Friday.

Must just record that I had a most pleasant surprise yesterday morning at breakfast time when Thomas Del Mar joined us. He had 'phoned Ann the previous day to ask if he could call, and Ann had decided that what her husband needed was a nice surprise - so had not told me. We've known Thomas a good many years ; he is in charge of what used to be known as Sotheby's Arms and Armour, and is now known as Thomas Del Mar, Ltd. Antique Arms, Armour and Militaria, London. I had just finished (earlier this week) cataloguing some forty items for him, so went and got it, and (as the poet said, and I'm misquoting him) 'just in time to save the stamp.' Spent a very happy half hour swapping news and views, discussing some recent additions to the collection, and I then had to rush off to the surgery for a routine blood test. Thomas too, had to push on so we said our goodbyes and a very social brekky was a good start to the day. I rather envy Thomas his extremely accurate memory - he reminded me that twenty years ago I'd helped catalogue the Albert Littler Collection - could hardly believe it was that long ago, but knowing Tom, I've no doubt he is right. Later in the day Sarah and Mikey came, and we spent a very good day with them. This morning, Sarah, Mikey, Ann, meself and grand daughter Freja, , motored over to the Suffolk Punch Trust, near Woodbridge, and spent a couple of hours or so pottering round looking at Suffolk Punch horses, Suffolk red poll cattle, and Shetland ponies. Got back here at about 4p.m. Then Sarah and Mikey, accompanied by grand daughter Freja, drove off to their South Midland home. Freja is going home to Sweden , via her cousins in London. She's stayed with us for about ten days, helping about the house, and more than pulling her weight !!! So now we're Darby and Joan again for a few days. Sounds good to me, although we've both thoroughly enjoyed having company for the last few days.