Have a Cuppa with Shirley (or Martin)

Mind the door, will you? I’m trying to keep the damp out. Dreary day. We're all feeling a bit dull. If you’ve come to see Frank, you might as well sit down for a minute and have a cup of tea. He’s still in hospital. We were hoping he’d be home by now, but he took a turn for the worse last week, and they’ve kept him. It won’t be for much longer though, I shouldn’t think. Martin and I popped round to see him yesterday and he seemed himself again. Even talked about getting back to doing his tours. It’s a shame, really, that he should be so off his head. I’ve always had a soft spot for our Frank. Trouble is he has one himself as it were.

Emma’s moving back into the house. That girl can’t seem to live in one place for more than a month or two. Worse than the moles in Martin’s garden, she is, always stirring things up and leaving dirt wherever she goes. Says she’s coming back to take care of Frank, though if you ask me she’s probably upset the Reverend. Don’t know how she plans to nurse Frank if she’s spending every night keeping John’s bed warm. Not that I’m supposed to know what’s going on, but I wasn’t born yesterday. Overheard her talking to the lad about book rights and publishers. Don’t know what she’s on about, but she’s been gloating like a cat with a canary.

Been down to see my solicitor, I have. Had a bit of old business to tie up, you know, but it’s all tidied now. Otherwise things have been a bit dull around here. Mr. Tinsley’s still fretting about that son of his. Fancy going off for weeks without telling your old Dad when you’re coming back! His Lordship may be expecting me to be looking after him, but it’s not my job, is it? I bring him his tea and bickies like I’ve always done, cook his meals, but I’m too busy to be keeping him company. We do have the odd game of rummy of an evening, but he cheats something fierce. Takes the fun out of it really, doesn't it?

Off so soon? Well, all right then, I'll tell Frank you called in. Mind the door when you leave, there's a bit of a nip in the air.