John Linton ....and ending a really enjoyable 3 weeks holiday.
Sadly, I am typing this entry from Heathrow waiting for our flight to Singapore where we will break our trip home for 16 hours. We have had a great time over the past 21 days and have managed to get rid of the sheer exhaustion that playing a part in running a commercial enterprise in difficult times tends to induce. I sometimes do not enjoy time spent in London but this time it was better than usual. Perhaps because of the mother/grown up daughter moments that happened - that would certainly have contributed - but why it was more enjoyable overall I can't put my finger on. It certainly wasn't the weather which remained cool with frequent showers of rain but then if you visit London with any other expectation you are very optimistic.
While Annette and Catherine were spending much of the morning doing last minute shopping (what remained to be purchased after devoting most of the previous three days to that activity beats me) I did some shopping of my own. I did in fact buy myself a 'soldier' after browsing the multitudinous offerings for a solid 30 minutes. I couldn't find what I wanted (a peninsular war rifleman from the Howards - the pleasant shop owner said the demand these days was for Waterloo regiments with a scattering of interest in Rorke's Drift, Afghanistan and the Napoleonic adventures in Africa). So I finally decided on a mounted Saracen with a lance (as opposed to a scimitar which was never used while mounted despite many Hollywood epics attempts to ignore historical accuracy for photographic horse fighting). It is exquisitely detailed in terms of moulding and in the hand painting of every aspect of facial features, clothing and, of course, horse trappings. So a simmering resentment of the financial inadequacies of my parents and favourite and indulgent aunt have finally been quietened after almost 60 years.
I met up with Annette for a cup of coffee and a final visit to Hatchards where the depth and breadth of the book stocks and the knowledge of the staff remain an oasis of tranquility in a non-reading world. We bought the new Robert Harris and a couple of recently published signed first editions and reluctantly left before we had to buy a new suitcase to put a tenth of every thing else we were tempted to buy. It must be a candidate for the top ten bookshops on the planet. I am sure I would read more if there was a good bookshop in Sydney....but as the book shop owners tell me when I ask for some book I am particularly interested in - "there just isn't the demand".
So now we are back in the tender hands of Singapore airlines which even at the godforsaken and run down Terminal 3 at Heathrow reduce to nothing the inconvenience of a four hour wait for our flight (I must fire the PA that decided 6.30 pm without a late hotel check out was a sensible way to end a pleasant trip - though given her marital status that might pose some difficulties). Annette is looking very well and the mirror tells me I am very relaxed so perhaps I can do some real work when I return to work next Monday. I hope this restored level of re-invigoration lasts beyond the first morning.
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