Month: November 2017

Thursday 10 November 1664 Up, and not finding my things ready, I was so angry with Besse as to bid my wife for good and all to bid her provide herself a place, for though she be very good-natured, she hath no care nor memory of her business at all. Such a minor thing as staff training was not part of Pepys management style. You were either up to the mark or for whatever reason not up to it in...

Wednesday 9 November 1664 A day of business for our Samuel. Read his diary by clicking on the link above. ***** Reflecting on the human condition for a moment. I have taken to listening to TWR Trans World Radio, which is to  be found on the Internet and on freeview/Sky TV. It is a re broadcaster for a wide variety of religious programming channels mainly from the USA and UK.  The material...

Tuesday 8 November 1664 ..So all the afternoon at my office till late, and then to bed, joyed in my love and ability to follow my business.... I am so invigorated- transformed would be too strong a word - when I  come across people who love their work. Whether it is someone in the local hardware shop, the local library, a builder who has just finished a ramshackle (to us) construction for his...

Monday 7 November 1664 Nothing jumps out to speak about. Read Pepys diary as you wish by clicking on the link above. ***** I am doing a garden for Judith, one of my favourite customers.  She owns a large house on some valuable land but cannot bring herself to up sticks and leave. We encourage her every time we visit as her health will catch her out.  She has kidney failure and can barely walk...

Sunday 6 November 1664 (Lord’s day). Up and with my wife to church. Dined at home. And I all the afternoon close at my office drawing up some proposals to present to the Committee for the Fishery to-morrow.... Surely, Pepys is a workaholic. However I don't want accusations of 'the pot calling the kettle black', or 'motes and beams' do we. In a structural way I have become more Godless - less...

Saturday 5 November 1664 ...and so with my wife to the Duke’s house to a play, “Macbeth,” a pretty good play, but admirably acted. Thence home; the coach being forced to go round by London Wall home, because of the bonefires... None of your Health and Safety in those days then. Just watch out! Shakespeare's play written in 1606 could as well be written for today's politicians. The key to the...