12 February 09 - As busy as ever...
 
It’s certainly been a varied week in the office, but then it usually is as Alan’s jobs and commitments are so wide-ranging. As usual I’ve spent a lot of time on the phone (fortunately one of my favourite hobbies is talking) and trying to keep the email inbox in double rather than triple figures. I think this cold weather has kept everyone snuggled up to their computers as the emails have been coming in thick and fast, requesting signed photographs, requests for visits to schools and clubs, speeches at lunches and dinners, interviews about his books, the Isle of Wight, being High Sheriff there, what he would eat on Valentine’s Day, what his favourite garden tool is, and would he please redesign a garden in the north of England for a school, submitting the plans in a couple of weeks...

Today I’ve put off a man wanting "a private interview to discuss a private matter" (subject unspecified) with Alan, talked through two charity evenings that Alan will be giving with the organisers, proof-read the sleeve of the forthcoming BBC Radio 2 Melodies for You CD (several times because you always pick up something else on each read-through), said thank you nicely for the cheque that’s on its way to help Isle of Wight charities via the High Sheriff’s Trust, and just about remained civil when Anglia rang three times to flog double-glazing.

Working from home means that at least the office is warm(ish) so two of the cats, Hugo and Demelza, have been either in the in-tray all day, or suddenly leaping on my chair if I left it for two seconds and an envelope. The ginger kitten, Arthur, whom Alan was trying to kidnap after supper a couple of weeks ago, is like a whirling dervish so was banished to the conservatory, where he proceeded to excavate the Clivia plants and scatter soil all over the floor. Perhaps we should have called him Clive...

Best

Caroline