A trip to London

Feeling like a country mouse now when I go to London.  Things seem to have changed every time I go, and it's only about 2 months since I last went.  This time was another of Finn's fingerboarding meets - in Peckham again.  This time we got the roads right - and found an excellent car park just near the 12 bus route, which was very inexpensive - £8 a day - so after I'd dropped him at Rafi's house I got on the bus and went to the Imperial War Museum.    It seemed a good opportunity to do a little research - but I hadn't had time to book a seat in the documents room, so I had to content myself with their other resources in their "Explore History" section.  These resources included all their on-line stuff, and the sound archive, so I listened to a lot of characters talking about their experiences in joining up, training, getting to the front etc.  It was very helpful.  Gave me a much better picture of things.   I also discovered that the library does have a history of the RAMC which I could use to trace the movements of different bits during the war.... on a negative side, there was nothing on RAMC cyclist messengers and I wonder if I should make David into a stretcher bearer, as there seems to be more information about them. 

While mooching through the books on the open shelves I was pleased to see two of Tony and Valmai's books, "I had dinner with them on Friday!" I thought.  Another very strange coincidence, I saw a vaguely familiar middle-aged man wandering around, and then a teenage boy in shorts! came and sat at the computer next to mine, but I didn't take any notice of him until he walked away with the middle-aged man and as they reached the exit I realised it was William (son of M's cousin Dora) and Jeremy his father.  Too late to run after them, and anyway Jeremy never seems to recognise me even when we're at the same party. I no longer expect to bump into people I know in London, so it was rather a surprise.

I came away with a rather odd bibliography which a helpful, but not very focussed librarian made for me - she seemed to be concentrating on finding info. about the Etaples rebellion and VADs, despite the fact that I'd told her my interest was in the RAMC... I also found a couple more books I can probably order through inter-library loans, I scribbled dozens of notes and leafed through a catalogue of Women's Work in WWI so it was a useful time.  I think I'll have Mrs Ellison involved with the Belgian Refugees Hostel in Tulse Hill.

Came home in almost catatonic state - car has decided to pump hot air in all the time, not very nice as weather currently rather warm.  Arrived at home, ate risotto M had made (his first new dish for about 20 years - adding to his repertoire of spaghetti carbonara and eggy bread), drank nice glass of wine and collapsed into bed, fell asleep at about 9.30.

This morning finished reading The Bank of the Black Sheep by Robert Lewis and am now in theory ready to work, but I am really not in the mood.  However, I have some MUST dos to sort out.