Tivoli took me to read the minimal text carved into stones set into the ground around the top of the old castle mound, evoking being trapped in the castle during a siege. Just a few words on each of about ten stones, and there we were, stones raining down on us, running out of food, fire approaching... Powerfully effective.

I failed to tell the time accurately so we spent an hour kicking round shops before the Higgins (a unification on one site of the previous Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford Museum and Bedford Gallery) opened, where we were going to see an exhibition of Edward Bawden's work. As well as posters for London Underground there were a quite a few of his prints for advertisers. I liked most of his work but was also engaged by the copy (not by him). I'd forgotten how text-heavy advertisements were in the 50s and 60s and how much humour there was. Advertising has changed utterly over my lifetime.

Then to the deckchairs to hear Bedford Town Band perform in the bandstand near the river and to fail to put a name to any of the familiar tunes.