Wednesday 1 April

Shopping in the morning. I had to be back by noon, as the SSE meterman was due to remove a redundant cheap rate meter which hasn't moved since I arrived. He was on time, so I had the afternoon clear; put the beds in order for tomorrow's guests

Maundy Thursday 2 April

Lots of phone calls this morning. Political leaders debated on ITV at eight. Like some others, including The Times. I thought Nicola Sturgeon did best, closely pursued by Nigel Farage. The others may have been sound but were certainly boring. I turned them off before the end

Dan, Jenny, Katie, Sam and Lottie turned up around nine fifteen from Fishbourne. I had had my meal by then. They had had fish and chips on the Portsmouth ferry, so once the children were installed in Big C's bedroom we shared a couple of bottles of Bavarian beer donated last month by Mike

Good Friday 3 April

Kids awake by eight and soon off to buy pains au chocolat in the rain. On the way home they were spotted by Chris on his way home from Holdings with his newspaper just at the moment their paper bag split letting some of the pains onto the pavement

First task after a leisurely breakfast: introduce the family to Anthea at Number Twenty. Chatted till we were joined by another of Anthea's friends, Jenny. Everyone was introduced to everyone, the presence of two Jennys causing some confusion. We left the two ladies talking. Who is Jenny? Must find out. That will give me an excuse to call on Anthea on Sunday or Monday

Off to Osborne House to ramble round the grounds, look over the walled garden, join in a short children's play about Robin Hood,visit the Swiss Cottage, walk by the beach and inspect the bathing machine. The shoreside woods have been greatly opened up since 1977 when we sailed into Osborne Bay aboard Titania, anchored and swam off the boat

Here are Jenny, Katie and Sam behind the main house at the end of their Easter Egg hunt ...

Back home by five thirty just in time to greet Chris and Jay for tea and cake. Jay engaged us in an exam to remember the names of the nine extant members of the YOD family and offered to take the children sailing in the summer

Then off to Off the Rails for supper: burgers and crab linguine

Saturday 4 April

We heard from Caroline who was with Mike and his boys up in the Lakes with the Carters. Here they are during their tree camping expedition (no trees here though) ...

Jenny and Dan went for a strenuous run up the railway track towards Freshwater whilst the children were food shopping

After breakfast Jenny encouraged us all to look for the geocache at the end of Yarmouth Pier

With a cold fresh nor-nor-easterly breeze blowing Dan and I were glad to get into the warmth of the Clubhouse. Dan met Bernard. Jay was in the boatshed advising Graham Fell on rubbing down Blandina, his recently acquired YOD, number 7

Jenny and the children arrived for lunch. The family were introduced to Ethan, Emily and Mary, variously serving food and drink from the bar. Everyone had prawn cocktail sandwiches. June Smith, who is the latest recruit to the Wednesday evening Seapie Corner bridge school, introduced me to Jackie Shapland. Jackie and I exchanged reminiscences of the Arab Emirates and the changes since the time of the Trucial States

We were too late for the rowing races but met friends at the Sailing Club to watch the Duck Races and almost won a prize

Goodbyes in time for the young family including Lottie to catch the five o'clock and journey on see to Nanny and Grandpa at South Brewham for Easter

Easter Sunday 5 April

A quiet day. No quiz this evening. At ten past two, as I sit up here on the bridge deck unobserved, writing up this diary, I spot Jay (of course) in South Street, showing Seapie Corner to some friends. No-one gets away with secrets in Yarmouth, Jay ...

Later ...

Walked along the High Street, along the seawall and up the footpath to Thorley Road. On the railway line spotted a spotter: Birder Tony ...

Tony, out this morning with his old 10x50 bins, had spotted a little ringed plover, scarce here, he told me ...

... so he had walked back this afternoon from Freshwater Causeway armed with his 80x scope and tripod to inspect the bird more closely. I had a look and could see it clearly, though a hundred yards away. I took a photo of Tony (as you can see) with his permission, and then a view northwards. I liked the contrast between the dark background sky and the gaunt pines in the middle distance — reminding me of the dark blue thundery sky at Lake Nakuru, setting off birds of a different feather: pink flamingoes ...

