I am bemused that I wrote a post, however short, about what potboiling television I watched last night. I am so sorry.
Back to Norwich yet again - and blimey, twice more to come this week - to a lecture on Francis I of France. Very interesting. I trotted awkwardly on stage to introduce the speaker. I bobbed, waving, saying "Look at me, look at me. Like me! I'll grin and talk and waffle and be funny and loveable until you think I'm wonderful." That is, I might as well have done. I won't stop until they smile, at any rate.
I'd been a bit alarmed. Someone had asked what time we were leaving on Thursday. "6.30 - please arrive by 6.15," I said. "Oh," she answered, "because I thought it was 6 o'clock but someone told me it was 7." I reminded her to bring her passport or driving licence. "Oh, do we need that?" she asked. Then she mused that it was a long day, so if she didn't feel like coming, could I find someone to fill her place? "No, I sent in the names a fortnight ago for the police check." She decided to come. Someone else was anxious, because she had been told she couldn't take a handbag. Of course you can take a bloody handbag! It's a camera you can't take, or a phone. I had, of course, written to everyone as well as sending them a copy of the Highgrove guidance notes, so there is no reason they should not know.
This is my excuse for rabbiting on at some length about the whole thing. Get 'em to laugh at me and they might actually listen. I said, truthfully (for Z may exaggerate but she only lies when she wants to), that I put my passport in my bag yesterday, in case I didn't think of it again.
Afterwards, I went up the hill to Jarrolds and bought a new diary. I know one is always given various diaries, but if it's not a layout I like, it annoys me all year. I started to fill it in while I waited for lunch and am a little cast down by how many dull things there are to write in already. I must plan some frivolity.
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Several years ago I bought an A5 size filofax (at Jarrolds, strangely enough) and now I print my own diary pages, to the layout I want (they never have enough space on Sundays).
I'm very impressed, Dave. I thought I was quite peculiar enough, buying a 2008 diary in September, but actually printing out pages to your own layout takes obsession to a splendid new level.
I've looked at filofaxes and similar, but they tend to be too thick. I sometimes use a diminutive handbag (though it has to be roomy enough for a camera, a handbag, an iPod and a wad of cash in case I want lunch) and a neat little diary is all I can manage. I never go anywhere without it, as one never knows when one might receive an invitation.
I had, of course, written to everyone as well as sending them a copy of the Highgrove guidance notes
Um, when exactly did you do this? I don't remember you mentioning it.
I did say, but some of you weren't listening.
I was listening.
I've got diary pages printed up for 2009 as well - because I do get speaking invitations and the like up to 2 years in advance.
I only take my diary with me to meetings, otherwise it stays at home, open on a book stand on my desk, so that I can always see what's going on for the next two weeks, and not miss anything.
Not having it with me all the time means, when people ask me to do something, I can say that I'll need to check my diary, thus giving me time to decide whether I want to do said thing, and if not find a polite way of saying 'no'.
Dear heart, you are a very good listener.
You get asked to do things, I get invitations! Well, not exactly, I get asked to do things too. But I usually say yes.
*Wanders off, singing like she's Ado Annie*
We forgive you, of course, everyone is allowed a fall in standards once in a blue moon...
A lecture on Francis I sounds interesting. He was a rather odd chap, wasn't he?
I knew about him from an English perspective - Field of the Cloth of Gold and the rivalry between England, France and Spain, but I didn't know he had been captured in battle and imprisoned in Spain for a year. He was finally released in exchange for his two young sons and took four years to raise a huge ransom for them. After that he turned his attention to travelling with an 18,000-strong entourage around France, and being a patron of artists such as Cellini.
I'm stuck with buying my new diary pages at the beginning of July, having got myself out of synch a few years back. (Like the 80s relic that I am, I still use a Filofax. Some of the pages in there are over 20 years old...)
Blimey, Mike, you're worse than Dave. I'm feeling less obsessive by the minute.
wow you are all so organised. I unearthed my old diary yesterday for this year. Hadn't touched it since April, but still I got that far that's pretty good for me. Our kitchen calender bares the brunt of all our plans. It can hardly cope but it is visible to all and i just can't be bothered to transfer every week, so thee you go. Not that you needed to know any of this of course, I just fancied delurking!
And very welcome you are, Honey. I have tried keeping a family desk diary at home, but I had to grab my husband and demand to know his appointments and write them up as he never bothered with it. I prefer to carry a diary as I might get a good offer at any time and I am pathetically eager to be wanted. And if I have to write it down to check, it might as well go in the diary first as last.
My friend Margaret runs a gardening group and takes bunches of ladies on trips. I have been on the odd one and I never cease to be amazed at her good-natured patience at their antics. I think some of them delight in playing the idiot and a fine job they make of it. Bah! Humbug!
z you've been tagged!!
please drop in pay me a visit to find out details
(you may choose z or Razor Blade Of Life depending how much time or inclination you have to participate!)
It's one extreme or the other, isn't it!
And Pat, I've done several jobs on this committee, but one I have always said I will not do is Visits Secretary. This experience has done nothing to alter my resolve. And it hasn't even taken place yet!
Now I know why I do absolutely nothing. Must get me a diary!!
But then you will have Obligations!
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