6th April
Well, I can hardly wait to tell you all about my exciting news! After over twelve months of continual pressure, Spencer has finally caved in and booked us both a short holiday to coincide with our Silver Wedding anniversary. Of course, he is not disclosing exactly where or what he has booked, but I do know the date. I shall keep working on him to wheedle out some more details between now and June. I am excited already. It will be the first time that we have been away without children for 17 years. Anyway, I know we are going abroad because he asked me to check that my passport was still valid. I must admit to being very curious as to which of my numerous ideas he has decided upon. I do hope he hasn’t been too clever and tried to choose something by himself. I just pray that he isn’t planning to take me on one of his favourite bird watching weekends or similar. As much as I like birds, (or any other wildlife for that matter), I find that hours spent in a hide with a pair of binoculars does rather lose its appeal after a while- at least for me.
When I first met Spencer, 30 years ago, he seemed to spend much of his free time going to air shows, visiting airfields looking at aeroplanes and noting down their numbers. In fact on the day of our wedding he and his Best Man were picked up by the police at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, because they were peeping through the fence with a pair of binoculars. I never figured out why, but I have always wondered if it had something to do with his Work of National Importance, which I have referred to previously in my diary. Over the intervening years I have gradually managed to wean him off this rather odd hobby, although I think the rising cost of air show tickets also had something to do with it. However, he has now transferred this fascination to birds, which I guess are cheaper to watch, and don’t fly away so quickly.
Meanwhile arrangements for our celebration are continuing apace. The invitations have gone out, and some replies have been received. I have made arrangements to book a venue, and am busy sorting out details such as flowers and catering.
10th April
Spencer is giving nothing away and no matter how hard I try, he refuses to even let a little hint of where we are going slip out. I have pointed out that I will need to know what to pack in the portmanteau, but he just shrugs and says there is plenty of time for that. I ask you! I need to know whether to pack swimwear or a snow suit. I have been scrutinising the post every morning to see if any clues can be found that way, but I do believe that Spencer has booked everything via the internet, and then hidden the incoming e-mails where I have no hope of finding them.