Easter Monday 6 April

Washday with two delightful diversions

Harriet phoned whilst the sheets were spinning. She and John thought of sailing across to Yarmouth on this bright sunny morning. Their boat Highlander lies in the Fortuna Dock area of Lymington River. They expected to go aboard by late morning armed with a light lunch, to arrive here soon after midday. Which they did. Harriet rang the bell, as the advance party. We found John, returned home to show them round, then set off for the Club. Jay (of course) spotted us arriving through the back gate. He was painting the deck of Blandina whilst Graham attended to the last of the old anti-fouling. I introduced Harriet and John. Then there was time for beer in the upstairs bar before we three went on to find Highlander. Jolly nice to be gently bobbing on the water of the Harbour in the sun — with smoked salmon, teacakes, cheese and a fair amount of gossip. H&J got underway by half past four

Walking back along the High Street, I heard a call from the depths of Number Twenty, so went in, sat and chatted till almost five. Anthea proposed that I join her and Jim for a sundowner, so whilst she shut up shop I beetled home to dial up the drying cycle for the sheets, then quickly returned to Quay Street and up to the roof terrace of Spice, where we were served cocktails by a very nice girl called Jade. Sitting in the sun it seemed appropriate to reminisce ...

Happily meandered back home to hang up the sheets to air. So you can see that washdays in Yarmouth can be fun

Tuesday 7 April — Spring tide: 2.9 m at 13:15 BST

Off to the Boldre exercises by the ten to nine boat in bright sun on a calm Solent. I had promised the Phipps a large watercolour print by Stanley Orchart of Beaulieu Mill, where they live ...

I carried it in a large cardboard box to Boldre, handing it over to John before the class started

Left the exercise class promptly so as to be on time to meet Estelle in the Wykeham Arms for lunch. We ate a variety of fish (smoked salmon, mackerel paté on melba toast, deep fried cod, battered squid) with a little pot of mayonnaise, served on wooden boards, followed by fruit crumble with custard. Very nice too. We had a good chat about prisons, jumping out of aeroplanes, and other things

Estelle went off to tea with Linda and Robin whilst I drove to the Nerve Centre for tea and tea-cakes with Sarah and Rex. As I turned up, reversing the Skoda into the gravel drive, a man in a hi-vis jacket saw his chance to engage me in sales talk about cavity wall insulation. I let him go on for a bit, then revealed myself as a visitor, so he went in search of the owner. I left him to it. He eventually emerged. How did you get on? Sold anything? Nah mate, no joy there

Sarah welcomed me with open arms, presented me with a bowlful of snowdrops and led me inside to show off the new kitchen doorway into the conservatory. We two sat there discussing prisons and other things whilst the under-groundsman (Rex, in a happy mood) split his time between spraying the terrace with weedkiller and reminding me about the achievements of Explore

Back home on the five to six ferry. A day full of fun

Wednesday 8 April

Simon Bull came round to attend grandfather. Apparently he is not well. He needs new synthetic catgut, pivot burnishing, bush replacing, escapement regrinding, etc. etc. Having impressed me with all this, on consulting a small grey booklet — the Glass's Guide to long case clock repairs, I assumed — revealed his price: £510. I gulped and agreed. This will be the last gasp of the removal expenses. Better to have grandfather ticking and chiming away happily for another three hundred years without lumbering my heirs and successors with heavy maintenance bills. Simon left me, promising faithfully to visit Anthea to look over a couple of clocks for her

Back onto my house-task for today; ironing sheets

In the midst of that Michael Boyd phoned. Would I like to join him as his guest at the RORC fitting out supper on Saturday. Michael has now been installed as Commodore of RORC, and RORC has merged with the Royal Corinthian, henceforward to be known as Royal Ocean Racing Club Cowes. Michael has also invited Malcolm and Fiona Thorpe. He supposed they might offer me a lift from Yarmouth as they live not far away along the Bouldner Road. However, as they had not by then accepted, I told Michael i would be happy to travel by bus

