Post by Diarist on Dec 31, 2016 18:56:10 GMT 1
I'm back at work after a busy but enjoyable Xmas. On the 25th we went to Kenwood House as planned. Since Sally had done the Christmas shopping while I was at Chequers last weekend I was given a list of what presents I had bought for who. We stayed there overnight and the next day I drove Sally's parents home after lunch. Yesterday evening we (Sally, Mum and I) were invited to the Miller home. On Wednesday evening at the hotel party we had arranged that I would bring the rum and they would provide a big pot of Glühwein. Also present were John Gort and George Patton with wives plus Polish Bron who would also being be going to Palestine with Irvine and George. So it was also a farewell party. Noticeably absent this Xmas was Edward who spent the whole time with his family. Luigi and his wife plus daughter arrived just in time to enjoy the German dinner.
It has been a very eventful year for Irvine and his family but he has settled in and is very grateful to the friends who had supported him. Needless to say we had a great evening. Mum was sometimes a bit lost because of the different languages being spoken but Irvine insisted that we all speak English. Mum was also a little hesitant when she saw the slices of roast beef being served. Brown and a bit crusty on the outside but with a pink middle. I told her to try it and she would like it. She did and did then she asked for the recipe.
We decided to walk home and had a last drink in the Saffron Hotel which was still open.
Sally and I had go back to Irvine's home this morning to pick up the car before driving here to London. I have spent most of this morning typing memorandums for Versailles next month as well as my European Confederation proposal. I also telephoned the French War Ministry and arranged that Sunday afternoon a group of us would fly to Le Touquet on the Channel coast where cars would be waiting to drive us to Paris. Sally then informed General Howard, George Patton and Ritchie O'Connor of the plans. At 11:30 Winston called to inform me that we had a lunch date at 10 Downing Street. In addition to Stanley Baldwin, Anthony Eden and John Simon would be joining us. I walked to the MoD and showed him my memorandums. We then walked to Downing Street.