, external drives, and office network not completely successful. G'night.