Della's 9th Birthday opening her presents and preparing the bouncy castle and swimming pool for her party on a very hot and sunny day
Della's 9th Birthday opening her presents and preparing the bouncy castle and swimming pool for her party on a very hot and sunny day

Della's 9th Birthday opening her presents and preparing the bouncy castle and swimming pool for her party on a very hot and sunny day.

England stage something of a recovery in the third cricket test match against Australia

We were up rather late, watching some TV and relaxing after, in my case, another tiring and hot day. The bedroom was hot and, even with the windows open, it was difficult to get comfortable. Awake a couple of times during the night and then up early to catch Diana still in bed which was an unusual pleasure (on this occasion for her as well as for me!). Then asleep again until woken up by Della, anxious to open her birthday presents. Della was nine today which was another blessing as I count each year that she has survived being run over on Gordon Road.

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She stayed with me whilst Diana brought all of her presents in and, once had Debbie joined us, she opened them all up. Quite an array in which the main gifts were a new radio-cassette player for her room and a set of miniature dolls. This morning watched England stage something of a recovery in the third cricket test match against Australia on TV but then Diana wanted to go out for lunch which we took at Brackenbury's in Barretts of St Neots. Some time with my journal after lunch and then it was time for Della's Birthday Party and I had to supervise the party girls when they were taking their swim. The day was hot and got hotter for the party-goers to bounce outside on the Bouncy Castle but the swimming pool was the god-send.

The guests stayed on, Chris and Chas and family being the last to go but I made a move and started to clear up which got them moving in the end. Poor Diana was quite exhausted by the heat and effort and vowed never to have a party again, but I think that I cheered her up by getting the children to help clear up. I was also watching some Wimbledon tennis as well as the cricket but had to get back to my journal this evening, finishing the archiving of May and then starting on June.