The changing world (132) Oct 83 to Feb 84

Oct           No diary entry's and no hospitality record.
Nov 28th  Church session meeting.
Dec 2nd    Dr and Mrs Clowney to dinner.
18th          IPC carol service.
Jan 2nd     The wells dined with us.
7th             Paul Simpson dined.
15th           John Moffit ditto.
16th           House group at barnes.
Feb 6th      Session
7th             Led prayer meeting.
9th             Holiday for moving. My diary omits the joys of househunting. We visited plenty in Southall, full of idols and curry. But most are too small for six. Where houses are larger is Norwood Grren which is whiter and more expensive. One day we saw two suitable properties, hanwell and perivale.The first was Connolly Dell with little parking so we plumped for Perivale. £46,000 with a £30,ooo mortgage which was a struggle. I never thought we would qualify for benefits except child allowance. Only later did I realise we could have claimed something.
10th           Move to 71 Lee Road, a DIY job with help from Trevor Wells. The big struggle was getting the piano. Eventually we had to back it into the under stairs cupboard beef getting into the front room. I vowed that if ever I left this house it would be in a box. Our first owner occupier house.
Joe and Steve visited.
14th           Presbytery.
17th           Back to work. Half term.
27th           Back to school.
28th           Paul Simpson to dinner.
I do not have the exact date but we adopted a new family member, Wellesly Dogmatix, the RSPCA  dog. http://www.christiansquoting.org.uk/wellie.htm A lovable mongrel, the result of a Jephtha like rash promise made to David in Nigeria. He loved Niko the Rockhaven racist Alsation and I rashly said he could have a dog when we had a house of our own. Welly was from a violent home. It was very sad to see the children their wave goodbye. Walking him by the canal he shied away from fishermen's rods. He was never obedient or trainable. David took him to classes but to no avail. He had pointer and palmation in him, the mutt. The latter breed are dogs of smell brain.Let him off the lead and anything could happen. By the canal he went for a smaller dog on a leash. The owner was forgiving. I threwWelly in the canal. What he did have was affection and loyalty and he was good with children. The old guy at 73 questioned us having him. No problem. George in 69was another kettle of fish. He lived there with his senile old mother. They were protestant Irish from the republic. Another brother had committed suicide from the from bedroom window. Mental ill health ran in the family. At the previous silver jubilee they had complained that the flags and bunting in the street were not good enough -manf them Irish! More to come of the saga of George and his blowing hot and cold for years.