Back to the ironing till half past five. Then time to prepare the messdeck for bridge. Jay (of course) had arranged for an expanded group of eight, which required some furniture rearrangement. He (Jay) had also done a splendid job stabilising the second bridge table and Jennie had brought along a splendidly embroidered linen tablecloth to cover up the rather grotty baize. We were just about ready by six for the usual suspects, plus two others, making seven. June brought a delightful basket filled with camellias from her garden. Our eighth intended player had discovered a conflicting engagement, so Jay (of course) devised a cunning plan. We would still operate with two tables, but the dummy on table one would beetle over to table two and play there. That arrangement worked well enough for everyone to enjoy a convivial evening

Afterwards everyone pitched in to restore the house to its normal life, we shared out the camellias June had brought me, and Jay (of course) put three of them into a tall glass of water ...

Thursday 9 April — high tide: 2.9 m at 14:15 BST

Meryl and Tim were due to call late morning so after a lie-in, breakfast and a little light hoovering, they arrived. We three sat down to coffee and tea together for about an hour. Meryl had brought instruction booklets for the various white goods; Tim had brought a two-foot piece of skirting to match existing in case I need it if and when bookshelves are built in the alcove near the French doors onto the balcony. Whilst (as CO Emerita) Meryl carried out a brief inspection of the second floor and pronounced favourably on big C's bedroom, Tim explained to me how to manipulate the sun awning in all sorts of surprising ways

Spent the next few hours constructing a response to Estelle's request for recollections of prison visitor treatment by the Prison Service

Up here the bridge deck was warming up nicely, so at half past four I went out to walk in the sun. On the corner of Ommanney Road I said hello to someone walking with his spaniel. He did not recognise me in my floppy Hampshire sunhat so I lifted one corner to look him in the eye. But it wasn't me; I didn't live at the other end of his road. He had muddled me with Tim of course, He is not a town councillor; he is Roger, his dog is Ginger, and my name is John

I continued along the northern shore towards the east and along the road toward Thorley. As I had remarked on an earlier occasion I set to wondering about the substantial Georgian manor house I could see in the distance. Reaching a short footpath leading in its direction I reached an ancient (presumably closed) churchyard beside what remains of a disused church neighbouring what is evidently a large well-kept farmhouse: Thorley Manor Farm ...

Once back home, research revealed the graveyard as pertaining to the ancient church of St. Swithun, now defunct and (apparently yet incredibly because there is none that I can see on the map) replaced by another to the north

I walked back along a footpath through rough meadowland skirting Thorley Wood, across several stiles and bridges crossing dank tributaries of Thorley Brook to Yarmouth Station, thence home along Victoria Road. Two and a half miles, which at my leisurely pace took me an hour and a half. This included sitting on one of the seats beside the Solent shore in the lazy hazy sunshine, reconnoitring the graveyard, and taking the picture of those massive graves

Reached home rather tired, not wanting to do anything more than sit down, I warmed up a fish pie and peas; washed that down with a couple of glasses of red onze degrees — too thin for me; I shan't buy that again — wrote up this diary to soft accompaniment of Bach's Goldberg variations, and then retired gratefully to bed

Friday 10 April — high water: 2.8 m at 15:31 BST

A lazy day catching up with correspondence whilst listening to Scarlatti sonatas; then a visit to Claire in the RSYC Office to order some clothing. Happy hour in the evening as usual

Saturday 11 April — high water: 2.7 m at 16:42 BST

Royal Solent AGM at 11:00. Very well conducted, especially the treasurer's report. The big issues surrounded financing essential repairs to roof and windows, and refurbishment inside. general conviviality afterwards during which I learnt that the RSYC fitting out supper was to be a black tie affair. just as well I'm not going as I seem to have mislaid my black tie

Off by bus to Cowes for the fitting out supper at the Corinthian. Michael, now Commodore of RORC, had invited me as his guest. The Corinthian has merged with RORC and is now renamed Royal Ocean Racing Club Cowes. The club is less formal than ours, in a converted house with several bedrooms, high up behind the RYS. The view of he Solent is remarkable. It was a perfect evening too. We saw the Britannia leaving for a cruise. What an ugly ship! I went into the bar just before the newly installed vicar of Cowes, Andrew, and his wife Sarah. Met members and guests as they arrived: admirals, past commodores of both clubs and glamorous wives, till Michael turned up. At a quarter to eight we sat down to a tasty three course supper. Good conversation. Then I was pressed to stay overnight with friends instead of rushing for late buses back to Yarmouth

