Doesn’t Time Fly!

To Work and the Long Office Lunch

I made Fred laugh in the office just now when I told him how I had marched up Moorgate this morning.  You see I had this imaginary Salvation Army Band in my head playing one of their nice marches with the big brass drum gong ‘Bang’ Bang’ ‘Bang’ etc., the only thing was, this drum was going ‘Bang’ each time I stepped out with my right foot – so I, naturally, had to do a little shuffle to get in step with the band, so to speak.  Fred thought this quite hilarious and said it must have been a right handed, or rather a right footed drummer!  I expect it gave the other City Workers following behind me a bit of a surprise and a smile too.  All part of the London scenery.

On Friday, Dick came in to the office to see us – on business of course – and we did an unprecedented thing.  Denis went into the telephone room and told them the Shipping Dept., would be closed down for the next hour or so and the three of us, Dennis, Fred and myself all went out with Dick for a drink and chat.  We probably wouldn’t have done this if Mr Shead had been there, but he is on holiday in Devon at the moment – and it isn’t as if we were snowed under with work.  It made quite a pleasant change to nip out like that for a natter and nobody seemed to notice that we didn’t get back until gone 3 o’clock.

Today our radiators are on in the office.  Winter is almost ‘pon us’!  The windows have been closed “Cos of the bleed’n draft” as someone put it and the atmosphere inside, after about four hours or so is very foggy – something will have to be done about all the smokers polluting the atmosphere!!  (Just let them dare!!).

Wedding Anniversary, Social Life and Family

Next Saturday, 29th, is my Wedding Anniversary and I am going to the Zoo.  As some of you know me well will know, I always do something ‘special’ on my Wedding Anniversary and this year it is Chessington Zoo…. Well, it makes a change from the more mundane ‘taking myself out for a meal’ kind of evening.

Sunday it is the Glenn Miller meeting at the Shaftesbury Hotel, so I hope to meet up with John and Pat (Browne) there.

I had another invitation from my friend Josie-Brenda a few weeks back and spent a very nice day with her on Sunday 9th September.  She is a very nice lady – just my cup of tea – has quite a sense of humour and yet has quite a serious side too. The right mixture as you might say.  I even went to Church with her in the evening – so she MUST be a good influence on me!! I had some homemade pie and cake to eat too, which after eating out so much in cafes was a very nice change.  I told her I had been to Alan & Iva’s the day before and had, in fact, come straight from there to Josie’s that morning and that I had tried to cook breakfast at Alan’s but had managed to burn both the toast and bacon …. Or as my Gran Pratt might have said, “Not burnt, my Dolly, just well done!”

Iva’s sister, Gwen, arrived at Southampton on the 5th September and is staying in Swindon, I believe.  I hope we will be able to meet up sometime as I would like to meet her again.  She sounded so different on the ‘phone’ “It is my St. Helena accent” she said.

By the way – I have gone Afro.  You see, during one of my visits to Dennis when he was off sick his wife told me she had a hairdresser call at the house every Thursday evening to do their hair, and she said if I ever wanted my hair done to let her know and she would book it up.  So, ‘G’ duly said “book me up” and I was booked in for 3.30pm on 23rd August.  As Dennis lives at Gravesend it meant I had to have the day off to get down to Kent in time and Mr Shead not only gave me the day off, but also gave me the train fare down, which was rather nice of him as you couldn’t really call having your hair permed as business.  It cost me £6 and has made all the difference.  No more rollers, just wash and dry and it looks after itself - Great.  I don’t know if it suits me mind you but I am not worried about that.  It is so easy to look after that is all that matters to me.  I was chatted up by a Nigerian the other night though!  After I had my hair done, Barbara came in from work and had hers done in the usual way and then we all sat done to a gorgeous tea prepared and cooked by Dennis’s youngest daughter, Janice.  She is taking her ‘A’ levels in cookery and is already a very good cook.  Her food makes you greedy – you always want more!

After dinner we got ready and all went to the Gateway Club at Dartford where Barbara, Dennis’s wife, was playing away in the Darts team.  Barbara belongs to the Joyce Green Hospital Darts team and they play one week at home and the next away.  I have been invited down another Thursday when they are playing ‘At Home’.  It was a very nice evening, even though I did have half an hour walk home at the end of it.  They (British Rail) had put on coaches due to engineering works and mine was only going along the Sidcup Line so he dropped me off at the nearest point, which was Mottingham (station), and I walked from there.  Still, it was a nice night and the exercise probably did me the world of good! 

Grace Russ - 24th September 1979