Friday.

Don't know where this week has gone. On the other hand I do know where we've gone this week. To  London  mainly. Set out early on Tuesday morning and motored to London ( youngest daughter,Lizzie's as per usual). Picked up grandson Matthew, and to Bonham's in Knightsbridge, where we viewed Arms and Armour auction. Ann went off with Beth and they spent the afternoon shopping and window shopping. Back to Lizzie's and had evening meal with Georgie (and her betrothed, Andy), Matthew and Beth. Very pleasant. I think it was something that Matthew and Georgie had prepared earlier - they are all three very competent cooks. Lingered over meal until Lizzie came home from her work and had her meal, accompanied by the bottle of claret I'd taken with us. Lizzie and I finished the bottle between us. Andy then had to drive to Norfolk (he is a soldier, and had been recalled to his place of work, rather unexpectedly). Ann and I retired to our well earned rest at about 9.30, and crashed out very soon afterwards.
On Wednesday Matt and I returned to Bonham's and had reasonable success bidding. I'd a commission to bid for an English military flintlock pistol, and was, I'm afraid, eventually the under bidder. I bought however, three other lots, one of them a bargain (but work - long winter evenings stuff), and the other two lots nice items. Paid for, and collected the bought lots, and took a taxi back to Chiswick.  Again ate with the children. Had planned to drive home after the meal, but the children (must stop calling them that - Beth is eighteen, Matthew nearly twenty, and Georgie twenty two) pressed us so earnestly to spend the evening with them, then stay another night. We were both very tempted, so we said we'd wait till their mother got home, then decide. Lizzie got in at about nine p.m. and warmly seconded her offspring's hospitable suggestion, so we this time made an evening of it.    On Thursday morning  Matthew, as he'd promised,  got up early (for him) and did all the donkey work of loading the car. There were wireless warnings regarding the state of the North Circular, so we drove out on the A4/M4, round the M25, then to avoid roadworks, turned up the M11, turned off on the A120, and home via North Essex. Stopped off in Sudbury to buy necessary provisions, and got home about midday. Glad to be able to report ticker behaved impeccably all the time we were away.

This morning as we set out to walk to Cafe Church the sky was behaving in a manner that Ann said reminded her of making a meringue (all white folds) and looking very threatening and dramatic. Then there was a crash of thunder, and we decided to go in the car.  If you check the above photo's I'm sure you'll see what I mean.  Ann is now out helping to give the elderly of the town their monthly treat at the Ansell luncheon Club.  So I'm going to nip upstairs and make a cheese and pickle sandwich, and a cuppa, as a treat  for another of the elderly residents of the town (yes, good guess -  Moi).