Sunday 12 April — low water: 1.3m at 10:11 BST. high water: 2.7 m at 18:12 BST

Up at six to get out of my hosts' hair. Glorious crisp sunny morning. Back home before nine for a big breakfast and a snooze whilst watching Andrew Marr, Nicky Campbell and Andrew Neill with their usual Sunday morning programmes. The election battles seem to be hotting up with more and more outlandish claims by all parties

Stir-fry, then quiz night at the King's Head. We came second again. I did manage to make one contribution: head of state who wears a crown but is not a monarch ....

Monday 13 April — low water: 1.4m at 11:48 BST. high water: 2.7 m at 19:38 BST

Listened to a Radio 4 fifteen minutes on hefting sheep in Cumbria, and sent the link to Anna; I thought it would help with her education of the kids

Off to the pharmacy: no Madopar. Back to Mary in the Yarmouth Surgery. She had put Gill's request onto the system but nothing had printed out. All should be sorted tomorrow though

Today is supposed to be housework day but I don't like housework. I shall intensify efforts to find a decent cleaner: half a day once a fortnight. Any offers? I could do it but it wears me out. I'd prefer to find someone who needs employment. Must get the economy underway somehow

Made contact with Margaret Rose from the prison visiting group. Those of my readers of a certain age, if they think clearly about it, will realise why I have always called her Princess. To my delight she responded within ten minutes. We are now due to meet for lunch on Tuesday 5 May. My mainland lunch programme is filing up

At last managed to finish my paper on protection of female prison visitors and sent it off to Estelle

Tuesday 14 April

Mainland day. Fog in the solent; mainland cut off. Pictures from the ferry on leaving Yarmouth and passing the Royal Lym starting platform before entering the Lymington River ...

See how the fog is lifting. The sun came out a little later. It was a glorious warm day. After the PD exercises I shopped in Lymington and ate a sandwich lunch in St Thomas churchyard. See how the conker trees are coming into leaf ...

Caroline sent a photo of herself and Paul: Greetings from SUH. At first in haste I was puzzled: she was working at QA Cosham, not Southampton. Then I didn't recognise Paul, thinking the bloke in the pic was a new boyfriend ...

I made enquiries in several banks about ways to satisfy promises to Patti for gifts to all the grandchildren. Paid in my cheque from CGM solicitors: £200, the balance after paying for chimney repairs at Arden House. I had left them with £3,000 to cover the cost, as agreed with Atkinson, my purchaser

Back home on the three o'clock boat

Correspondence with Sarah and Rex about a visit they'll make here with Estelle concerning Footprints and a visit Rex will make here with two others about Explore. I'm inclined to leave Footprints to Sarah. I hope to concentrate my efforts on building an Island presence for Explore. I've now read the pile of papers Rex had sent a few days ago: all very positive, including feedback from the pilot programme which now boasts 75,000 youngster participants

Dan phoned. He's doing well, but strained muscles at the weekend in some strenuous hilly running. He continues to be much appreciated at work. We chatted a bit about my intention to rejoin the Little Ship Club so that I have a base for visits to London and can meet him there. That would also allow me to visit the theatre occasionally, and perhaps join the RSA alongside Derek Bates, already a very keen member

Call from Anna. We agreed I visit Kendal for three or four days at the end of May, staying in a B&B. I suggested she bring Morning Star down for the Old Gaffers Festival, but apparently that won't work

Wednesday 15 April — high water: 2.8m at 08:53 BST. low water: 1.1 m at 14:23 BST

After a heavy day yesterday, I'm catching up before bridge this evening

Our bridge evening was fun as ever. Five of us this time. June had been out working in the Hospice shop so we had been unable to contact her, and Jennie had had other things to do. Much hilarity and some interesting hands. The scoring was unimportant since we were by turn circulating round the table, sitting out, smoking on the balcony, pouring each other wine etc. Afterwards Jay (of course) insisted on cooking my supper — well, heating up my pasty and boiling some peas

