Faraway

1 I wait for news of the Old Man, the one who succeeded against the odds in reaching old age. I have spent an hour-and-a-half with an Old Woman, one who lives in a bungalow, and, as I left, I noticed the small photographs of a young woman in uniform, both the uniform and the hair-style being of the 1940s. I wonder if the Old Man has any photographs of a young man. For the old man and the old woman, faraway days.

2 I wait for news.

3 Andrea is coming: I'd better tidy the house. So began the day. I ironed and generally tidied for about two hours, being all the while in want of an egg. Telephone calls about SSAFA caused me to be just in time for a meeting in Rowfant House rather than being there in time to sit in the sun and drink a cup of morning coffee in the sun. Amongst all the business, we decided to spend some of our money on tickets for the RA band concert in Chequer Mead and for an unspecified show in the Hawth, the tickets to be given to some of our clients.

4 To Rustington, on the coast, there to recover Doris Weston, an old woman, from her two weeks of respite from life in the small house in Scyamore Drive. Time to sit on the stony beach and watch and listen to the water. I'd like to go there again.

5 David, having worked at QVH, joined me, and we took our tea and toast on the patio. Then he deployed his cerebral and motor skills on my behalf. My desktop and my laptop - both are working well. The evening passed to the point where his inclination towards food was not to be denied: we repaired to the pizza place, and there ate and chatted. To Three Bridges, home, to bed.

6 Early swimming - I want to achieve even earlier swimming tomorrow morning, so that I can settle into a lengthy swim - and a meeting with Pat and Adrian Davies in Chequer Mead. More screenwork, the visit to the Old Woman, and to the screen.

6.1 Tomorrow, the Chums lunch being cancelled for an insuffiency of declared demand, Terry Morris and I will travel to Brighton, there to walk upon the promenade, and the pier, and take a fish-and-chip lunch. A bus perhaps to the Devils Dyke. A bus perhaps to somewhere else.

7 Yet, ahead of such diversions, will be a visit from Liam later this evening. The selection of the winning pair - an easy task - and chat about tomorrow's AGM. I sense that it may be less demanding that the one which will be held on Saturday.

Waiting for news

Stayathome.