THE FRINGE RESPONDS TO DIPPITY-DO

S U N D A Y,  2 0  A U G

Woke up to marvellous sunshine, and it stayed that way the rest of the day! Breakfast, lunch and tea outside, and wore bathing costume of course.

Rosemary came round and played with Chump but I think she’s pretty ghastly. I played tennis with Ma but got tired again - I must get more fit.

I read a lot of interesting things in the Observer supplement, the Weekend Review and the New Statesman, but I can’t really be bothered to write them down.

Washed my hair and used Dippity-Do on my crinkly fringe. Success!!!

At supper we talked about holidays. I’d love to go on holiday with the family again, simply because it’d be sad to know that this year was the last one. But I am seriously considering going abroad with a party of young people. If I can find anyone to go with, which I probably can’t. Anya will be in Denmark, and Lucy probably won’t be able to afford it having just gone on the school cruise.

After supper we played Cluedo. The last time we played it was in Austria, the day before I spoke to Dutronc. I remember he kept on glancing up from his book and looking at me. I wonder what was on his mind.

“The great game Cluedo”

Cluedo was invented by a retired solicitor's clerk for kids to play in bomb shelters during the Blitz. A very British game, inspired by very British detective stories, it was originally called Murder at Tudor Close. There were ten characters instead of six, and a few extra weapons including a bomb and a poker. As for the name, Cluedo was a pun on Ludo, but because the game-makers thought Americans wouldn’t get it, they shortened it to Clue.

Cluedo is not what it was. In the 1960s, the lead piping was made of real lead and the rope of real twine. On 6 July 2016, elderly housekeeper Mrs White made way for young Dr Orchid, a female doctor of mixed race.