Thursday 16 April — high water: 2.9m at 09:34 BST; low water: 0.8 m at 15:15 BST

Tremendous: I have caught up with my outstanding paperwork

Highlight: yet another quiz, this time at the Yacht Club. A step up in sophistication from the (still great fun) King's Head. Our team was The Old and New Gaffers; the cognoscenti will work out why. The quiz was skilfully devised and smoothly directed by Nick and Melinda Measor. We won under the original rules. A claim was put in by the other teams and under the then modified rules we came bottom. All rather Mornington Crescent. I got two answers right, a hundred percent improvement on my Kings Head performance, but from a low base, it has to be admitted. Halfway through we were served by Henrietta and the ever-delightful Emily with bangers and mash laced with a nicely caramellised onion gravy and mange-touts. I met for the first time Mike and Hilary Cooley; others were Jay (team captain of course), Dick and Pat Dawson, Chris and me

Friday 17 April — high water: 3.0 m at 10:11 BST; low water: 0.6 m at 16:02 BST

The election will be over in three weeks' time, so I thought I should think seriously about choosing my candidate. This presents me with a conundrum. Should I vote:

¶ focusing on local issues?
¶ concerned about national and international issues?
¶ for a party whose leader I trust in a dangerous world?
¶ for a political party whose principles I admire?
¶ for the candidate I prefer as a person?
¶ to punish a candidate for past actions I dislike?

As it happens, this morning I received the election address from the Island's independent candidate. Last time I voted independent, my man took just 45 votes and lost his deposit. I expect Ian Stephens, our Island independent candidate should do better than that. His ideas seem to fit well enough with my hopes, so at this moment I am inclined to vote for him. I may change my mind. In any case, I think it a good thing to have a sprinkling of independents in parliament. Now, consider what follows here:

These figures were taken from this Guardian graphic, which will open at full size in a new window. The government spends our money, and much policy depends on money for its implementation, so a consideration of economics does provide a convenient prism for considering policy. The figures above include my ideas for an ideal; remember that an ideal is by definition unachievable!

Anyway, I'll now explain my thinking, in brief, and await your reaction, dear reader:

¶ Welfare Redirect £75,000,000,000 into housing
¶ Health Keep up while abolishing the market
¶ Education Keep up while reviewing curricula
¶ Debt interest Debt servicing cost reduces as appalling debt level falls
¶ Defence Counter real threats; stay in NATO without Trident
¶ Public order Act to reduce recidivism
¶ Personal social services Support families and volunteers
¶ Housing & environment Employ builders to provide homes
¶ Transport Maintain infrastructure
¶ Industry & agriculture Cut unnecessary subsidies
¶ International Commit to obligations
¶ Other, principally culture and sport Cap; should be self-funding
¶ Income tax A good tax, progressive and just
¶ VAT Captures visitors but penalises poorer residents
¶ National insurance Nuts to penalise employment
¶ Excise duties Shift from fuel to drink and tobacco
¶ Corporation tax Encourage inward investment
¶ Business rates Encourage SMEs and employment
¶ Council tax Finance local policies from local voters
¶ Borrowing Repay our debt —£1,480,927,776,302 at 2:00pm today

Those were merely headlines. I may have more to say on this later

After that introspection I needed fresh air so set off with letters to post and my stick, prepared for a walk. Number Twenty had its OPEN sign partially obscured by a luggage label proclaiming back in ten minutes above a smiley face. On on. Posting my letters Jay (of course) emerged from PO41 with his clarion call: "John Dexter". Inside, just finishing her coffee, was indeed back in ten minutes with her usual welcome smile. PO41 was about to close, and I was about to walk. Off I went at a brisk pace towards Mill Road and the Freshwater footpath on the right (ie eastern) bank of the Yar. Almost at the causeway, nicely presented on an oak stand, I came across this tribute:

Across the causeway and up the hillock past a WWII pillbox guarding the interior of West Wight, All Saints Church and the Red Lion pub.

