The rather ugly looking contraption above is the basis of a river steamer that Guy and I have been building for a while out of my boyhood Mechano set and steam engine I gave to Guy some months ago, and, on the afternoon of Boxing Day, we finally fired up the steam engine and had it running. Owing to the dire weather, a direct result of which was a complete absence of outdoor unfrozen water in (I should think) the whole of the South Midlands, we were unable to launch and test it, but I think it will perform quite well when we do. We think we'll have to lower the stern wheel about an inch in relation to the hull, and do one or two minor adjustments, but apart from that, all that needs doing now is for Guy to build the superstructure. He tells me he plans to do this in light plywood and card (to keep the weight down); he also seemed to appreciate the need for the superstructure to be easily removable so that the boiler and fuel burner can be filled and lit. His capacity for building models is remarkably good for someone who's just eleven. We've had great fun planning it and finding (and adapting) illustrations for him to work to.

Should add that after supper, Ann, Sarah, Mikey, and I had a very pleasant game of scrabble. Mikey and Sarah are both good players, and made Ann and I really exert ourselves. Good end to a lovely, relaxing sort of day.