16th January
Went to the Haymarket in Basingstoke to collect my tickets for The Gondoliers. As usual, I have got front row seats for the final performance on the Saturday evening. The show runs from the 10th-14th February with a matinee on the Saturday as well as evening performances every night. We have seen and thoroughly enjoyed many of the productions put on by the excellent Basingstoke Amateur Operatic Society over the years, and I am sure this year’s show will be no exception. You might not be aware, but there are many residents of Old Basing and Lychpit in the cast, including this year our very own Marcus. He only has a small part (in the chorus), but it is a start on the way to perhaps a glittering theatrical career. Spencer does so like Gilbert and Sullivan and we are all really looking forward to it. Spencer’s brother and sister-in-law are coming especially from the West Country to see it too.
17th January
Spencer showed an unusual interest in going to M&S at Camberley today. He got the Bentley out and we drove sedately down the M3 to Junction 4. I was suspicious from the start as normally wild horses couldn’t drag him there. It soon became clear. He was after a new suit for the Silver Wedding celebrations. I was quite surprised and encouraged, because up till now he hadn’t shown a lot of interest in the whole thing. I was even more astounded when he had selected suit, shirt, tie and shoes within the hour and then suggested we had a coffee in the cafe. As we went up the escalator, I did spot a sign advertising free shirt, tie and shoes when you buy a suit in January, but I pretended not to notice. Sometimes I think it is best not to let on that you know too much.
We then spent the afternoon watching Violet Elizabeth play in her first netball match at school. It was freezing on the touchline, and unfortunately the score of 16-3 to the other team didn’t cheer us up any either. After a quick after- match cup of tea, we all returned home to the Manor, cold and tired.
18th January
Woke up to find there had been quite a storm last night. Some of the trees in the paddock had fallen in the wind and some parts of the driveway were flooded. Spencer was out there early with his chain-saw to make everything safe. I left him to it and ventured into Basingstoke to collect my new glasses from the opticians. I was served by a very nice young chap, who sympathised with the fact that my arms just don’t seem long enough to read the Sunday papers easily any more. Armed with my new varifocals, I completed a quick circuit of Festival Place without coming a cropper on the escalator, and returned home to cook the Sunday roast. In actual fact, I was looking for some shoes to go with my outfit (now that Spencer seems to be all kitted up), but like Cinderella’s ugly sisters, nothing would fit.
Marcus had been out all day with his chums, doing some work for his BTEC in
Public Service. I am not entirely sure what this involves, but it most
certainly doesn’t stretch to setting the table and keeping his room tidy
which would, in my view, be a useful service to this member of the public.