Beside the church the western footpath back to Yarmouth starts. Almost immediately on the stone wall of an outbuilding, is this quaint memory in stone and metal:

On the right of the path an enormous graveyard, then across open fields a defunct farm shop and Tony my twitcher friend from Easter Sunday. No little ringed plover today — but he had seen a female redshank. Further along still, an eco-camping site with half a dozen yurts:

Down into some woods, for a little birdsong. Listen to that and see whether you can identify the birds above the traffic noise. Almost at the main road now, along Gasworks Lane, another encounter:

— He looks grumpy

— Perhaps, I didn't have a good look; he drove past quite fast

— Cars, I hate cars. Polluting the planet. I gave mine up years ago. It's all this capitalism. I'm greenpeace

— Oh, Rainbow Warrior

— Shouldn't be warrior. We don't need warriors; we don't need ***wars

— Perhaps we should say Rainbow Peacer instead?

— Haha; That's not a bad *** idea

— Where do you live?

— Round the corner

— In that cottage?

— No, a bit further away

— In one of those yurts?

— They're for holidays. But yurts are nice and warm and comfortable

— You'd be happy at one of the Island festivals

— Yeah. *** right. I was at one once, saw this *** yurt, opened the *** door and looked in. Someone said "come in mate, why dontya". "I got muddy *** boots on.". "Haven't we all". So I went in. It was full of beautiful women. I was lying between two of 'em, smoking *** dope

— Good fun then?

— Yeah, I was there half the *** night, enjoying myself. That's the way to live, not rushing about in cars. Ever done that yourself?

— Not recently. I'm a bit old for that sort of thing now

I left him to carry on walking his little brown terrier, turned onto the main road, over the Yar Bridge and home. Four miles. A couple of hours, including stops

Ten minutes later Chris called for me. He and Jay were taking almost-new-members Meryl and Tim to their first happy hour. After a few drinks M&T invited me to supper in The Bugle. We sat in the pub chatting till almost eleven. Then home again, and bed. A good day

Saturday 18 April

Evening at On the Rocks with eleven, including Jay (of course) who organised the thing, Ingrid and Simon, Meryl and Tim, Graham and Lynn, Chris and me. on the way home afterwards Lynn and Ingrid took my hands and held me vertical as far as Harwoods; then others took over till I was safely delivered home. That the result of some very nice Rioja, followed by several glasses of innocuously mild green schnapps followed by heavy sweet sloe gin. A rather expensive but happy evening. Jay and I had shared a chateaubriand; he had eaten all of his half; I took a considerable part of mine home in a doggie bag, where it still (Wednesday evening) sits in the fridge. I shall fry it for supper tomorrow with mashed potato and peas: nice and simple

Sunday 19 April

My usual relaxed Sunday morning: up just in time for The Marr Show and The Big Questions on BBC1. Then a walkabout on this hot and fine morning. Memory hazy till eight thirty in the evening, ready for the Kings Head Quiz. I got sixteen questions right, two uniquely within our team I seem to remember

Monday 20 April

Washday, and changing sheets day. I succeeded, even to ironing my own sheets as well as a set for Big C's bedroom too

At four thirty we were supposed to be launching Blandina, resplendent in new grey topsides ...

... but as so often, events intervened. James and Giles (both met for the first time today) were engaged in launching Giles's XOD Starlight. Starlight had not been fully prepared, and was leaking badly. So Giles spent hours doubled up in the bilges feverishly applying Imperial Leather to the dry seams. By seven it was too late to move Blandina round to the harbour crane. Anyway, Jay was occupied in acquiring his VHF certificate, necessary before starting his new job as harbour taxi driver. So Blandina will have to wait till Wednesday, when I shall be away on the mainland

Tuesday 21 April [HW 3.0m at 13:04 tidal range 2.5m]

Mainland day. Clear sky, light air from the east, as you can see from the Yarmouth pier end flag and the Lymington harbour entrance, where more than half of the Lymington XODs are at their moorings:

Spring has arrived at Walhampton Lodge, where my car is parked. The magnolia is well out and — though hard to see in this hurried snap — there are bluebells just showing on the right of the path:

