Memories

Yesterday we spent a large part of it in the Horton Hospital in Banbury in the Radiology department as Mum had a CT scan to try and get to the cause of her bowel complaint. A long time waiting and an uncomfortable scan on one of those massive round scanning devices, made her feel dizzy. Once it was all over we went along to the hospital restaurant for lunch. Again Pork, but very nice. Good job we are not Jewish!
We rested in the afternonn and watched a very long double sided DVD of the film GIANT, which we enjoyed. Liz Taylor, a very young Rock Hudson and wonderboy James Dean brought back memories of my seeing it way back.
In the evening, I was invited to accompany a Catenian friend of mine to a meeting of the Aylesbury Circle which I joined 50 years ago in our Haddenham days and left when we moved to Chinnor and distances and lack of funds did not stretch to a monthly journey to Wendover. Only this time the venue was the Rose & Crown in Tring, the new meeting place. Shades of our Sunday lunches when we used to visit Ivinghoe, Nic.
It was lovely to meet old friends, although many of my original friends have died over the years. Just to hear their names on the Roll of Honour brought back memories. Of course, I was only 30 in those days and now old friends are 80, like me.
John Minogue, who used to work with me at Bucks County Council and retired as Assistant County Treasurer, was very pleased to see me and the 40 year old son of my old pal Ted Pullen welcomed me with 'so you are the famous Hugh Merrow-Smith my sister keeps talking about.' (I used to work at Lloyds Bank with Helen in 1961 before I was transferred to Thame). Sad to hear that old friends from the Couny Offices had died, and even one of Julian's godparents, Mick Phelps is seriously ill with Cancer.
Mum had stayed in while I was out visiting and was fast asleep when I returned, but I was very grateful to her for letting me go out.. What a lovely pal I have. LOL Dad