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them healthy breezes—very eco-friendly—solar panels—wind driven generator—etc etc. Lovely room—looking out over the North Sea—all blue & sparkly just now—but I hope we get a storm before I go. Funny that—only other time I was here I prayed for warm sunshine—this time I want thunder & lightning!
    The journey first—we stopped off at Willingdene as planned—to meet Gordon Godley—the healer.
    I quite liked him—nutty as a fruitcake—but sort of nice with it.
    Hard to say how old—45? 55?—not helped by a mad black beard threaded with silver—like a bramble bush on an autumn morning—but v young v gentle gray eyes—a nose like a flying buttress in a dolls cathedral & a lovely smile. I could see the unclaimed treasures of the area queuing up to have his hands laid on their aching joints.
    Dont think he took to me though. Tom didnt help—introducing me with a version of my thesis proposal that made me sound like the witch-finder general—out on the rampage! Mr Godley wouldnt meet my eye—answered my questions with monosyllabic grunts—so I soon gave up.
    However—he listened to Toms pitch with great courtesy—tho I got theimpression—using my finely honed analytical powers—that in fact he already knew a lot more about the Sandytown project than he was letting on. In the end—to shut him up I think!—he accepted Toms invite to make a visit to see if he felt called to bring his ministry there—Toms dead keen to get him onboard for what he calls the Festival of Health—scheduled for Bank Holiday weekend—Ill be long gone—thank heaven!—
    Finally—at Marys request—Gord laid his healing hands on the sprained ankle.
    As we left Tom claimed his injury was much improved.
    â€”I felt a warmth—he asserted—A definite warmth as from a powerful sunlamp—
    Back in the car—out of earshot of Mr Godley—I observed that—in veiw of the nature of the injury—I would have been more impressed if hed felt a definite coldness.
    He turned in his seat—hed wanted me to sit in the front—but I insisted he needed the space because of his ankle—& gave me a delighted smile & said—see Mary how good Charlotte will be for us. Scientific objectivity—thats what we want. No chance of charlatanism ruining the good name of Sandytown with her keen eye upon us!—
    Im not sure what lasting effect the healers hands might have on the sprained ankle—but one thing I feel certain of—Tom Parkers optimism is incurable!
    Mary drove well & very carefully. If shed been at the wheel I doubt theyd have ended in the tank trap. On the other hand I couldnt regret that they had. My acceptance of their invitation might have been made in pique—but now I found I was really looking forward to the visit. Dont know if Ill get much useful thesis fodder out of it—after my start with Godly Gordon I guess Ill need to brush up my interviewing techniques—but being cast in the role of detached scientific observer tickled my fancy.
    Like a camera—I will record—& not judge.
    Or maybe Ill judge just a little! I am after all Steve Heywoods daughter.
    Difference being—Ill keep my judgments to myself!
    & you—of course!
    Â 
    Short break there.
    Eldest kid—Minnie (= little Mary)—burst in to say lunch would be ready in 20 mins—& see if Id got everything I needed. Gave the impression shed been sent—but I suspect it was mainly her own idea—to check out the new fish! She talked nonstop—while her eyes gobbled everything up—especially my laptop. Shes 9 going on 90—reminds me of me at that age. Havent been bothering much with security—but now I may reactivate my password!
    Got rid of her—by main force!—after a couple of minutes—so now I can get to the really exciting bit of the journey