Monday
Woke at 7, very dark, low clouds,
strong wind. Felt stiff and tired. Our new housekeeper, Miss Payne, arrived by bus
just after 1 o’clock. Met her with a
taxi, which I was lucky to get, just forestalling 2 Americans. Had lunch at Rose’s. A big dark very Jewish man came in, and I
realised it was her brother Archie, whom I met five years ago. He took no notice of me.
Went out to Fordham Aerodrome [Wormingford Aerodrome]. At Fordham found all the roads
for miles around the aerodrome thick with mud, which made cycling very
dangerous. Lorries rushing about in
every direction. Had to report to the
Watch Room before going on the flying field, and was invited to walk upstairs
into the Control Room, which was marked in large letters “No Unauthorised
Personnel Admitted”, but nobody seemed to resent my presence in any way. Showed my authority card to a very pleasant
young lieutenant, and then cycled off round the taxi-way. Saw a single-engine plane starting away from
the dispersal site.
Hutton’s men have begun dismantling the old farm house [Harvey's Farm], and have stripped all the tiles.
Explained how I wanted to preserve the moulded ceiling, and they were all very helpful. Most of them I have met on various jobs in Colchester . The
main trouble now is that owing to the depth of mud it is impossible to get a
lorry up to the site until the ground freezes, and there is no sign of that at
the moment.
Had to call at the office, and
then away through Wormingford, Lt. Horkesley, Nayland, and Stoke to
Higham. I should like to live in Stoke,
but it is rather too far from Colchester .
Called at Thorington Hall, and
saw the Trichers. They are not very
keen to let me go there, as they fear trouble with Penrose’s housekeeper, who
also lives in the place. Disappointing.
No comments:
Post a Comment