Good Friday. RC safely installed in the Tiffy’s place – he having departed leaving the cottage like a tip behind him. R and Sheila spent the afternoon clearing up.

© Anthony Lawton 2012

Think Tiffy has got a job at an old people’s home in Bognor and so is going tomorrow. Joan gone this morning.

© Anthony Lawton 2012

Joan was RS’s much loved friend and  companion who came to live with her for periods of weeks, then had a spell away.

“I am going to post Rosemary Sutcliff’s diary, daily, twenty years on from 1992, the year of her death”, I wrote here originally, but in fact it is from 1988! Much of it is prosaic, including a regular “Can’t remember what I did”! Every so often there are little gems about current writing or observations of her beloved garden. Local people come to visit. There are the comings and goings of her housekeeper-companions, and her driver: she was severely disabled and needed intensive support. (Happily and unusually she was a successful enough writer to finance these needs before ever any state benefits were available to her.)

Gave Tiffy notice  –  JW coming to provide moral support. He took it quite well. Admitted that he has a drink problem. He is going to be out of the cottage by Sunday.

© Anthony Lawton 2012

Quite a day for starting a new diary. Mr Triggs and his merry men have got the new fence up, and it really looks very good, although a bit in need of some little trees down at the far end to soften it and make it more woodsy. Later, gathered from Mr T that the Tiffy has been much awash with whisky all day and he had told him he shouldn’t drive in that state, when he saw him setting of to Barnham. Rang Ruth and discussed the situation, and have to give him notice tomorrow.

© Anthony Lawton 2012