Sunday.

 

We motored to London this morning to Deliver to Lizzie her long awaited long case clock, pictured above with Lizzie and her son Matthew. Shortly after this was taken Lizzie ran Matthew and me round to auction rooms, where we viewed arms and armour auction. Arranged to telephone bid for seven lots. Lizzie picked us up at three o'clock and we returned to their home to watch the England v. Germany football match. Matthew had, at Lizzie's direction, made up a jug of Pimm's, which helped us bear up about the reults of the match. We were, as no doubt readers aware, thoroughly thrashed (4 - 1). The youngsters seemed rather down about this, and I wasn't particularly bothered, so I quoted a bit of doggerel that I jotted down during the 2006 world cup when the only subject of conversation seemed to be football -

My answer is always the same,
when approached by a footballing bore :-
"It matters not whether we'll win the next game,
just as long as we've won the last war."

I don't know that it helped or cheered up the youngsters, but I do think things have improved now that we're all patriotic about sport - so much cheaper and easier in all ways, than fighting wars. - not that it's entirely replaced them, I fear. After the match Lizzie put on an early supper. (don't read this next bit, Stig). She gave us chicken breasts wrapped in Parma ham, with new potatoes, and salads, followed by strawberries and raspberries, on a meringue, with cream - You can start reading again now, Stig. We set off homeward just before six, had a good run, and got home at 8.15 p.m. Been a good day. Good night all.