[Varley]

Tobacco could be managed at home (Pa started me on the pipe when I was 15 on the strict understanding that I would never smoke cigarettes). Wimin was rather a different challenge as he was crippled and in the days before cripple friendly access laws were enacted some of the more esoteric establishments were off limits (most pubs on the Island with which I do not have an intimate knowledge are those that had steps so he, and therefore I, avoided them). He had encouraged ball-room dancing (but suspect that he did not expect that all but one lesson per term, when Madame brought girls, we partnered one another) but at an age when interest bellow the belt was limited to deballasting and unachievable rumour.

I knew and know Hamley's well although our set was Triang (Cousin's was Hornby) and while we could have put it in the attic 'across' we didn't and here I have only flat rooves which leak directly onto the reinforced concrete platforms that are the ceilings below and so have no space for storing anything except water which they do poorly.