A SNAZZ IS SPOTTED AT BUCKLER'S HARD
A Nicholson 32 called 'Sea Flirt'
S A T U R D A Y, 2 6 A U G
Before breakfast Chump and me went to the Stores to get some Sellotape for my fringe because it all went wrong. Great disappointment: no Moustachy.
Later we went along to see the weather board, and passed the Stores. Who should we see inside but Moustachy. So we made the excuse to buy something - decided to get Petticoat. In we went, and looked through the magazines. He looked like mad. They didn’t have Petticoat, so we decided to get ices instead. I said hello to him, he was smiling so much. When he told us what ices there were he was practically laughing – I don’t get what he finds so amusing! Radio Caroline was on and they played ‘Good Times’ (Eric’s latest). I couldn’t stop grinning either. I think he’s such a sweet person, so does Chump - we sat on the pontoon and chatted about him. He hasn’t got his moutache anymore (but I don’t notice much difference).
We didn’t leave for ages because the motor wasn’t working - Daddy feels like killing Roland (!). I spent most of the time looking at Moustachy in the shop through the binoculars. The engineer from Toughs came and finally got the motor working. Quite a snazz on one of the boats in the lock - which staggered me a bit. You see so few sailing.
Changed from my jeans and pink top into my bermudas, and got to Buckler’s Hard about 8. Moored next to the most awful crowd of snobs on a Nicholson 32 called ‘Sea Flirt.’ Quite a snazz on the boat next to them, the only thing is, he’s probably younger than me. That’s another ghastly thing about being 17.
Changed into trousers and pink top and took ages doing my hair. Put it into one bunch on the right but fringe was rather chronic in spite of the Sellotape. Went ashore to the Master Builder's about 9.15 and sat in the little front room for about 25 minutes, until there was a table ready for us.
“Unfortunately we were next to the snobs and heard long details about their holidays in Aldeburgh. ”
They all put on an act, especially the women. At last we went into the dining-room and had the most fab meal. All the waiters were so friendly, it really was good. Ma asked for “a few" beans and the chap serving them joked about how some people say a few "when they really mean a lot”! I had shrimps, fab salmon with Béarnaise sauce, and a lemon/orange sorbet. Chatted a lot about civilisation. Daddy now says we’re NOT living in a declining civilisation, it’s just that he finds it’s so annoying when people say we’re living in a marvellous one. What he does like about this century is that for the first time ever you can get on in the world no matter what your background is. Then my hair got dipped in my coffee and dripped onto my shoulder - it was so scorching hot I thought the sparks of Daddy’s pipe were being showered onto me!
I’m so happy. Mummy says we can invite Sydney and one of the boys on the boat for a sail, and then meet up with the others at Buckler’s Hard and all have dinner together!!! So I'll see Mark either way.
Buckler's Hard in the 1950s. It wasn't a lot different in the '60s.
