The day started very well – Eloise spent most of the night on my bed, which I like very much – at around 3 o’clock, she came to pat my face, wanting a cuddle, after which I slept again until 7.30.  And I read the news on the phone and listened to the radio and stroked the cat and so on, for half an hour or so.

I headed out to feed the animals around half past eight and my phone rang.  It was the Head, with a tricky situation to talk through.  I didn’t have time to devote, so talked and listened while distributing food to cats, bantams and chicks.

And then the coal turned up.  It was supposed to arrive after 10.30.  Still, while still talking to Angelo, I directed the nice young coalman to the shed, discussed whether or not to tip out the sacks, received the invoice and paid him – I had the cash, but no tenners, so that was his tip – more than I’d perhaps usually give – “Are you sure?” he asked? – but then, what would the tip be in a restaurant on a £500 bill?  I don’t suppose his wages are great and he was very obliging.

It all took a while, but I managed to be only two minutes late for my haircut, which Nikki assured me was nothing at all.  Then I went to sign cheques and speak to various people.  Because of the coal already having been delivered, I nearly went on to fill the car and buy cat food, but it was just as well I went home, because David was waiting for me, with the catalogues.  I’d quite forgotten.  Not about the catalogues, but that we’d agreed he was coming this morning – I hadn’t bothered putting it in my diary, because I knew I’d be here for the coal.  He was very nice about it.

I went to bed this afternoon.  I was so tired – I read for a while, then slept and, when I woke, I was quite confused and thought it was morning and my watch had stopped.  Only for a minute, of course – anyway, off to the supermarket, then back to the animals, then I went to label the china, having finally found the tie-on labels for the items with handles.

Then a friend arrived, so I made coffee and chatted, and he stayed until nearly 8 o’clock.  Ronan had phoned during the afternoon, after I woke up, to suggest taking me out to lunch on Friday.  I had, when I wasn’t so busy, pencilled in going to London on Friday, so said I’d ring back – while dinner was cooking, I phone Weeza to see if she still had time to come with me, but her day had filled up too. I so wanted to go to the Goldsmiths’ Exhibition, but it’s no good.  Something always has to give and it’s usually that – it comes at a busy time of year.  So then I ate dinner – cod, with corn and beans from the garden and finally phoned back Ronan to accept his invitation.

Then answering emails, starting with the school ones.  And that took me up to about 11.30.  Was it a busy day?  It depends on your idea of busy.  An hour or more out of the day to spend sleeping can hardly make it so, I guess.

I also phoned my eldest grandson, Pugsley, to wish him a happy 9th birthday.  And today is my adorable Dora’s birthday.  September is a good month – on Sunday, our dear friend Dodo, our mother’s best friend for many years, was 103 years old.  Wink went to spend the afternoon with her.