When we first heard that the barge was to be launched from here I had resolved to take some photographs for my collection. When dear old Concorde was taken down the river she was loaded on to her barge here and we took some amazing pictures of her suspended in mid-air from a huge crane.
Pa and I had not had our breakfast when there was a lock at the door, Tom, the plumber had brought his lovely wife and even lovelier children to visit us before going to watch the launch. I was totally smitten with the two boys the eldest two and a half and the youngest just five weeks old and looking heartbreakingly cute in a fluffy all in one suit. After they left we ate a hurried breakfast of toast and marmalade and as soon as I had eaten I set about making six dozen double ginger cookies for the fête, the cookie jars and some form my friends at my sons work place.
Pa was to nip out quickly for some bird food and when he returned we would go and see the barge for ourselves. While waving Pa off I was hailed by a friend on her way down the garden path,on her way to see the barge so she dropped in to see us. I must say that this is some one whom I am always glad to see not matter what else is going in. WE chatted for a while and then off she went.
Dark clouds had been gathering all morning and now suddenly the storm broke with huge hail stones bouncing off the windows clattering on the roof and soon the garden was white over. Thunder and lightening followed by torrential rain completed the dismal scene and A phone call from Pa telling me that he was stranded at the garden centre spelled the end of my hopes of seeing the barge.
In the lane a build up of traffic caused partly by the road block and partly by some idiotic parking raised a terrific din and this combined with a jubilant and extremely loud peel from the church behind our house woke my son rather earlier than usual.
Pa returned with the bird food at four in the afternoon having been stranded for almost three hours, I an very glad that he had the sense to remain under cover for the duration of the storm. One member of the family however did see the launch of the Queens barge. Looking out O a window at the rear of the house I could just about see the crane at the riverside and sitting on a high wall just a few feet from the action was my cat Twiggy.
If you are watching the news coverage tonight and you see a small and very beautiful little grey cat, that will be she.
Fond thought I am of company I think that for this week I have had enough and as I have still all the ironing to do, my sons case to pack and the shopping which Pa did not manage today to finish I shall daub a red cross on the front door and give out that we have the Plague. This will, with luck allow me that time to catch up on the backlog ….I hope!
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