Farewell to Toby

Up fairly early, and Lorraine drove us down to Preston Circus, where Toby Beth and I had some coffee. Lorraine off to get her hair done.  After coffee we went to the bird studio where we had booked a rehearsal room, and met up with Kitty and Matt. Toby was able to at least see a run through of the play before he went. I walked him off to the station in the rain. Fond farewells with my brother and, as always, I was sad to see him go.

Then back to the studio for another run through. Lorraine joined us, sporting smart hair. After rehearsal it was raining hard, and Lorraine drove me off to see Anton. We hung out for a while, the kids now back with Anna for a few days. Anton stretched out on his sofa. His work has given him two months off, and he has to steadily pace himself for his recovery, doing more exercise gradually week by week. For someone like Anton, who works hard, and looks after children and so on, this enforced idleness will be a bit of a challenge. The medics have given him a diet too, which much to Anton’s disgust, majors on vegetables. However, apparently they say coffee is okay, and so is a glass of red wine.

I walked home in the pouring rain, and had a hot shower, then joined in the general melee of packing, and sorting annoying things out on the computer.  Richard surprised me with a call,  to wish us well in Edinburgh.

Below rehearsing in the Bird Studios, Beth and Matt, and Toby just before we started the first run through, styling his new white collarless.