Men’s meeting this morning. A few absent as usual, in hospital, visiting hospital, at the doctor’s, not feeling well. I suppose it’s inevitable when our ages range from 70 to 95. The 95 year old has changed his car from a Jaguar to a small Honda.
Friday 2nd May
Transferred my email service to Google mail to give me more facilities. I like it now it is working properly. Set up a Blog for my Grandpa’s Diary.
It’s just an experiment but perhaps I am being conceited in thinking that anyone will want to read it. We’ll see.
Barry back from Las Vegas – a long way to go for a two day sales conference.
Saturday 3rd May
Nothing to report Weather glorious.
Sunday 4th May
On this day in 1945 I made my first solo flight in a Chipmunk at RAF Guinea Fowl in Southern Rhodesia. Four days later the war ended in Europe and we thought we would be coming home. However the powers that be decided that our training would continue and we were told that we would have operational training on Thunderbolts in Egypt before going to Burma to fight the Japanese.
Prince William got his wings in four months. During the war it took at least 12 months continuous training ???????
5th May 1945 First solo flight in a Chipmunk
Friday 8th May
Nicola, Tim and Freddie arrive in England. They have returned to Berlin from Bloemfontein and Tim may be based in the UK later this year.
Thursday 8th May. 13
Visited surgeon this afternoon for checkup on eye. No problems. Can now read two more lines on the test chart and was told she can now drive.
BUT WILL SHE ?
Weekend very warm. Garden chairs and table out on the lawn.
Monday 12th May
Trimmed euonymous hedge. Surprise visit from Hannah and Paul on way back to Robin Wood. Paul comes from Leek and made a very good impression.
Tuesday 13th May
Catherine is 18 today, the last of the grandchildren to come of age. Holding barbecue on Friday evening. Hope invitations have not been posted on the internet ??? She rang in the evening delighted with her birthday cheque.
The car is covered with a fine dust. A friend told me it is dust from the Sahara. Went to car wash.
On duty at the museum. One visitor.
Nicola and Freddie are staying with Lyn. Went over in the afternoon to see them and Freddie was in good form. Gave us a great big smile and loved clapping hands when we clapped hands.
Wednesday 14th May
Shopping in Macclesfield. Couldn’t resist going into Poundshop and bought 6 rechargeable AA batteries for £2 – Bargain. I always find something I didn’t realise I needed.
Bought 7 pairs of brown socks in Marks, special offer, but picked up the wrong size. !!!!!
Thursday 15th May
Car dusty again. Men’s meeting today. Started talking about photography and Brownie Box cameras. Told them story of how I lost one on my last flight in Rhodesia in 1945. I wonder if any one ever found it ?
Finished trimming euonymus hedge. It is now very thick and looks attractive.
Friday 16th May
Cooler but sunny.
Shopping at Aldi’s. Becoming very popular, car park full. People are beginning to realise that they can save at Aldi’s and that the other supermarkets are ripping them off. Try the cheap whisky and Baron wines for value.
Saturday 17th May
Borrowed camcorder from the museum so that I can record the christening tomorrow. Spent the afternoon trying to understand the manual. Obviously not written with 80 year olds in mind but eventually learnt how to switch it on and off and record.
Sunday 18th May
Dry, sunny and warmer than expected.
Over to Lyn’s at eleven o’clock for the christening at St Gabriel’s at 12 noon. The priest was a benign old gentleman with scruffy shoes, a toe was peeping out of one of them. At first I thought he was speaking in Polish but eventually got tuned into his voice. All very informal and managed to get a few video shots. A happy informal occasion. Freddie was a star performer with smiles and gurgles.
We were able to congregate in the garden after the ceremony. There were special balloons, miniature photos of Freddie scattered about, a lovely decorated cake and lots of delicious food. The children played with abandon and Freddie gently rocked in his swing. Nicola made a lovely speech followed by a glass of a Polish spirit and a spirited rendering of Skola (I don’t know how to spell it).
All in all, a lovely day.
Monday 20th May
The video I took of the Christening celebrations has turned out better than I expected. I borrowed a camcorder from Congleton Museum.
Excellent quality but needs a lot of editing on my Mac. Several times I forgot to switch off the camera and there are beautiful shots of feet, paths and lawn. Using a Mac program called ilife I hope to produce an edited version by the weekend.
Tuesday 21st May
On duty at museum. No visitors and couldn’t find cable to transfer video on to a DVD. Had to buy one off ebay, £2.50
Wednesday 22nd May
Ken in Louth Hospital perhaps for the last time. Doesn’t appear to know that he has cancer. Had to pay speeding fine £60
Problems making a copy of the christening DVD. Did it initially on the Museum Mac and unfortunately the Mac was only on loan and had to be returned last Tuesday before I had a chance to make a copy. However Barry has a copy of the i-dvd program so should be able to make another copy. Normal file copying doesn’t work.
Thursday 29th May
The sun has returned, but Winn has a nasty cough. She had her eyes tested this afternoon but will probably wait until after her second cataract has been removed before getting new spectacles. The optician said buy a cheap pair off a rack for the present. £2 in Woolworths
Tuesday 10th June.
Hoover stopped working. Took it to shop. Motor burnt out. £80 to repair. Only three weeks ago spent £27.50 on repair to frame. ????
Friday 13th June
Cold day, cloudy
Monday 16th June.
Decided to lower the large lounge window so that we can see the birds and garden when sitting in our chairs. Congleton glass have quoted £1600 for it but this includes putting in a new lintel, removing three rows of bricks and putting a lower radiator in. Quote OK but disputed the plumbers estimate for replacing the radiator £350. Eventually got a quote from the plumber who replaced our bathroom £290.
Monday 23rd June 26, 2008 Panels and posts arrived to repair fence damaged in recent gales.
Wednesday 25th June
Win had her second cataract operation this evening at the Regency hospital in Macclesfield. Operation went well but she had quite a lot of pain around her eye as the surgeon had to take particular care as she has a skin problem on that side of her face.
Thursday 26th June
Winn’s Eye very sore but pain gradually decreased during the day. Put preservative on fence posts. Heavy rain in afternoon. Cool.
Friday 27th June
Appointment with Mr Moriarty 1.20pm Said cataract operation was a complete success. As a by-product the red infection on the right side of Winn’s face is much less. Asked surgeon if the wash used during the operation could have been beneficial ? Sceptical
Saturday 28th June
Put preservative on new fence panel. Use Focus’s own brand £5.99, Cuprinol was £20.99
Monday 30th June
Andy Murray was fantastic !!! This is what makes Wimbledon so exciting.