Three new people at the PD exercise class. I am an old regular now, as others fall off their perches

A good lunch with Tony Carter at The Royal Oak, Hilltop. As summer approaches we decide to reduce the frequency of these lunches to once a month: Tony wants to build up his strength with some cycling. I suggested we aim to met at a suitably distanced pub so he can get his exercise by cycling there and back

Wednesday 22 April [HW 3.0m at 14:06 tidal range 2.3m]

Relaxed morning. I caught the eleven o'clock ferry for a nice lunch in The Waggon and Horses with Pam. Clare had remembered I needed a spoon and brought one without my needing to ask: a nice touch. We both chose fish and chips followed by upside-down rhubarb and apple crumble with ginger ice cream. Voluptuous!

Safely into Yarmouth Harbour off the three o'clock. I said hello to Anthea, who introduced me to Pete. Well, hardly introduced, for I had met him before. He lives in May Cottage which I had thought of buying before I settled on Seapie Corner. So Pete and I had met back in July, though neither of us recognised the other. Pete was fascinated by some displays of butterflies in Victorian glass cases displayed in Anthea's shop

Back home to spend a relaxing afternoon and evening with biscuits, gin & tonic, no need for cooking, and a book Chris had lent me: Left for Dead by Nick Ward, about the horrifying and disastrous 1979 Fastnet race

Thursday 23 April [HW 3.0m at 15:13 tidal range 2.0m]

Restarted my scanning of the house deeds and other documents. Impressively tedious, but I think it will pay off. I want to take the originals to my solicitor, Matthew Knight in Hythe for him to put in his safe. But i also want to be able to refer to them. In the process i did of course look over these yellowed pages and realised i had here the history of my house and of the people who had lived — and died — in it

At half past four my Podiatrist Rob came to see to my feet. A necessary procedure. I have him here once every six weeks

Friday 24 April [HW 2.8m at 16:14 tidal range 1.7m]

More scanning!

Then the bus to Freshwater for a haircut and a blood test

Back in good time for happy hour. Met two new faces: Brian and James. Brian is is related somehow to James Day, partner of Alan (Nursie) Sheward and James (the new one) is Brian's son. James is head gardener at Harlow Carr RHS Garden near Harrogate. I introduced Brian to Tony Knaggs, but it turned out they had met previously: Yorkshiremen all. Brian is down here dog-sitting for James (the other one) and Alan who are on a self-designed exotic holiday involving a flight from Brize Norton to Ascension, mailboat to Capetown then QM II home. It seems their two dogs are incontinent, so it's a labour of love for Brian

Meryl and Tim turned up too, looking fine and fitting in well but left early for another engagement. Chris and I left soon afterwards for separate suppers at our own homes

Saturday 25 April [HW 2.7m at 17:16 tidal range 1.4m]

Glorious warm sunny day. I attempted to clean my windows, hanging off the windowsills upstairs, to be admonished by Ester. All appeared fine when I'd finished, but the following morning in the eastern sunlight the sponge marks were plain to see

Sunday 26 April [LW 1.6m at 12:05 tidal range 1.2m]

House cleaning. I quite enjoyed that, left on my own with no deadline. This was in preparation for the visit tomorrow by the Chesters with Estelle ...

Monday 27 April [LW 1.6m at 13:04 tidal range 1.0m mean flow 13.22 cm/hr]

... who duly arrived on the eleven o'clock from Lymington. House all shipshape. Felt quite proud of myself

Look at the reflections of fluffy cloud on the calm Solent as the ferry approaches...

I had time, so walked to the end of the pier till the ferry came close, then walked back to collect my guests. Hugs and handshakes all round

We all walked up and down Alma Place on our way to Seapie Corner. Everyone expressed approval, which was nice. This came later from Sarah: "It really is fun, cute and perfect for you."

Down to the Club for lunch. In the hall we met Pat Dawson, and then Jay (of course). Drinks and lunch served by Henrietta and Scott: spicy fishcakes for Estelle and fish pies for the rest of us, followed by berry crumble for three and coffee for two. Meanwhile a flow of jokes from the Commander's Bumper Fun Book, and news of progress on the Explore front for me

Off via the house to collect coats to catch the Needles Breezer at Sixpenny Corner. Splendid views across the Island and down onto the sea. The weather stayed fine for us till we were back in Yarmouth.

Just time for coffee or tea in PO41 till I saw them off onto the five past four back to the Mainland. James (RHS) was catching the same boat so was introduced, Shoreside, waving with me were Brian and Jay (of course). The wind now getting up form the north west, as forecast, time to get home into our warm houses

An enjoyable and successful day

Tuesday 28 April
[HWY 2.5m at 08:00 range 0.8m rate10.91 cm/hr]

Usual early ferry. Plenty of time before the exercises, so I walked up Church Lane behind a pretty red-coated girl wheeling a buggy with sunshade. She turned in at a gravel drive on the left and turned out to be Katie, wheeling young Charlie, wife (shurely daughter-in-law?) to Rob Humphreys, sailor and yacht designer friend of Johnny Caulcutt of The Towers (next to the RSYC). Small world!

Our usual physio, Roni, had gone abroad for three weeks so we had Sally instead. A touch of variety. Sally did well, looked well, and finished on time

At coffee time Rex phoned with fresh instructions: join the Luthers for a conference at Hounsdown on 18 June. things are moving!

Then drove John P on to Mares Tails for a lads' lunch, expertly prepared and served by Tony and Pete. Fuelled no doubt by the pre-prandial G&T and copious glasses of good red wine, got so annoyed by Bill that I grappled him almost off his seat. He got angry. I had to apologise and leave early. It was only yesterday I had been railing at politicians for apologising. Now it's my turn. Oh dear. Wrote grovelling notes to Bill and Tony

Wednesday 29 April
[HWY 2.6m at 08:52 range 1.0m rate 13.95 cm/hr]

Reflective day. Rain in the morning

Pete came round to offer his wise counsel re my outburst yesterday. He thinks my reaction to Bill uncharacteristic and likely to be a side-effect of my medication. He has personal experience of L-Dopa effects in others. So I have investigated that idea:

One website lists a huge number of possible side-effects of Rasagiline, of which the only non-physical ones include:
¶ decreased interest in sexual intercourse (haven't noticed that!)
¶ irritability (OK, maybe, Pete, but that's listed under less common

Another webisite includes warning of ... compulsions, obsessive thoughts, pathological gambling, increased libido (aha, sounds more interesting!), hypersexuality (aha, aha), impulsive behaviour and compulsive spending or buying. That site mentions depression and hallucinations (tuck those away), and, considering the other drug I was offered, Madopar, on another page includes these thrilling words: "patients should be carefully monitored for psychological changes and depression with or without suicidal ideation"

Note: I was advised to start the Madopar at one tablet a day, and increase to three if necessary. In fact I found Madopar did not immediately improve my tremors (though that was supposedly to be its effect), and seemed to contribute to reduced general well-being, so I desisted after four days. I want to avoid becoming more drug dependent than necessary. In any case I am uncertain what Rasagiline is doing for me, so when next in front of my new specialist, a Dr Furby, I shall ask him to authorise a trial period drug-free. On a related note, I should record the unpleasant appearance of what I suppose might be called depression (characterised by bursting into tears when triggered by a combination of memories, usually unexpectedly)

Lovely sunny day now. There is a blackbird singing; the rain has gone away

Went shopping for bread and essentials: sadly Alex seems to have stopped providing cheapish house wine in the Deli, so reverted to Merlot from Harveys. On the way home met Jay (of course) and Anthea, who had been delivering something to someone along the High Street. Anthea's mainland buying spree had provided her with half a dozen enormous glass bottles labelled Chanel No. 5. Jay has not yet taken his colour light test: that comes on Friday

Thursday 30 April
[HWY 2.7m at 09:33 range 1.3m rate 18.66 cm/hr]

A relaxing day after the emotional times earlier in the week. Paid attention to concerns of neighbours. Managed to buy tickets for Far from the Madding Crowd in Newport and Moscow State Circus in Manchester as a treat for Caleb, Naomi and Judah